Conway High School is a Top 25 Team in the Nation...Here's Why

First off, Happy New Year!   MaxPreps is one of the leading sources for high school sports outside of Prep Sports, and they have been a trusted avenue of information for years. MaxPreps released their top 25 teams in the country for high school girls basketball, and a school out of the Natural State made the cut. The Conway Lady Wampus Cats make their first top 25 appearance, landing at #17.   Conway is off to a flying start, entering conference play with a 17-1 overall record. Their non-conference schedule was fierce, starting on a 6-game winning streak before falling to 22-4 Monterey High School out of Lubbock, Texas in late November. They are currently on an 11-game winning streak, returning from running the table at the Sandra Meadows Classic in Duncanville, Texas. In their last game, Conway defeated Boswell High School out of Fort Worth, Texas, delivering them their second loss and knocking them out of the MaxPreps top 25.   It is clear that Coach Ashcraft has this team clicking, and certainly at the right time. The Lady Wampus Cats open 6A Central play against Little Rock Southwest at home on the 7th, so do not miss out on the action from the best team in Arkansas.   Before you watch this team play, learn about the players that have been key to their top 25 ranking this year.    [player_tooltip player_id='465513' first='Emerie' last='Bohanon'] is the top player in the class of 2025 in Arkansas, and she is the best player on this Conway team. The Central Arkansas commit has continued to ball out this season, helping the Lady Wampus Cats solidify their spot at #17 in the country.   Bohanon was named the MVP of the Sandra Meadows Classic in Texas. During the tournament championship, Bohanon had 20 points in the 4-point victory. 20 points is impressive, but it is even more impressive knowing that Conway played earlier that day, and Bohanon scored 28 in a double-overtime victory over St. Francis out of Georgia. In fact, Conway played 5 games in 3 days, with Bohanon performing well in all 5 victories.   The jumpers have been falling for Bohanon this season. Whether it was from three or from mid-range, it seemed like she could not miss. She can pull up for a shot off the fastbreak or catch it and shoot. Conway runs a press that produces a lot of turnovers, and Bohanon is often at the receiving end of those newfound possessions.   If she is not the one stealing the ball, then she is the first one to run out in transition. Bohanon is a tough driver. She cannot be stopped by the defense as she will always find a way to finish inside. If she cannot get all the way to the rim, then she can shoot a floater over the defense.   [player_tooltip player_id='465513' first='Emerie' last='Bohanon'] is a fantastic two-way player for Conway, and she has helped this team land on the national map. The Lady Wampus Cats are the favorites to win the 6A title, and with Bohanon starring for them, there is little need for explanation.     [player_tooltip player_id='465492' first='Samyah' last='Jordan'] has been the defensive anchor for the Lady Wampus Cats this season. She earned the defensive MVP award at the Sandra Meadows Classic. Along with being a solid offensive contributor, there is little Jordan cannot do on the floor.   Jordan makes it her mission to shut down the opposition's best offensive players. She does not give them an inch of breathing room and she has no trouble forcing them to take bad shots, if they are lucky to get a shot off at all. Jordan plays with active hands constantly and she is great at disrupting passing lanes. Creating turnovers is her specialty, and defense is her calling card, but her play on the opposite end is also worth highlighting.   Jordan had 17 points against St. Francis out of Georgia, in what was a double-overtime victory for Conway. Whenever Jordan steps onto the floor, she is a threat to go on a hot streak from beyond the arch. She has a pure jumpshot and is great both off the catch and off the dribble. Jordan is also great at attacking the basket, being able to finish with both hands. She has even shown she can hit the defense with some fancy moves in the paint. In particular, check out the <a href="https://x.com/LadyWampusCats/status/1865496946841903158">first move that Jordan hits in this clip. </a>Jordan can defend and score, but she is also a phenomenal facilitator.   Great teams have commanding floor generals, and Conway has that in Jordan. She sets up the offense while bringing the ball up. Her eyes are always fixed on the development of the play. She knows where her teammates will be at all times and when she drives and meets traffic, she knows exactly where to throw the ball for her teammate to be in the best position to receive the rock.   [player_tooltip player_id='465492' first='Samyah' last='Jordan'] does a bit of everything for the Lady Wampus Cats, and it is not hard to see why she is entertaining offers from Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Southern Mississippi. With more national recognition and promising performances, Jordan will be entertaining more than just two offers soon enough.     [player_tooltip player_id='1090383' first='Kylie' last='Johnson'] really came alive for the Lady Wampus Cats towards the end of 2024. She has shown she can play multiple positions on the floor, and she will be a key player for Conway over the course of the season.   Johnson drives hard to the basket whenever she has the chance. She uses her strength and athleticism to barrel her way inside, absorbing contact and going up against the defense. Johnson will also show off her perimeter skills during the game. She will pull back and display her offensive skillset by getting to her spots on the floor and knocking down a perimeter look. Johnson's inside-out offensive game was on display during her 17-point performance against Lone Star High School from Texas during the Sandra Meadows Classic. That same day, Johnson put up 9 points in Conway's second win of the day over Huntington out of Louisiana.   On defense, Johnson applies difficult on-ball pressure. She is a part of Conway's full-court press, using her length to jump up and tip passes, leading to steals. She can also take advantage of poor ball-handling by the other team, picking their pocket and taking it the other way.   [player_tooltip player_id='1090383' first='Kylie' last='Johnson'] is a star currently, but she is a future superstar for the #17 team in the country.     Like [player_tooltip player_id='1090383' first='Kylie' last='Johnson'], [player_tooltip player_id='1090347' first='Traniyah' last='Weston'] is the future of Conway basketball. She is already in the top 10 in the 2027 class and has been recognized during one of Conway's tournaments.   Along with [player_tooltip player_id='465513' first='Emerie' last='Bohanon'], she was named the Sick of Sickle Cell Player of the Game after her strong performance against Newcastle High School out of Oklahoma. She also had a 13-point performance in Conway's big win over Huntington after Christmas.   Weston is a strong two-way player. She is threat to force turnovers on nearly every possession. She plays hard on that end and uses active hands. Weston can break away for a steal and take it the other way for easy baskets.   Transition points are a big chunk of Weston's scoring output, but she can also score points in bunches in the halfcourt setting. She is a fantastic shooter who can get it going from both the mid-range and from beyond the arch. If she is chased off the 3-point line, then she can slash inside and finish against tough defense.   [player_tooltip player_id='1090347' first='Traniyah' last='Weston'] is a fantastic two-way player for Conway and she will be the one of the best guards in the state for a long time.     [player_tooltip player_id='1056381' first='Alivia' last='Cox'] is one of three UCA commits on this Lady Wampus Cat team. She has established herself as a reliable role player, and she is an important two-way player for the #17 team in the country.   Cox plays hard on the defensive end, using her length to her advantage. She has the wingspan to strip the rock from opposing ball-handlers and to poke passes away. Cox moves her feet well, staying in front of her assignment and rotating on help defense. She can jump in front of a driving opposing player and draw a charge. She can also crash the glass and even start the fastbreak by bringing it up the floor herself.   On offense, Cox can make some plays from inside and outside. From the inside, Cox uses her length again to finish over the defense and to do some damage on the offensive glass. From outside, she can stretch the floor, being able to knock down open mid-range and 3-point shots.   [player_tooltip player_id='1056381' first='Alivia' last='Cox'] is a do-it-all player for Conway. Her hustle and determination has been noticed by UCA, and it will be those same intangibles to will help the Lady Wampus Cats excel this season.    That is just a few of the several impactful players that Conway High School at their disposal. That is not to mention players like [player_tooltip player_id='579754' first='Libby' last='Counts'], [player_tooltip player_id='1091165' first='Mi'Raiyh' last='Wilson'], Nicole Rodriguez, and [player_tooltip player_id='465503' first='Alexis' last='Cox'] (as far as I can tell she is still out with an injury) who are expected to make large impacts for the Lady Wampus Cats all season. For the 6A Central, you better watch out for Conway because they are without a doubt the favorites to win the 6A state championship, and it would be a shock if they lost another game this season.

First off, Happy New Year!