The Arkansas Evolution: Southwest AR's Most Talented AAU Squad

With the summer hoops season coming to a close and the high school season around the corner, I thought it would be a good idea to take a look back at one of the most talented--yet underrated--AAU squads coming out of Southwest Arkansas.   Ladies and gentlemen...I give you the Arkansas Evolution.    Every team needs some size, and for the Arkansas Evolution, they had [player_tooltip player_id='1311379' first='Lucy' last='Hagler'] manning the middle.   Hagler stands at a staggering 6'2" and has excellent ability on the open floor. She has shown that she can move well in transition, and when bigs get out a run, it is only right for a point guard to reward them with an easy two points.   Hagler, of course, anchors the middle on the defensive end and grabs every rebound in her sight.   [player_tooltip player_id='1311379' first='Lucy' last='Hagler'] is one of the more under-the-radar names in the state at her position, but we will keep an eye out for her this coming season.     [player_tooltip player_id='1806170' first='Tinley' last='Rice'] was impactful for the Centerpoint Lady Knights this past season, which translated to her time with the Arkansas Evolution.   Rice proved that she can provide an all-around presence, especially in the contest against Bismarck, where she put up 13 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 dimes. That same month (January), she actually earned a "player-of-the-month" award for that great play.   Based on that statline against Bismarck, Rice can do more than just score. Even as a guard, she can make an impact on the glass and then push the ball in transition. And though she isn't always running the show offensively, she can take over the playmaking responsibilities if need be.   [player_tooltip player_id='1806170' first='Tinley' last='Rice'] is already a solid player, but she will no doubt become an even better player this coming season.     [player_tooltip player_id='1192817' first='Grace' last='Efird'] is perhaps the most talented scorer on the Arkansas Evolution, and she is one of the most talented bucket-getters returning to the high school ranks this next year.   Efird averaged 24.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 3.2 steals, and 0.6 blocks per game while shooting 49.5% from the field and 30% from three. Efird can clearly score, but one of the most underrated parts of her game is her defense.   Averaging 3.2 steals per game is no small task, but her 4.4 deflections per contest shows just how active she is on the defensive end of the floor. Her feet are always moving, she has her hands up constantly, and she keeps her head on a swivel, ready to disrupt passing lanes at any moment.   [player_tooltip player_id='1192817' first='Grace' last='Efird'] has been picking up some college offers this summer, with a recent one coming from Hendrix, but she is liable to pick up more soon.     Like Rice, [player_tooltip player_id='1256323' first='Cali' last='Pipkins'] was a major contributor this past season to Centerpoint's success, and so much of it came from beyond the arc.   Pipkins cemented herself as a sharpshooter after knocking down 60 triples as a sophomore, setting a single-season record for the Lady Knights. But like Efird, part of what makes this AAU squad special is that each one of its offensive stars is also a hounding defender.   One of Pipkins' best all-around performances came against Camden Harmony Grove. She had a solid 14 points and 5 rebounds, but her 10 steals proved just how active she was every time she stepped onto the floor.   [player_tooltip player_id='1256323' first='Cali' last='Pipkins'] is one of the most underrated scorers in the 2028 class, but I would go a step further and call her one of the best 3&D players in the state.     Not many players work as hard as [player_tooltip player_id='1274929' first='Mylee' last='Crow'], and she truly made a name for herself with both Ouachita and the Arkansas Evolution.   Crow can score well from both inside and out, being able to find creases in the defense, exploit them, and make her way to the basket, as well as hit her open looks from the perimeter. However, she helps Ouachita win with more than just scoring.   There are three games that I continuously point to when describing Crow: her outings against Parkers Chapel, Centerpoint, and Hampton. Against Parkers Chapel, Crow put together a 7-point, 5-rebound, 7-assist, 5-steal performance. She logged a double-double versus Hampton, finishing with 10 points and 13 boards, and then against Centerpoint, she had 12 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 steals.   Scoring, rebounding, playmaking, and defending, [player_tooltip player_id='1274929' first='Mylee' last='Crow'] can do it all. Whenever she is a part of a team, she is going to do whatever it takes to help them win.     [player_tooltip player_id='1260220' first='Tynlee' last='Efird'] is transferring out of Ouachita, where she is coming off an all-conference and all-state sophomore campaign. Now, she has landed at Magnet Cove, and I would imagine her offensive reign of terror will begin again, even in a new jersey.   Efird put together several impressive scoring outings this past season. Earlier on in November, Efird put up 25 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 steals against a really good Taylor squad. She had an almost identical statline not long before against Blevins, logging 25 points, 7 boards, and 4 steals in a tournament game.   Whenever Efird has her sights set on the rim, you better get out of the way. Even if you don't, this guard has quick reactions, and hits defenders with sweet euro-steps without hesitation. She drives hard to the bucket, even with traffic on the horizon, but if she has some good looks from outside, she will no doubt knock down some shots.   [player_tooltip player_id='1260220' first='Tynlee' last='Efird'] is a great scorer who probably will not still be #25 after the next ranking update, so keep tabs on this guard.     Murfreesboro has some solid talent, but perhaps none better than [player_tooltip player_id='1260213' first='Kyndall' last='Henderson'].   Henderson has proven that she has what it takes to be a star on both ends of the floor. On offense, she takes every 3-point look that she likes and buries it, especially off the catch. She is also a capable slasher, able to get to the basket any time she likes.   On defense, Henderson helps disrupt opposing offenses with her constant activity in passing lanes. She is crucial for both Murfreesboro and the Arkansas Evolution to get out and run in transition, with Henderson kickstarting those fastbreaks with her defense.   [player_tooltip player_id='1260213' first='Kyndall' last='Henderson'] will not be outside the top-200 for much longer, and I would imagine that Mufreesboro starts to make a little noise this coming year.     [player_tooltip player_id='1489139' first='Addisyn' last='Ledbetter'] is coming off a breakout season where she earned all-conference and all-state, in addition to being a key member of a pretty solid Acorn squad.   For Ledbetter, she plays all over the floor. Against Life Way Christian this past season, she had 25 points, but she also collected 5 boards, 3 assists, and 2 steals. Offensively, most of Ledbetter's damage was done on the offensive end, nailing 7 triples both off the catch and off the dribble.   In the district semi-finals against Hector, Ledbetter put up 21 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals. One of the most impressive parts of her offensive performance was her ability to grab a rebound and push the offense in transition. From there, she excelled when having options of either kicking the ball out to an open teammate or by taking it all the way into the teeth of the defense.   [player_tooltip player_id='1489139' first='Addisyn' last='Ledbetter'] is going to keep getting better and she is going to keep moving up the rankings.

With the summer hoops season coming to a close and the high school season around the corner, I thought it would be a good idea to take a look back at one of the most talented--yet underrated--AAU squads coming out of Southwest Arkansas.