From Work Stops to Tip-Offs: Underrated Hoopers on the Road

For those of you who still don't know, in addition to being a scout for PGH, I am also a news reporter for KATV Channel 7 in Little Rock. With my job, I am often traveling to different cities almost every day, and with that in mind, I figured I would highlight a player from each of the places I've been to. Though the snow and ice hindered my ability to go to places outside of Little Rock and North Little Rock, I was able to venture out now and then to places like Hot Springs and East End.    CAC out of North Little Rock has plenty of young talent who are still trying to put it all together. One of their brightest young players is freshman [player_tooltip player_id='1318292' first='Paige' last='Hart'], who has shown plenty of flashes this year.   One of Hart's best performances was against Morrilton, where she went off for 21 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 steals. She also had a solid two-way performance against Lonoke, putting up 10 points and 2 stocks, as well as against Mount Vernon-Enola, finishing with 7 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 4 steals, and 1 block.   Offensively, Hart is at her best when shooting from three. She has a great shooting form and is lethal off the catch. I have noticed that she has an evident hot spot, which is on the left wing, where she is basically automatic. The freshman is also a great athlete, which allows her to be a menace on defense, but she still has some room to grow when it comes to finishing through contact.   [player_tooltip player_id='1318292' first='Paige' last='Hart'] is already looking like one of the better young forwards in the state. She has a tremendous amount of potential, and if she continues to develop, this team may be scary in the future.     [player_tooltip player_id='1567915' first='Aaliyah' last='Finks'] will definitely be higher than #52 before long, because she has been a great offensive weapon for the Lady Trojans.   Finks recently had a 14-point outing against Pine Bluff, 18 points against El Dorado, and 16 against Malvern. You also can't ignore her playmaking, racking up 5 assists in contests versus Arkansas HS and White Hall, just this month.   Obviously, Finks is great on offense. She knows how to get to the basket and finish, especially in transition. She is quick and beats the defense down the court, and that quickness also applies to the release on her jumpshot. Finks' shot is slightly unorthodox, but once she has it going, she's not going to stop hitting.   [player_tooltip player_id='1567915' first='Aaliyah' last='Finks'] is a solid two-way player who is looking like one of the best young talents in the 5A classification.     While I was in Hot Springs this week, I actually went by Cutter-Morning Star High School on those snow-covered roads. Though there are talented players all over that roster, it is hard to deny that [player_tooltip player_id='1049243' first='Presli' last='Dobbs'] should be considered one of the best guards in the 2A-7.   Dobbs went off against Spring Hill recently, finishing the evening with 20 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals, while shooting 9/14 from the field. She is considered a guard, but she is not 5'10" for nothing, collecting 14 points, 10 rebounds, 7 assists, and 2 steals in a big win versus Murfreesboro.   Dobbs has been on triple-double watch multiple times this year, and I think a lot of it has to do with her off-ball movement. If a teammate misses a shot, Dobbs is flying in there and putting it back up and in. She scores a lot of easy baskets in the paint off of cuts, but if she draws a double, then she flips the ball to a teammate, who is wide open for a bucket.   [player_tooltip player_id='1049243' first='Presli' last='Dobbs'] can also shoot from outside, but she is far more impactful if she is taking what the defense gives her and moving without the basketball. Some players don't understand how dangerous that is, but she sure does.     I wasn't actually in Sheridan this past week, but since East End is a part of the Sheridan School District, I thought it would be fitting to talk about Belle Smith, who has somehow flown under the radar for this long.   Though Sheridan has other talented offensive players, Smith can pop off for big games, as she did against White Hall, posting 21 points to lead her team to victory. Smith is also capable of scoring a lot in a brief period of time, putting up 10 points in just one quarter against El Dorado.   Smith is an excellent 3-point shooter off the catch, particularly along the wings. She has a solid shooting form and gives her shot just enough arc to loft it over the defense. The senior is also a physical player on both ends, grabbing several boards a night and coming away with multiple defensive stops.   Sheridan has a good roster, and if Belle Smith has it going from outside, they can probably put together a solid finish to the conference slate.     [player_tooltip player_id='877664' first='Olivia' last='Hatcher'] has really come into her own this season, and LRCA is a serious 5A title contender with her shooting as well as she has been lately.   Hatcher was incredible against Mount St. Mary in mid January, putting up 22 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals, and 1 block. Believe it or not, she was even better in a game against Westside earlier this season, posting 30 points, 5 assists, 5 steals, and 2 rejections.   The junior is a fantastic shooter. She is automatic from beyond the arc off the catch, and I've noticed that if she is trailing on the play in transition, she is a major threat to knock down deep triples when the defense is too worried about the drive. Hatcher is also an excellent rebounder, recording 10 boards and 15 points against Paragould in December.   [player_tooltip player_id='877664' first='Olivia' last='Hatcher'] is crucial to the Lady Warriors' success, and her play will certainly warrant moving up from #68 in the 2027 class.

For those of you who still don't know, in addition to being a scout for PGH, I am also a news reporter for KATV Channel 7 in Little Rock. With my job, I am often traveling to different cities almost every day, and with that in mind, I figured I would highlight a player from each of the places I've been to. Though the snow and ice hindered my ability to go to places outside of Little Rock and North Little Rock, I was able to venture out now and then to places like Hot Springs and East End.