2027 + 2028 All-State Returners ready to take over the 2A-2, 2A-3

Both of these conferences are filled with talent, but these returning all-state performers stand out amongst the bunch.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">2A-2</h2>    The last two seasons for [player_tooltip player_id='1245012' first='MaHaley' last='Gilmore'] have been particularly strong. Now, as a senior, let's see if she can keep the ball rolling.   Gilmore averaged 16 points and 8 rebounds as a sophomore, and as a junior, she eclipsed 1,000 career points. Perhaps her most impressive game from last season was against Viola, where Gilmore put up 35 points, 13 rebounds, 5 dimes, and 4 steals. She had a similar stat line against Marshall, logging 32 points, 15 boards, 4 assists, and 3 stocks.   Gilmore can do it all. She can knock down shots from the perimeter while also being a truly dangerous slasher, looking unguardable at times. Double-doubles are common for her, as her athleticism and constant effort are perfect skills for her to dominate the glass.   Add in her elite defense, and [player_tooltip player_id='1245012' first='MaHaley' last='Gilmore'] is an all-around star. She has looked incredible so far in her career, and I would not doubt her senior campaign will look any different.     When you talk about Gilmore and Ozark Mountain, you cannot forget her backcourt mate, [player_tooltip player_id='1197467' first='Maci' last='Brumley'], who is also coming off an all-state season.   Brumley is a lights-out shooter, and she put that on display against Life Way Christian, knocking down 8 triples for 26 points, going along with her 6 rebounds and 4 assists.   Brumley's shooting is plenty to set her apart from the pack. She has a quick release off the catch, puts plenty of arc on her shot, and has the confidence to pull up for the triple any time she has a good look. Of course, she adds other elements to the offense as well, considering she can attack the basket and find open teammates once the defense collapses on her.   Not enough people are talking about Ozark Mountain, but if [player_tooltip player_id='1197467' first='Maci' last='Brumley'] has more hot shooting nights as she did against Life Way last year, no one will be able to shut up about them.     [player_tooltip player_id='1245018' first='Maddyx' last='Soden'] is one of the most well-known names in the 2A classifications, thanks to her incredible consistency with Tuckerman. But now, I'm ready for her to break out, even though the rest of the 2A-2 may not be.   Soden earned all-state honors after averaging 12.4 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game. Playmaking is a strong point for the rising junior, as she ran Tuckerman's offense well this past season, controlling pace and finding open teammates for in-rhythm shots.   Soden also led her team in scoring, and she can get it down inside and out. With her ability to control the pace, she can also exploit confusion in the defense, and she purposely picks out weak points, taking advantage of those as well. If she isn't able to finish inside, no worries, because she is a 79% free throw shooter.   I have to mention that [player_tooltip player_id='1245018' first='Maddyx' last='Soden'] is a great softball player for Tuckerman, but if she sticks with basketball, I can see college basketball in her future.    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">2A-3</h2>    [player_tooltip player_id='1202890' first='Chandler' last='Gathright'] had a massive season with BIC, and there is no doubt in my mind that she will rise in the rankings soon.   The rising senior nearly averaged 20 points per game in 2025/26, putting up 19.6 points per game. Though Gathright's shooting numbers leave room for improvement, they are still impressive considering how much attention she garnered on offense, being the team's #1 option. She shot just under 30% from beyond the arc and close to 67% from the charity stripe.   In the regional tournament, Gathright definitely did not shoot 30% from beyond, especially against Izard County, where she dropped 32 points and nailed multiple triples from several steps behind the arc. She is also a defensive beast at times. One highlight that stood out from that contest was Gathright chasing down an opponent and having a massive rejection, which was the icing on the cake in BIC's double-digit victory.   [player_tooltip player_id='1202890' first='Chandler' last='Gathright'] did not get enough recognition for her great junior campaign, and now, with Buffalo Island Central losing some of its top talent due to graduation, Gathright may be on a mission this year.     [player_tooltip player_id='1090293' first='Allison' last='Gaines'] was the leading on an EPC team that had 4 all-conference players and had a great regular season.   Gaines downgraded a little bit when it came to scoring between her sophomore and junior seasons, averaging 11.4 points as a junior. However, this does not matter, as her impact was still as great. She rounded out her season by averaging 3.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 2.0 steals, and 0.8 blocks per game.   Gaines is a great all-around player who can get buckets in a variety of ways. She hit 22 3-pointers this past season, and she can knock it down both off the catch and the bounce. Her first instinct is to attack the basket, which she does well, including feeding open teammates. When she attacks the basket, she finds ways to get to the free throw line, as she shot 152 free throws this past season and knocked them down at a 69% clip.   [player_tooltip player_id='1090293' first='Allison' last='Gaines'] continues to remain underrated, but those in Northeast Arkansas know just how dangerous she is on the court.     [player_tooltip player_id='1186528' first='Libby' last='Brantley'] is a walking double-double. But even if she doesn't hit those statistical marks, she gets awfully close.   For instance, during the month of November, Brantley averaged 9 points, 8 rebounds, 1 steal, and 2.5 blocks per game. She can certainly outwork her opponents inside, using her length to make a profound impact on the glass and interior defense, but her perimeter game makes her stand out even more.   Brantley is a true stretch-4, as she can knock down threes consistently, especially off the catch, and often in the corners. She may be one of Piggott's go-to scorers, but in a February contest against Holcomb, she couldn't be stopped, scoring 26 points off 4 triples to go along with 6 boards and 2 blocks.   [player_tooltip player_id='1186528' first='Libby' last='Brantley'] can beat her opponents on both ends of the floor on the interior or from beyond the arc. Her ability to play both forward positions is what colleges look for, and her versatile game will get her much higher in the rankings.     [player_tooltip player_id='877661' first='Rylee' last='Wilburn'] had another great season for Rector. Don't expect her to let up as a senior.   Wilburn earned several local honors after a great junior season, where she averaged 19 points, 8.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.6 steals, and 1.4 blocks per game. On a nightly basis, Wilburn was doing everything for her team (kind of 2018 LeBron James).   Wilburn can hit threes over any defender, as well as take any defender to the basket, absorb the contact, and finish through traffic thanks to her confidence and physicality. If Rector needs someone to secure a rebound, she is the answer. If Rector needs a stop, either on the perimeter or in the paint, Wilburn is once again the answer, and she came through for her team time and time again last year.   A lot of responsibility rests on [player_tooltip player_id='877661' first='Rylee' last='Wilburn']'s shoulders, and so far, she has handled it extremely well. I cannot wait to see what she is able to do as a senior, as she is on the verge of eclipsing 2,000 career points, adding to her already stellar basketball resume.     [player_tooltip player_id='1202885' first='Arden' last='Vaughn'] has been rising in the rankings thanks to her incredible versatility and her overall dominance in the 2A-3, so it's not hard to see why she is coming off an all-state campaign.   Vaughn averaged 16 points and 7 boards a night while soaring past the 1,000 career points mark last season. One performance people can't stop talking about when they talk about this rising junior was her outing against Sloan-Hendrix in a tournament championship game (this team ended up being the 2A state runner-ups). Vaughn put up 35 points and 16 rebounds in that contest.   Vaughn can do just about everything on the floor: shoot, rebound, and play some incredible defense. She showed out against Sloan-Hendrix, as well as plenty of other opponents. She had 34 points, 9 boards, and 5 steals against Count Line in conference play, as well as 21 points and 16 rebounds against a tough East Poinsett County squad.   [player_tooltip player_id='1202885' first='Arden' last='Vaughn'] has consistently dominated her competition, and even though teams spend hours gameplanning against her, it isn't enough.

Both of these conferences are filled with talent, but these returning all-state performers stand out amongst the bunch.