The Top Player from each Arkansas County (pt. 3)

This article series continues to recognize the top player in every Arkansas County as we head into the 2025-26 preseason.   Howard County   Dierks, Umpire, Mineral Springs, and Nashville are all in Howard County. Though Dierks has top young talent, Nashville is a team that is well-equipped for the upcoming season, thanks to its top talent.   Nashville is loaded, but <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/tag/ava-basiliere/">[player_tooltip player_id='1091107' first='Ava' last='Basiliere'] </a>will be leading the charge in her junior season. She had a great sophomore season with the Scrapperettes, totaling 492 points, 197 rebounds, 76 assists, and 98 steals. She is a fantastic scorer who can hit shots from inside and out. Basiliere has supreme playmaking skills, being able to get to the basket with ease, in addition to creating a jumpshot with her handles.   Nashville will be the top team in this county next year, as well as a legitimate 4A state title contender. [player_tooltip player_id='1091107' first='Ava' last='Basiliere'] will be a major reason why, potentially establishing herself as the county's top player.   Independence County   Batesville, Southside Charter, Midland, and Cedar Ridge are all in Independence County. These schools all have strong young talent, but Southside Charter's young stars take the cake.   <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/emily-guyette/">[player_tooltip player_id='1118029' first='Emily' last='Guyette']</a>, Southside Charter's 2028 center, is coming off a fantastic freshman season. After picking up all-conference and all-state selections, Guyette is looking to continue her strong two-way play. She can score with ease down low, eating up the defense with her length, and she can defend the rim at the other end. Guyette is also a solid rebounder, and logging double-doubles is not uncommon for her.   [player_tooltip player_id='1118029' first='Emily' last='Guyette'] is one of the best centers in the state, and with high expectations, she will assert herself as the top player in this county.   Izard County   Melbourne and Calico Rock are in Izard County, along with the school in Brockwell, which has a very original name: Izard County Consolidated. Izard County had an incredible 2024-25 season, becoming state champions. Despite most of their players graduating, they bring back a player who is expected to light up the court.   <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/olivia-spray/">[player_tooltip player_id='1060802' first='Olivia' last='Spray']</a> is a great 3-point shooter who is coming off a fantastic performance in the 2A title game. She had 19 points against a great Barton team, mostly thanks to her solid outside shooting ability off the catch and the dribble. The Arkansas Basketball Coaches Association was fond of her scoring abilities, considering her and two of her 2025 Lady Cougar teammates as top-5 players in the 2A classification.   With most of Izard County's top scorers from last year gone, they are going to have to rely heavily on [player_tooltip player_id='1060802' first='Olivia' last='Spray'], and I believe she is up to the challenge.   Jackson County   There are only two schools in Jackson County, Tuckerman and Newport. Picking the top player in this county was kind of difficult. Though Newport graduated several solid players, they still bring back some players who earned postseason awards. Despite that, I think Tuckerman's <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/maddyx-soden/">[player_tooltip player_id='1245018' first='Maddyx' last='Soden']</a> could surprise everyone and be the top player in Jackson County.   Soden had a solid impact as a freshman for Tuckerman last season, helping stretch out the defense with her sharp 3-point shooting ability. She had 3 or more triples against multiple opponents last season, including Sloan-Hendrix, Cedar Ridge, and Harding Academy, where she posted 18 points against a solid Lady Wildcat team.   [player_tooltip player_id='1245018' first='Maddyx' last='Soden'] is a highly underrated guard in the 2028 class, but after she makes improvements in the offseason, I imagine she will be Tuckerman's top offensive weapon.   Jefferson County   On the edge of the Little Rock Metro sits Jefferson County, which consists of Pine Bluff, Watson Chapel, and Pine Bluff High Schools. Watson Chapel and White Hall have several players who could contend for the title of "Top Player in Jefferson County," but I think Watson Chapel has a slight edge.   <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/maranda-emerson/">[player_tooltip player_id='1060823' first='Maranda' last='Emerson']</a> is a dynamic scorer who can hit shots from inside, mid-range, and 3-point land. Her flashy handles allow her to get by her defender and get into the paint, where she can use her quick release to knock down floaters. Emerson is a tough finisher, but if she happens to miss a look at the rim, she will collect her miss and quickly go back up with it.   [player_tooltip player_id='1060823' first='Maranda' last='Emerson'] is a trending name in the state, and I suspect she will be the top player this county has to offer by this time next year.   Johnson County   Johnson County covers a wide area, including Mount Judea in its Northeast corner and Oark in its Northwest Corner. Lamar and Clarksville are right along Interstate 40, and Westside Johnson County is just off the interstate, in the Western portion of the region. Of these schools, Lamar had the most successful 2024-25 season, but after graduating the majority of their talented playmakers, one of Clarksville's finest could see a large role increase.   <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/olivia-pelfrey/">[player_tooltip player_id='1251579' first='Olivia' last='Pelfrey']</a> had a great junior season with Clarksville last year, and she is ready to duplicate her success. The center had multiple strong performances on both sides of the basketball, being able to successfully protect the rim while being able to take her offensive game to the perimeter. She had 3 blocks against Pottsville toward the end of the regular season, not long after hitting three triples against Dardanelle.   [player_tooltip player_id='1251579' first='Olivia' last='Pelfrey'] is a solid stretch-5, which is rare at this level of basketball. Clarksville should expand on her two-way success, which makes Pelfrey and this team intriguing as we head into the 2025-26 season.   Lafayette County   Lafayette County is not a particularly large county, though it does cover a lot of ground. Bradley High School, along with Lafayette County High School, are two of the schools in this region, with the latter producing exceptional talent.   The Lafayette County Lady Cougars graduated their top scorer, Atesa Johnson. Despite that, their supporting cast is talented, being a crucial part of their 26-8 season. With that being said, I honestly do not know who the best player from this bunch is, so I am going to mention four candidates who could be the top player in this county.   <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/keke-harris/">[player_tooltip player_id='1180795' first='Keyaijah' last='Harris']</a> averaged 8.7 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 2.2 steals per game in 2024-25. Harris shares some of the ball-handling duties with <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/trinity-mckinney/">[player_tooltip player_id='1186514' first='Trinity' last='McKinney']</a>, who averaged 8.4 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 2.8 steals per game. Both of these players are solid rebounders for their position, as well as being phenomenal defenders. <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/aleyah-antwine/">[player_tooltip player_id='1110693' first='Aleyah' last='Antwine']</a> is coming off a solid sophomore season, averaging 8.0 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. She led the team in blocks with 1.4 a night, as well as on the offensive glass, pulling down a team-high 2.5 boards a night. Another 2027 hooper, <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/lainey-nutt/">[player_tooltip player_id='1110694' first='Lainey' last='Nutt']</a>, rounds out this group after putting up 6.3 points, 2.7 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 2.3 steals per game.   Lafayette County has a great roster returning next year, so teams beware. I am interested in seeing how deep of a run they can make in the state playoffs and who emerges as their top player.   Lawrence County   In the Northeastern part of the state is Lawrence County, which consists of Hoxie, Walnut Ridge, Sloan-Hendrix, and Hillcrest. Of these schools, Sloan-Hendrix has the best chance of having the top player in the county.   <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/kaylee-jines/">[player_tooltip player_id='899568' first='Kaylee' last='Jines']</a> had a solid sophomore season in 2024-25, destroying the opposition with her two-way play. Jines racked up loads of steals and blocks on the defensive end, including her 8-steal performance against Marshall in January. She has also had 3 or more blocks against Tuckerman, Mammoth Spring, Cedar Ridge, Manila, and others. On the offensive end, Jines is a versatile player, being able to stretch the floor by knocking down threes and finishing inside.   [player_tooltip player_id='899568' first='Kaylee' last='Jines'] is going to tear down opposing offenses, so buckle up and get ready.   Lee County   Lee High School and Lee Academy are both in this county. Though both squads struggled this past season, I think Lee High School will find the most success this coming year.   Lee does not have a clear-cut "star." After just a 3-win season, it will take a total team effort to produce a better performance, so I am going to highlight all of the returning players for the Lady Trojans who could be impactful. Cierra Gates is a 6'0" junior who is intriguing, especially since she will be the lone senior on the roster next season. Dorian Strain and Kennedi Lewellen will both be juniors, and Jayiona Miller and Mariyah Smith are coming off their freshman seasons.   It is sometimes more interesting not to know who on a team will be the most impactful. I am all for good surprises, so I will be interested to see who on this Lee team will be a star.   Lincoln County   Star City High School is the lone high school in Lincoln County, and they have really good talent. The challenge for me is who on this talented team has the best chance at becoming the best in the county.   Of all the worthy candidates, <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/bre-moore/">[player_tooltip player_id='1093308' first='Bre' last='Moore']</a> might just be the best player on this team. She is a versatile two-way player who does not mind playing out of position. Moore has good defensive instincts, and she is a ball-handler's worst nightmare when they see her lurking in the passing lanes. Once she intercepts a pass, there is no way they can stop her at the other end. On the offensive end, Moore can finish through contact inside, but she can also step back and hit some short jumpers.   [player_tooltip player_id='1093308' first='Bre' last='Moore'] continues to improve her game. If she takes another step up as a junior, colleges are going to start contacting her, begging her to commit to them.   Little River County   Ashdown and Foreman are in Little River County. Of the two schools, I believe Ashdown will have the most success this coming year.   Ashdown graduated several players who made up the majority of their offense from last season. However, I think that 2027 Davreana Forte could be a major factor in 2025-26. She is a solid 3-point shooter who is lethal off the catch. She has a quick release and helps spread out Ashdown's offense.   We will see who ends up being the most impactful on this Lady Panther squad, but for now, I believe it will be Davreana Forte, thanks to her sharp shooting.   Logan County   Logan County has some competitive schools, including Paris, County Line, Scranton, Magazine, and Booneville. Subiaco Academy is also in this county, but of all the strong playoff squads in this region, County Line has some of the best talent to offer.   <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/joshlynn-brown/">[player_tooltip player_id='867838' first='Joshlynn' last='Brown']</a> emerged as one of the top guards in the 2027 class last season. Brown runs the County Line offense, where she can create her offense or initiate plays for others. She can hit shots from the perimeter, but she is strongest when she drives inside. The guard can either pull up for a quick jumper or take on the defense in the paint. With her playmaking, Brown knows where her teammates are at all times, and she can hit them with accurate passes.   [player_tooltip player_id='867838' first='Joshlynn' last='Brown'] is already a solid offensive player for County Line. She plays in a talented part of the state, so I am curious if she can hold on to the title of "Best Player in Logan County."   Lonoke County   Cabot, Lonoke, England, and Carlisle are the high schools in this county. All of these teams have young, unproven talent, but I think Cabot has a young player who is extremely underrated, but could have a breakout season in 2025-26.   <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/jayda-cook/">[player_tooltip player_id='1180576' first='Jayda' last='Cook']</a> was a starter on Cabot's varsity squad last year as just a freshman. During my time with the Tigers Sports Network (Little Rock Central), I immediately noticed Cook's impact on both ends of the floor. She was tasked with guarding the opposition's best guards and wings while also being a player to score when the team is in a rut. She was impressive with her toughness and length on the defensive end while also showcasing some skill when attacking the basket.   [player_tooltip player_id='1180576' first='Jayda' last='Cook'] is still improving, but I think she could be Cabot's star next season, and certainly the best player Lonoke County has to offer.   Madison County   Kingston, Huntsville, and St. Paul are all in Madison County. Of the three, Kingston has perhaps the top hooper in the region.   <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/emma-kivell/">[player_tooltip player_id='1197530' first='Emma' last='Kivell'] </a>was an all-conference and all-state selection this past season for Kingston. Kivell put together some strong performances throughout the year, averaging 13.1 points and 6.7 rebounds per game mid-way through the season. She also shot around 40% from the 3-point line in conference play.   The Lady Yellowjackets graduated two of their primary scorers, so along with some talented returners, this will be [player_tooltip player_id='1197530' first='Emma' last='Kivell']'s team next year.   Marion County   Marion County consists of Flippin and Yellville-Summit High Schools. Both teams have strong rosters, but I think Yellville-Summit has the best player in this county.   Yellville-Summit's <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/blair-castle/">[player_tooltip player_id='1186906' first='Blair' last='Castle']</a> had some strong outings during her sophomore season in 2024-25. She had a solid stretch of games toward the end of the regular season, where she posted multiple 20-point performances. In one of those games, Castle was a menace on defense, recording 7 steals in addition to 24 points, 3 rebounds, and 4 assists.   So far on the AAU circuit, [player_tooltip player_id='1186906' first='Blair' last='Castle'] has played well with the [program_tooltip program_id='715977' first='AAO' last='Flight']. She has shown her ability to hit jumpers on the move, as well as her ability to create her shot against elite defense.

This article series continues to recognize the top player in every Arkansas County as we head into the 2025-26 preseason.