Underrated All-State Returners in the 2A-5, 6, and 7 Conferences

The 2A-5, 2A-6, and 2A-7 conferences feature some solid talent, but they are coasting far under the radar. Here are some all-state performers who will be returning for their senior seasons.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">2A-5</h2>    Amongst a Lady Warhawk roster littered with talent, [player_tooltip player_id='1244998' first='Aubrie' last='Vaught'] stands out as the lone returning all-state performer.   Vaught had a number of convincing performances as a junior, including her 24-point, 9-rebound, and 4-assist outing against Marshall mid-way through the year. Her offensive game is astounding, as she is a hard driver and a solid perimeter shooter. However, her ability to impact the game in other ways is perhaps even more impressive.   That game against Marshall is just a smidgen of all-around talent Vaught has. She was very close to notching a double-double and she made sure she got her teammates involved in the offense with those 4 assists. On defense, Vaught provides length to the swing position, and she knows how to disrupt an offense.   [player_tooltip player_id='1244998' first='Aubrie' last='Vaught'] picked up an offer from nearby Hendrix College this summer, but expect her to earn some more offers with another all-state season.     The Nabholz family has dominated the hardwood for Conway St. Joe over the last few seasons, with [player_tooltip player_id='1093346' first='Anna' last='Nabholz'] being the latest, earning all-state honors in back-to-back seasons.   Nabholz has been a do-it-all center for her squad, as well as for the Arkansas Warriors in the summer. She brings size down low, being a solid rebounder and post finisher. However, she clearly has skills that the modern-day centers need to have.   Nabholz has proven that she can light it up from beyond the arc. She is a solid shooter off the catch and she can even run the floor in transition and spot up from the perimeter. Her shooting ability is valuable in pick-and-pop situations, as well as when it comes to opening up the paint, as she demands so much defensive attention from outside.   [player_tooltip player_id='1093346' first='Anna' last='Nabholz'] has starred as a stretch-5. Let's see if some colleges start to notice this year.    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">2A-6</h2>    Let's head to East Arkansas now, where [player_tooltip player_id='1807323' first='Ziyah' last='Green'] is coming into this season as Barton's only returning all-state player. They had four all-state performers last season, so Green has a massive role coming up this year.   Barton's scoring was primarily left up to its backcourt, but Green held it down in the middle. She averaged 5.4 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 1.8 steals per game this past season. The rebounding and defense has always been there for Green, and I think we will see a big jump in her scoring.   Green uses her strength and stature to secure a position on the block, and once she has the ball in the post, she goes to work. She can back down her defender, push her under the basket, and score with ease, or she can box out her opponent and fly in for an offensive putback.   [player_tooltip player_id='1807323' first='Ziyah' last='Green'] is one of the best candidates for a rankings increase this coming year. Big year ahead for the senior.     [player_tooltip player_id='1878413' first='Bliss' last='Parker'] is fairly new to the 2027 rankings, but she is already one of the better defenders amongst the class' point guards.   One of the performances that defined Parker last season, and probably helped cement her all-state nomination, was when she logged 8 steals against Hazen.   Parker will blitz opposing guards, causing them to make poor decisions and therefore, turn the ball over. She then starts the fastbreak and Carlisle can pick apart the opposition on the fastbreak.   [player_tooltip player_id='1878413' first='Bliss' last='Parker'] is still an underrated prospect, but I would imagine she starts to turn some heads around the 2A-6.     [player_tooltip player_id='1804233' first='Myleigh' last='Creasey'] went off this past season. She is truly one of most underrated scorers in the state.   One of Creasey's top performances this past season was against Lee in January. She scored 32 or her team's 38 points in that game, nailing 7 triples in the process. Earlier that month, she put up 20 points against KIPP Delta and 23 against Palestine-Wheatley.   In February, Creasey was not deterred by a great Barton squad, as she went for 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 steals while hitting 4 3-pointers. This is not a player to leave open from outside, because once she sees one go through the basket, she is shooting every other shot with supreme confidence. I also noticed that she can single-handedly break down zone defenses, thanks to that great touch from beyond the arc.   [player_tooltip player_id='1804233' first='Myleigh' last='Creasey'] is certainly one of the best shooters in the 2027 class and one of more underrated bucket-getters in the state. Keep an eye on Creasey this coming year.    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">2A-7</h2>    [player_tooltip player_id='1807481' first='Peyton' last='Binns'] had plenty of clutch performances this past season for the England Lady Lions.   One of Binns' best performances came late in the year, where she put up 18 points, which was good enough to lead England to the conference championship game. She had an even better offensive performance against Des Arc earlier in the year, finishing with 21 points.   One performance that really shows how good of a two-way player Binns is was another outing against Des Arc, this time this past February. The rising-junior put up 15 points and 5 steals, but 3 of those interceptions came from applying tight pressure when picking up fullcourt. The opposition had no idea what to do against her, as she seemed to anticipate every move they were about to make.   [player_tooltip player_id='1807481' first='Peyton' last='Binns'] can score, but a lot of that scoring comes from her ability to create turnovers and run out in transition. With another all-state performer graduating last May, Binns will need to take a big step up as the now #1 option for England.     [player_tooltip player_id='1880290' first='Mailynn' last='Tanaka'] made a name for herself this past season, especially during conference play.   In a win against Junction City in January, Tanaka finished with 16 points. In another contest against the Lady Dragons, the incoming senior put up 18 points in another win, while hitting 6 3-pointers. But like I always say, scoring isn't everything, and Tanaka proved that in a big way against Murfreesboro back in November.   Tanaka showed that she can score from both inside and out--as she finished with 13 points--but she also compiled 9 rebounds, 3 assists, and 6 steals. Defensively, she was everywhere on the court. She was disrupting passing lanes, creating passing lanes on the other end of the floor, and crashing the glass hard on both ends.   I doubt [player_tooltip player_id='1880290' first='Mailynn' last='Tanaka'] will be #230 in the 2027 class for much longer, especially if she has another all-state season like the one she is coming off of.     [player_tooltip player_id='952547' first='Kenady' last='Barrett'] needs no introduction, and I wouldn't exactly call her "underrated."   Barrett is one of the most dynamic scorers in Arkansas. She averaged 29.6 points per game last season, as well as 10.8 rebounds. Barrett will feast on defenders 1-on-1, as she can take them to the basket, break their ankles and knock down a pull-up jumper, or simply hit a big shot with a hand right in her face.   Poyen's superstar is great all-around. Of course, she is a magnificent scorer, but she can rebound, make plays for others, and defend, all while doing the little things that don't show up on the stat sheet.   [player_tooltip player_id='952547' first='Kenady' last='Barrett'] has recently picked up offers from Illinois State, Western Kentucky, Drake, Abilene Christian, and none other than the Arkansas Razorbacks. She has already hit 1,500 career points in just two seasons, so potentially scoring over 3,000 by the end of her high school career is absolutely in the books.

The 2A-5, 2A-6, and 2A-7 conferences feature some solid talent, but they are coasting far under the radar. Here are some all-state performers who will be returning for their senior seasons.