How the CyFair E40 Arkansas 17U squad is doing thus far

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Cyfair's 17U squad features some of the most underrated talent in central Arkansas. These players will be household names in Arkansas high school basketball by the time the season rolls around, and that will be thanks to their play in the AAU circuit. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One AAU tournament I will mention throughout this piece is the Heart of Texas tournament, which occurred this past weekend. CyFair went 3-1 in the tournament, losing their lone contest by just one point. All of these players made great plays throughout the weekend. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/cydney-sanders/"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='465929' first='Cydney' last='Sanders']</strong></a>- [player_tooltip player_id='465929' first='Cydney' last='Sanders'] is one of the best guards in her class, and she will be tearing it up for Baptist Prep as a senior next season. So far with CyFair, she has given us a preview of what she will do with the Lady Eagles in 2025-26. Sanders averaged 15 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals, and 0.8 blocks during CyFair's run in the Heart of Texas tournament. She shot 48% from the field and 46% from three. Her efficient shooting has been difficult for defenses, especially since she can slash her way to the basket if they close out on her too hard. This incoming senior is one of the best players on every court she steps onto, so defenses beware.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/elicia-shepherd/"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1060878' first='Elicia' last='Shepherd']</strong></a>- [player_tooltip player_id='1060878' first='Elicia' last='Shepherd'] is a long and athletic forward who is one of the toughest players to guard in the post. She is slightly undersized for her position, but with her other physical skills and soft touch around the rim, defending her is not as easy as it may seem. The NLR standout performed well at the Heart of Texas tournament this past weekend, averaging 13 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals, and 1 block per game. She has always been a solid rebounder and defender, being able to defend both guards and bigs, but she displayed some brilliance with her playmaking as well. On top of all that, she shot 42% from the field, with the majority of her shots coming from inside the arc.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/angel-watson/">[player_tooltip player_id='1186844' first='Angel' last='Watson']</a></strong>- Nashville's [player_tooltip player_id='1186844' first='Angel' last='Watson'] is expected to have a larger role in 2025-26 after several of the Lady Scrapperettes' top scorers graduated. Though her role with CyFair is not as a scorer, she has made excellent plays on both ends of the floor. In the four games CyFair played in at the Heart of Texas tournament, Watson averaged 5 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, and 2 steals per game. Watson was outstanding on the offensive glass, pulling down 4 offensive boards in one game and 3 in the next. Her defense has also been outstanding, as she usually guards the opposition's best forwards. She may be a role player on this team, but she is one of the best role players from any Arkansas-based AAU team.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/jaliyah-white/">Ja'liyah White</a></strong>- White is another standout from North Little Rock, but I thought she deserved more playing time in 2024-25. After seeing what she has done thus far with CyFair, it is clear to me that she will receive more minutes with the Lady Charging Wildcats. In the Heart of Texas tournament, White averaged 13 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, and 4 steals a contest. I always knew she was a good 3-point shooter, but not 42% from the 3-point line-good. Besides her outside shooting, her rebounding numbers have been outstanding, especially her performance against 2026 Members Only Basketball, where she pulled down 12 boards. She has also disrupted passing lanes and dove on loose balls every single game, making her a scary two-way player to face.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/gabrielle-sanders/">[player_tooltip player_id='1060883' first='Gabrielle' last='Sanders']</a></strong>- As the play-by-play commentator with Little Rock Central basketball, I got to see [player_tooltip player_id='1060883' first='Gabrielle' last='Sanders'] a lot, and I believe she is due for more playing time this winter. Before this tournament, Sanders had shown her solid outside shooting ability, something I am sure Central head coach Marlon Williams loves to see out of his 2026 guard. If that becomes a consistent part of her game, I am sure she can improve upon the work she has already done on the court, especially since she is already a phenomenal defender.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/jordan-bowden/">[player_tooltip player_id='1060886' first='Jordan' last='Bowden']</a></strong>- Bowden did not receive the type of minutes I thought she deserved this past season with NLR, but with her play in the AAU circuits, she is on her way to a larger role with the 6A squad. She averaged a modest 3 points per game, but scoring is not why she was out there for key minutes every game. Bowden stole the ball 4 times a game during this tournament, in addition to her 2 rebounds and 2 assists average. Bowden's X handle is "JBthatdefender," and she lived up to that name by being an absolute pest on the defensive end, stripping ball-handlers and intercepting passes. She embraced the role of being CyFair's hustle and energy player, which will immediately translate to the high school level.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/elois-moore/">[player_tooltip player_id='1060808' first='Elois' last='Moore']</a></strong>- The Episcopal Collegiate star has been a part of the CyFair program for a few years now, which has elevated her play in the high school setting. She is an excellent two-way player who is a tough finisher inside. Moore can stretch her game out to the mid-range and perimeter areas, but her play around the basket is excellent, especially with her ability to follow up misses. After earning all-conference and all-state this past season, Moore is looking for a breakout season in 2025-26.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/chloe-browning-barton/">Chloe Browning-Barton</a></strong>- The center from Arkadelphia primarily played a reserve role with CyFair this weekend, but she was a major factor on the backboard. She averaged 3.3 rebounds a game in limited time this weekend. Most of her rebounds came from the offensive end, where she averaged 2.0 offensive boards per contest. She is very difficult to box out, practically impossible, especially with her strength and aggression that she plays with. Once the AAU season is complete, I would imagine that Browning-Barton will no longer be unranked.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->