The Metro's Best: The Little Rock Metro's Top Players

The Little Rock Metropolitan area comprises Faulkner, Grant, Pulaski, Lonoke, Perry, and Saline counties, totaling a population of 769,258, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Arkansas' largest metro area boasts a variety of excellent teams featuring exceptionally talented players. For this article, I organized the best players in this region into first-, second-, and third-team selections.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">1st Team All-Metro</h2>   <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/whitley-rogers/">[player_tooltip player_id='881468' first='Whitley' last='Rogers']</a>-   The reigning Gatorade Player of the Year was an easy choice to pick for 1st Team All-Metro. She is coming off an incredible season where she averaged nearly 25 points per game. She scored at a high level from the interior and from range. Rogers also put up 6.9 boards, 3.1 assists, and 2.5 steals a night. The incoming senior has racked up numerous offers this summer and will be deciding between Arkansas, Arizona, Alabama, NC State, and Houston as her collegiate destination.   <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/kenady-barrett/">[player_tooltip player_id='952547' first='Kenady' last='Barrett']</a>-   The pride and joy of Poyen, Arkansas, has had quite the year. She finished her freshman campaign with an all-state season, averaging over 20 points per game. She also played well during the AAU season with the [program_tooltip program_id='715977' first='AAO' last='Flight'], earning MVP honors on the 2025 Select 40 16u first team. Earlier in the summer, Barrett received offers from Pitt State and UAM, and she has recently caught the eye of several Division I squads, receiving offers from Louisiana Tech, Tulsa, UCA, and Murray State.   <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/kylie-johnson-3/">[player_tooltip player_id='1090383' first='Kylie' last='Johnson']</a>-   Conway High School had one of the best teams in the state this past season. Though its veteran talent was evident, the coaching staff could not keep [player_tooltip player_id='1090383' first='Kylie' last='Johnson'] from being a starter, and it worked out. Johnson proved to be a capable scorer, finding ways to score in the paint while being able to step outside and knock down perimeter jumpers. She also proved to be a solid rebounder and defender, using her athleticism to her advantage on that end of the floor. Johnson made waves in the state after picking up an offer from the University of Arkansas, and she has also received an offer from Arkansas-Little Rock.   <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/traniyah-weston/">[player_tooltip player_id='1090347' first='Traniyah' last='Weston']</a>-   Conway's new star point guard impressed in AAU play this summer. One of her top stat lines was against BDA 16 EYCL in the Nike EYCL Champions League, where she put up 27 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, and 6 steals. She had a similar performance against MWE Meanstreets in the Champions League, posting 25 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, and 4 steals. After receiving all-conference and all-state honors this past year, it is time for colleges to start offering this star floor general.   <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/gia-campbell/">[player_tooltip player_id='753259' first='Gia' last='Campbell']</a>-   [player_tooltip player_id='753259' first='Gia' last='Campbell'] has a new home after transferring from Bauxite to Bryant this offseason. After an incredible freshman season, she looks to introduce herself to the 6A classification. She plans on doing so by being a pest on the defensive end, guarding her assignment for the entire length of the floor and not letting up until the whistle blows. Campbell is also a lethal scorer, proving to be a knockdown shooter and a silky-smooth interior finisher.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">2nd Team All-Metro</h2>   <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/randi-stewart/">[player_tooltip player_id='1093280' first='Randi' last='Stewart']</a>-   [player_tooltip player_id='1093280' first='Randi' last='Stewart'] starred for Pulaski Academy last season, and colleges have started to take notice. She picked up an offer from UAM back in June, which is no shocker, as Stewart earned all-conference, all-state, and all-tournament selections last season. Her tournament selection was an easy decision, as she had several great performances against other solid tournament squads. She put up 21 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 steals against Arkadelphia, scoring effectively from the perimeter. She also logged 11 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists, and 2 steals against Blytheville.   <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/greenlee-elmore/">[player_tooltip player_id='1093288' first='Greenlee' last='Elmore']</a>-   [player_tooltip player_id='1093288' first='Greenlee' last='Elmore'] proved that she is a star last season with the Lady Bruins, but she really showed out this past summer with Team ISO. She had 18 points against the Tree of Hope in the Nike EYCL Champions League, adding to several other great performances. Her play this summer captured the attention of several colleges, including Louisiana Tech, UCA, Arkansas Tech, and Missouri Southern State, all of which sent her offers.   <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/makensie-moore/">[player_tooltip player_id='459085' first='Makensie' last='Moore']</a>-   Baptist Prep has one of the best guard combos in the state, with [player_tooltip player_id='459085' first='Makensie' last='Moore'] being one of them. She is a tough scorer who knows how to finish through contact inside while also being able to knock down shots from beyond the arc. If she has an opportunity to go downhill, no one can stop her, which is why she has emerged as one of the state's best scoring guards.   <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/lily-reid/">[player_tooltip player_id='876342' first='Lilly' last='Reid']</a>-   [player_tooltip player_id='876342' first='Lilly' last='Reid'] is coming off another great season, finishing the year with all-conference, all-state, and all-tournament honors. She finished her junior year with astounding totals: 1,005 points, 803 rebounds, 165 assists, 210 steals, 108 blocks, and 181 made 3-pointers. This past summer with the [program_tooltip program_id='712659' first='Mavs' last='Elite'], Reid showcased her excellent shooting. She has a flexible release and can launch shots from well beyond the arc, whether off the catch or off the dribble. Scoring, rebounding, playmaking, defending, and shooting; it is all there for [player_tooltip player_id='876342' first='Lilly' last='Reid'].   <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/rylee-williams-2/">[player_tooltip player_id='1202392' first='Rylee' last='Williams']</a>-   [player_tooltip player_id='1202392' first='Rylee' last='Williams'] was previously the star guard with the Prescott Lady Curly Wolves. She now enters the 2025-26 season with a new team and in a new part of the state. Williams averaged just shy of 20 points per game last season and racked up the postseason honors. The sophomore is a phenomenal scorer who can light it up from the outside, but put the defense on its heels when attacking the basket. Like pretty much everyone being recognized in this article, Williams is truly a deadly scorer who cannot be stopped.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">3rd Team All-Metro</h2>   <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/cydney-sanders/">[player_tooltip player_id='465929' first='Cydney' last='Sanders']</a>-   If you talk about [player_tooltip player_id='459085' first='Makensie' last='Moore'] for Baptist Prep, you have to talk about her star teammate, [player_tooltip player_id='465929' first='Cydney' last='Sanders']. Sanders has been receiving several offers over the course of the summer, hearing from Evangel University, Eureka College, Mission University, Texas A&M International, Hendrix College, and Lyon College. She is one of the top scorers in the Metro, being able to score effectively from outside and from in the lane. She can also create havoc on the defensive end, forcing turnovers with ease.   <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/jaisha-williams/">[player_tooltip player_id='1090371' first='Jaisha' last='Williams']</a>-   Bryant has a young squad entering the 2025-26 season, and along with [player_tooltip player_id='753259' first='Gia' last='Campbell'], [player_tooltip player_id='1090371' first='Jaisha' last='Williams'] will lead the crew to victory. Williams proved that she had solid guard skills, despite playing more of the power forward and center positions as a freshman. Despite her solid handles and ability to shoot the ball from outside, Williams is hard to keep off the glass, proving to be one of the top rebounders in the 6A classification.   <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/maddie-mannion/">[player_tooltip player_id='876312' first='Maddie' last='Mannion']</a>-   Vilonia is coming off a great 2024-25 season, and now they bring back one of the top shooters in the state, [player_tooltip player_id='876312' first='Maddie' last='Mannion']. She is coming off a great summer with Shock Hoops, hitting 68 triples in 29 games, which set a record for most threes made in a summer for a player on that squad. During the Clash of the Clubs tournament earlier this summer, she shot 41% from beyond the arc. Her shooting has drawn interest from several colleges, including Washburn, UAM, and Delta State. Mannion has already set records for her shooting in the state, and she will probably set some more during her senior season.   <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/katie-fimple/">[player_tooltip player_id='876286' first='Katie' last='Fimple']</a>-   North Little Rock's sharpshooter has already committed to play basketball at the collegiate level at Ouachita Baptist University. Before she steps onto the floor of Bill Vining Arena, she will have one more season in the blue and gold, which is a worst-case scenario for other teams in the 6A Central. Fimple is an outstanding perimeter shooter. She is lethal off the catch, and she can hit jumpers off the dribble. She is also a solid facilitator and defender.   <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/lauren-brewster/">[player_tooltip player_id='1090334' first='Lauren' last='Brewster']</a>-   North Little Rock's point guard impressed during her sophomore season. Brewster's jumpshot is still coming along, but she is already an incredible finisher and playmaker. She can handle the big moments, like when she made the game-winning layup against Little Rock Central High School in a critical matchup. Brewster can initiate the offense well, but she can also disrupt the opposition's offensive rhythm. NLR has traditionally thrived on guards who make the opposing team's lives miserable, and that is exactly what she does. She plays with active hands and can instantly change the course of the game with her defensive intensity.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Honorable Mentions</h2>   <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/brooklyn-burnham/">[player_tooltip player_id='1091148' first='Brooklyn' last='Burnham']</a>-   After a great sophomore season where Burnham earned all-conference, all-state, and all-tournament honors, she will be heading into her junior year with her future college already picked out. Burnham's defensive intensity, ability to move without the basketball, and rebounding drew the eye of Harding University, where she would ultimately commit to, alongside her sister. Vilonia will be in need of more offense this coming year, so I am curious to see if [player_tooltip player_id='1091148' first='Brooklyn' last='Burnham'] will answer the call and expand her offensive repertoire.   <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/briana-burnham/">[player_tooltip player_id='1091156' first='Briana' last='Burnham']</a>-   Alongside Brooklyn, [player_tooltip player_id='1091156' first='Briana' last='Burnham'] committed to Harding back in June. This Burnham sister also earned all-conference and all-state honors last season, and she plays similarly to her sister. She is a great defender who can cause turnovers at a moment's notice, she can score at will on the interior, and she can make plays for others. Burnham can also rebound well, thanks to her length and athleticism.   <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/ella-tolley/">[player_tooltip player_id='1180773' first='Ella' last='Tolley']</a>-   Perryville's star is coming off a great sophomore season, earning all-conference, all-state, and all-tournament selections. Tolley had a solid tournament run, putting up 16 points (which was nearly half of her team's total points) in a loss against Dumas. Her all-around abilities were on full display in a matchup against Rose Bud earlier in the year, where she posted 16 points, 12 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 steals. Tolley can score the ball effectively, but her defense cannot be slept on, which Wonderview found out the hard way after she swatted 3 shots and pulled down 6 boards against them.   <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/kristyn-cooper/">[player_tooltip player_id='1060862' first='Kristyn' last='Cooper']</a>-   As of a few hours ago, Cooper received an offer from Shorter College, which adds to a growing list. She had a great 2024-25 campaign, logging season totals of 361 points, 61 rebounds, 110 assists, 58 steals, and 8 charges. Cooper can score effectively from the perimeter, but she loves to take her defender off the dribble and score inside. She can hit the pull-up jumper with ease, and she can play with some swagger, hitting the defense with nice moves on her way to the paint. Cooper is also a phenomenal defender.   <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/kirsten-johnson/">[player_tooltip player_id='1060832' first='Kirsten' last='Johnson']</a>-   I could probably talk about almost every guard on this Lady Comet squad, but [player_tooltip player_id='1060832' first='Kirsten' last='Johnson'] has clearly been one of the main names to watch. She has been picking up offers lately, receiving calls from Shorter College, Coahoma CC, and Northeast Mississippi CC. She led Mills in scoring and rebounds last season, earning all-conference, all-state, and all-tournament honors in the process. Johnson can get buckets any time she is out of the floor, and she should be getting more offers in the near future.   <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/jermera-streets/">[player_tooltip player_id='1090320' first='Jermera' last='Streets']</a>-   [player_tooltip player_id='1090320' first='Jermera' last='Streets'] is another player who was a part of Mills' great guard rotation last season, being selected to the all-conference and all-state teams. She is heading into 2025-26 with a new squad: Pulaski Academy. Streets brings a lot to the table with her new squad, including high-octane scoring, defensive intensity, and solid playmaking ability. She can pull up and knock down jumpers, even on the break, or she can quickly dish it off to an open teammate.   <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/laney-marsh/">[player_tooltip player_id='1056041' first='Laney' last='Marsh']</a>-   Episcopal's star is trending upwards, which means she might be ranked a little bit higher after the next ranking update. Marsh recently picked up an offer from Henderson State, adding to a growing offer list that already included Hendrix College. She had some incredible performances throughout the year, including a 28-point outing against Rose Bud, a 22-point, 11-rebound game against Bald Knob, and 25 points against Pangburn. Marsh is a great 3-point shooter, hitting 8 triples in that strong showing against Rose Bud.   <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/kim-henry/">[player_tooltip player_id='871868' first='Kim' last='Henry']</a>-   [player_tooltip player_id='871868' first='Kim' last='Henry'] has emerged as one of the best bigs in the 5A classification. She is now starting to pick up offers from schools like Southwestern College, which is no surprise, as she has proven just how dynamic she can be. Henry rebounds the ball at a high level on both ends of the floor and scores efficiently on the interior. One of her strongest performances last season was a 19-point, 11-rebound outing against Parkview. Her length also allows her to be a solid defender.   <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/elicia-shepherd/">[player_tooltip player_id='1060878' first='Elicia' last='Shepherd']</a>-   North Little Rock has so many great players, including Shepherd, who has shown that she is a great all-around player. Though she is often considered a guard, her offensive strength is scoring in the paint, sometimes with her back to the basket. She takes advantage of mismatches. If a guard is on her, she can back them down and hit a jump hook, or if a big is on her, she can use her quick first step to get by them and score at the rim. Shepherd is finally getting some collegiate attention, as she recently picked up an offer from Eureka College.   Picking who made the all-Metro team for the Little Rock Metropolitan area was tough, as there is a tremendous amount of talent in this portion of the state. I would like to revisit this article at the end of the season and see if there is anyone who rises from one team to another, or if there are other players who have had campaigns deserving of a spot on these teams. I also plan on mentioning the other metro areas in the state, so stay tuned for those pieces.

The Little Rock Metropolitan area comprises Faulkner, Grant, Pulaski, Lonoke, Perry, and Saline counties, totaling a population of 769,258, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Arkansas' largest metro area boasts a variety of excellent teams featuring exceptionally talented players. For this article, I organized the best players in this region into first-, second-, and third-team selections.