Meet the loaded NWA Bruins 17U squad

It may be the offseason for high school basketball, but the summer circuit is just getting started. The NWA Bruins have plenty of talented players; some who are already starters, and others who are still under the radar. This squad will no doubt make some noise in the AAU circuits.    [player_tooltip player_id='1239652' first='Meara' last='Russell'] had a great junior season with Gravette this past season, and now she is ready to take her talents and display them in front of scouts on a variety of stages.   Russell averaged 10 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 3.1 steals a contest, which was good enough for her to be recognized as an all-conference performer. She had several strong performances throughout the year, including 16-point efforts against Prairie Grove and Huntsville, and 14-point outings against Pea Ridge and Lavaca.   The last time we saw Russell in the summer circuit, she went off. She averaged 10.6 points over 5 games at the Des Moines summer finale in July. Throughout the circuits and high school games, Russell has shown off her high IQ play. She is a good scorer, particularly around the basket, and she is not afraid of contact. Her defense is stellar, forcing turnovers left and right.   [player_tooltip player_id='1239652' first='Meara' last='Russell'] will not only be a name to watch this summer, but during her senior season, so best be on the lookout, because I imagine offers will be flying in soon.     [player_tooltip player_id='1055660' first='Jacee' last='Hoskins'] just finished up a great junior season with the Elkins Lady Elks, surpassing 1,000 career points. Now, everyone is anxious to see what the 6'2" post star can do against club competition.   Hoskins had numerous strong performances during the 2025/26 season, including 24 points against Lincoln and 21 points versus Thaden. She had 21 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 stocks against the rising 6A squad, Bentonville West, in December, showcasing her excellent two-way abilities.   Hoskins is an excellent post defender. She is like a magnet for the ball, being able to swat shots seemingly every time down the floor. Thanks to her frame, rebounding comes easily for her, but she is aggressive in the paint, leaving little chance for her opponents to outrebound her.   [player_tooltip player_id='1055660' first='Jacee' last='Hoskins'] is going to be a hard player to get around this summer, so expect teams to primarily shoot from the outside against the Bruins.     [player_tooltip player_id='1812254' first='Brooklynne' last='Stovall'] has somehow gone under the PGH radar, which is shocking considering how great of a junior season she had.   Stovall averaged 10.5 points and 4.2 rebounds a game this past year with Prairie Grove. She is an excellent defender, having forced 70 turnovers simply from steals this past year. Stovall was also tasked with facilitating some of the offense, racking up 48 assists on the year as well.   Defense is one of Stovall's best attributes, as she shuts down the perimeter, inflicting chaos for opposing ball-handlers. On that same end of the floor, she is crashing the boards and helping start the fastbreak.   So far, the NWA Bruins have a solid inside-out scorer in Russell, a 6'2" paint beast in Hoskins, and a lockdown perimeter defender in [player_tooltip player_id='1812254' first='Brooklynne' last='Stovall']. The defense seems to be pretty incredible with the rest of the players on this squad, but let's keep going.     [player_tooltip player_id='1811311' first='Ashlyn' last='Way']'s name went under the radar when it came to talking about the Bentonville West Lady Wolverines, but nevertheless, she is in store for a major summer, and I can see her offer list grow.   Way may very well be the best shooter on this team. She is lethal off the catch, whether from three or mid-range, and especially when she has a good look in the corner or on the wing. With Way, there are two noticeable skills that help her be a great shooter: 1. She has a lightning-fast release on her shot 2. She shoots the ball with great confidence, as she is correct in assuming her shot is going in around 40% of the time.   Besides her outside shooting, Way is great at moving without the ball. All great 3-point shooters should be able to cut to the basket, considering how tight defenses play against them on the perimeter. Way has become an excellent cutter, and she is an easy target for her teammates to find.   [player_tooltip player_id='1811311' first='Ashlyn' last='Way'] is highly underrated, but definitely a name to watch this summer and this coming fall.     [player_tooltip player_id='867838' first='Joshlynn' last='Brown'] might be the most accomplished high school player on this team, and certainly the highest ranked, and for good reason.   Brown is coming off a season where she earned all-state and all-state tournament selections. She had plenty of strong scoring performances throughout the year, along with numerous games where she put on a passing clinic, shut down opposing guards, and crashed the glass with ferocity.   Brown is electric whenever she has the ball in her hands and has an open court in front of her. The rising senior pushes the ball hard in transition, able to get to the basket and finish through contact, maintaining control the entire possession. She can shoot from outside, but her teammates feast from outside whenever she hits them with a pass.   Again, this squad is checking all of the boxes because now they have their do-it-all point guard in [player_tooltip player_id='867838' first='Joshlynn' last='Brown']. This team is looking awfully dangerous.     If Kameron Farish's high school resume of winning says anything about what the Bruins will do this summer, then they're going to have a great summer.   Farish was a contributing reserve for a Farmington squad that won another state championship, but did enough to be an all-conference honorable mention.   Farish is a solid 3-point shooter who provides some much-needed spacing whenever she is on the floor. Off the catch, she is solid and hits shot after shot. Her defense is also pretty solid, which keeps her on the floor longer than anything else.   This could be the summer where Kameron Farish shows just how good she can be, as she will return for a Farmington squad ready to win another championship.     [player_tooltip player_id='1818271' first='Irelin' last='Estes'] is a question mark coming into this summer, as she did not find the floor much with the Bentonville West Lady Wolverines. However, it is summers like these that make players come out of the blue.   Estes is joining an NWA Bruin squad with a load of talent, especially at the guard and forward positions. She adds depth to this lineup, which can go toe-to-toe with anyone, especially in the open floor.   Look for [player_tooltip player_id='1818271' first='Irelin' last='Estes'] to turn some heads, even on a team with this much talent.     Dardanelle had several player this past season who made their mark on the offensive end. One of them was Haylee Ashlock, who is coming off a season where she was all-conference and an all-state honorable mention.   Ashlock had 15 points in Dardanelle's regular-season finale, which was slightly above her season average of 13 points. She also put up 8.5 rebounds and 3.1 assists per contest. As the stats might hint, Ashlock has a versatile game, and the Dardanelle coaching staff used her in a variety of ways during the season.   The rising senior is phenomenal at attacking the basket. She drives hard and loves contact. On her way to the bucket, she uses the spin move very well, along with the step through and a euro-step. She is more than capable of stepping outside and knocking down threes or mid-range jumpers.   I also can't forget to mention that Haylee Ashlock is a tough player to stop when she has the ball on the blocks, and she always finds a way to finish.     [player_tooltip player_id='1818272' first='Carly' last='Davidson'] made some plays during the 2025/26 season, but I'm ready for her to make a massive step up this summer.   Davidson found success throughout the year, especially in a game against a great Fayetteville team, where she put up 9 points in a valiant effort.   Davidson is a solid two-way player. On defense, she stays with her assignment throughout, but once the ball hits the floor, she jumps on it, picking up the steal. On offense, Davidson can hurt you from outside, but when she is running in transition, she is definitely going to receive a pass and finish the play.   [player_tooltip player_id='1818272' first='Carly' last='Davidson'] is set to have a big summer, and that could mean great things for Rogers.

It may be the offseason for high school basketball, but the summer circuit is just getting started. The NWA Bruins have plenty of talented players; some who are already starters, and others who are still under the radar. This squad will no doubt make some noise in the AAU circuits.