One Underrated Hooper from each 3A Conference

The 3A classification is one of most well-rounded classifications in Arkansas. They have passionate fanbases, dedicated coaches, and hardworking players. With that being said, here is one player from each conference in the 3A classification who is well under the radar.   3A-1    [player_tooltip player_id='1186726' first='Lakyn' last='Shofner'] has had plenty of success in her time with the Elkins Lady Elks, being named all-conference as a sophomore. Now in her final year wearing the purple and white, she looks to earn some more hardware.   One of Shofner's best games so far this season was against Lincoln High School where she put up 27 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals. Not long before that game, the senior posted 22 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, and 6 steals over Haas Hall Bentonville.   Those are just a couple of big scoring outings that Shofner has had this season. Even though she is Elkins' primary scorer, she does not need the ball to create her own offense. Shofner is fantastic moving without the basketball. Whether it is a v-cut or a backdoor cut, she is able to use her quickness to get open. If she does not have an open layup, she can turn around and shoot a short jumper over the defense.   On the other end of the floor, Shofner is a pest. She plays with active hands, deflecting passes and stripping ball-handlers multiple times a game.   [player_tooltip player_id='1186726' first='Lakyn' last='Shofner'] is a great two-way player who is leading Elkins to a fantastic 21-4 overall record. There are so many great teams in the 3A classification, with Elkins being one of them.    3A-2    Yellville-Summit is in one of the toughest conferences in all of Arkansas high school basketball. They started the year 11-4, but have since struggled once they entered conference play, compiling a 1-10 record in the 3A-2. Despite their rough stretch, one player continues to impress.   [player_tooltip player_id='1186906' first='Blair' last='Castle'] has played well in stretches this season. She had 21 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, and 5 made 3-pointers in a loss to Melbourne.   Castle has a quick release from outside, and she does not hesitate when she has a good look. She is great at shooting off the catch and off the dribble, but I think she is an even better driver. If a jumper is not available, then Castle is immediately looking to drive inside. She finishes well on the interior, but if she is hacked, she will head to the line and capitalize on the free shots.   On the defensive end, Castle is extremely active. She pounces on loose balls. If a pass hangs in the air a half-second too long, then she is all over it, pushing the pace at the other end.   [player_tooltip player_id='1186906' first='Blair' last='Castle'] has a bright future. She can easily become one of the better guards/small forwards in the 3A classification, but for right now, she is a top 10 player in the 3A-2.    3A-3    I have talked about [player_tooltip player_id='1093319' first='Bailey' last='Wilson'] once before. She had a solid outing in an important win over Harrisburg in mid-January. Since then, the sophomore point guard continues to put on a show night-after-night.   Wilson is a quick guard, and when she has a full head of steam, no one is catching up to her. The sophomore has a great first step, and once she gets to the rim, she can finish over the defense. She can also step outside and knock down big shots from 3-point land. Of course, Wilson is more than a scorer.   She facilitates the offense well, setting up teammates with nice passes. Wilson is also a formidable defender. She uses her quickness to jump in front of passing lanes, taking turnovers the other way.   [player_tooltip player_id='1093319' first='Bailey' last='Wilson'] has the potential to be one of the 3A's best point guards, she just needs more statewide recognition.    3A-4    [player_tooltip player_id='1180599' first='Abby' last='Smith'] is not Mansfield's go-to scorer, but she makes sure to contribute whenever she is on the floor. She provides valuable minutes doing all of the little things, and she is only a freshman!   Smith had a 6-point, 12-rebound, 7-assist performance against Lavaca before positing 12 points, 3 rebounds, and 5 assists versus Cedarville in January. She also had a recent stat line of 14 points, 6 assists, and 2 steals against Booneville.   Do not get me wrong, Smith is more than capable of scoring, as she can finish down low and hit timely jumpshots. However, the freshman is at her best facilitating and rebounding. She does not back down from taller opposing players, boxing them out and skying high for rebounds. Mansfield's primary offensive objective is to get the ball down low to their star big, and Smith has accomplished that task time and time again.   [player_tooltip player_id='1180599' first='Abby' last='Smith'] is going to be one of the better point guards in the 3A classification once it is all said and done. Keep up with Smith and this great Mansfield team as they look to make a deep playoff push.    3A-5    [player_tooltip player_id='1180773' first='Ella' last='Tolley']'s game has really come along in her sophomore season. She makes an impact on both sides of the ball, and even if the shots are not falling, she can still make plays.   Against undefeated Dover High School, Tolley had 6 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block. Not long before that, she had 18 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 blocks against the second-best team in the 3A-5, Baptist Prep.   In that game against Baptist Prep, Tolley drained 2 triples off the catch. If shots are not available from outside, then she has no problem driving inside and finishing through the teeth of the defense. As you can see though, she has had major impacts on the boards and on defense.   Tolley has decent size at 5'9", using her long frame to jump in and grab some rebounds. That length is also important on the defensive side of the ball, especially in rim protection.   Though she plays along the perimeter on offense, her length is employed down low on defense, as she has proven to be a shot-blocking threat. In addition to those 3 blocks against Baptist Prep, she also had 2 blocks versus Atkins a game later.   [player_tooltip player_id='1180773' first='Ella' last='Tolley'] is a solid two-way forward who is going to become more notable around the state sooner rather than later.    3A-6    [player_tooltip player_id='876333' first='Claire' last='Citty'] has proven to be one of the best scorers in Arkansas this season, which has helped her team reach a 14-2 overall record, only losing one game in conference.   Citty averages 22.7 points per game on 44% shooting from the field. She also shoots 32% from the 3-point line, pulls down 7.3 boards a night, and logs 4.4 assists a game.   Citty's inside-out play has been incredible this season. She shoots the ball well from the perimeter, and then uses her strength to force her way inside. Opposing defenses do not bother her, as she has become a master at finishing through traffic.   On the defensive end, there might not be a better player at forcing turnovers than Citty. She averages 3.8 steals a night, disrupting passing lanes and hounding opposing ball-handlers.   [player_tooltip player_id='876333' first='Claire' last='Citty'] is ready to take Harding Academy to the 3A title, and I would not doubt if Citty was crowned as the top player in the classification.    3A-7    As it stands, [player_tooltip player_id='1187059' first='Zamariyah' last='Rhone'] will not be playing basketball in college, but she is still looking to propel Ashdown to the playoffs.   Rhone will be majoring in nursing and running track at UCA, according to a post on Instagram. Regardless, she has had a fantastic senior season on the hardwood.   Rhone had 30 points in a win over Harmony Grove in mid-January, and before that, she won the Little River County Farm Bureau player of the month award for the month of December.   She scores well on the interior, but I am most impressed by her defensive ability. Rhone uses her track speed to jump the passing lanes and race down the other way for a score. She racks up multiple steals a night, recently having 4 against Taylor High School and 2 against Genoa Central. In that matchup with Taylor, Rhone added 8 rebounds to her evening total, showing that she can rebound well against taller competition.   [player_tooltip player_id='1187059' first='Zamariyah' last='Rhone'] may not be playing college ball, but she is well on her way to an all-conference season with the Lady Panthers. Of course, she does not plan on leaving the court until she brings home a championship.    3A-8    Every time I watch [player_tooltip player_id='881698' first='Chloe' last='Anderson'] play, I can tell she is on a mission, whether that is to knock the defense down and score over them, or to send their shots flying into next week.   Anderson looks to be the most talented player on the floor at any given time. On offense, she cannot be stopped once she starts backing you down in the post. She will push the defense under the basket and score, but she has also improved her out-of-position play. She is comfortable dribbling the ball down the floor and hitting in-rhythm mid-range jumpers.   Anderson is very athletic, and Drew Central uses that to their advantage. They have one particular play-call where Anderson moves around screens off the ball and they lob it up to her at the basket. She leaps to grab it and finishes the layup.   As I alluded to on defense, Anderson will send shots packing. She is an aggressive shot-blocker, making a statement every time she gets a paw on the ball. Opposing bigs cannot back her down in the post. She is stronger than everyone else, so just go ahead and pass away from her.   [player_tooltip player_id='881698' first='Chloe' last='Anderson'] has had some monster statlines this season. Most recently, she had 15 points, 17 rebounds, 2 steals, and 1 block against Rison. In Drew Central's previous meeting against Lakeside, she had 20 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals. Everyone needs to make the trip down Arkansas-35 to watch this junior dominate.    There are some beasts in this classification. The 3A features some solid young talent and some proven players who can dominate both sides of the ball. Keep up with these underrated ballers this season.

The 3A classification is one of most well-rounded classifications in Arkansas. They have passionate fanbases, dedicated coaches, and hardworking players. With that being said, here is one player from each conference in the 3A classification who is well under the radar.