2023 Fantastic Freshmen

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Whenever you attend a game and the announcer blasts out the names of the starting players, the word "freshman" grabs your attention. A freshman? Starting a varsity game? Below is a list of those freshman athletes that made a significant impact on their varsity teams this past school season; </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='881468' first='Whitley' last='Rogers'] 5'9" PG Little Rock Christian H.S.-</strong>Whitley, pictured above, carries an unbelievable maturity on the court. The ball is in her hands on every offensive possession. She's a difference-maker in every game. She can attack the rim or shoot the three-ball. Her skill set at this young age is impressive. Look for this young lady to lead the Lady Warriors to consecutive postseason appearances in the coming years.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='876322' first='Kylah' last='Pearcy'] 5'8" SG Greenwood H.S.-</strong>Coming off the bench this past season, Kylah blended in nicely with her teammates and contributed to their back-to-back state championships in class 5-A. In 2024 she'll be a bigger part of the Lady Bulldogs' run for another title. She has a high-level basketball IQ and will earn a starting role in the upcoming season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='876275' first='Payton' last='Futch'] 5'9" PG Jessieville H.S.-</strong>Payton hit the ground running this past season. As the lead guard for the Lady Lions, Payton starts the offense and plays downhill. She has a knack for creating her shot or drawing the double team for a high-percentage shot for a teammate. Look for her to lead Jessieville to another postseason run.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='876312' first='Maddie' last='Mannion'] 5'11" F Vilonia H.S.-</strong>A great addition to the 5-A runner-up Eagles squad, Maddie got better as the year went on. She is physical inside and showed exceptional maturity for such a young player. Couple her size with her versatility and this young lady is hard to guard. She will be a major piece to an already talented team. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='549973' first='Stevie' last='Tanner']-</strong>Tanner came off the bench early in the year but earned a starting spot during the second half of the season. She's sneaky on defense logging many steals and offensively can draw the defense out with her 3-point shooting. In 2024 she'll play a more significant role for the Sand Lizards.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1060836' first='Karstyn' last='Scrivner'] 5'9" SG Jessieville H.S.-</strong>Another young player that made a huge impact on her team early, Karstyn is long and quick. Two things you cannot coach. She's smart and her motor runs on high all the time. She can get to the glass and finish or draw a foul. When she gets stronger, she will be more effective in the paint. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1060812' first='Jordyn' last='Gamble'] 5'6" SG Helena Central H.S.-</strong>Jordyn's minutes increased throughout the year and her contributions to the Lady Cougars were a pleasant surprise. She's quick and will drive to the basket in transition. She can play the point guard position or set up on the wing. In 2024 she'll need to score more. Jordyn is exceptionally strong for a freshman and can guard anyone outside the lane.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>These student/athletes stepped up early and displayed their skills at a very high level. All of these young ladies will get plenty of attention on the hardwoods for the next several seasons. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Bobby Brown</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->