Arden Vaughn Arden Vaughn 5'11" | SF/C Riverside | 2028 State AR 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.

Arden Vaughn Arden Vaughn 5'11" | SF/C Riverside | 2028 State AR has consistently dominated her competition, and even though teams spend hours gameplanning against her, it isn’t enough.

It was no surprise that the 2A-3 Player of the Year would make it into the top 20 of the 2028 rankings. Arden Vaughn Arden Vaughn 5'11" | SF/C Riverside | 2028 State AR had a great first year of high school basketball and her potential is incredibly bright.

The freshman has had multiple 20+ scoring outbursts during the regular season, which helped Riverside to a pleasant record and a postseason appearance. With her length, Vaughn is a tough player to stop inside. She can score against just about everybody and she cannot be stopped when playing on the block.

Vaughn has proven to be a solid rebounder and defender in addition to being a great offensive weapon. She uses that frame to crash the glass effectively, as well as to swat shots away in the paint.

Arden Vaughn Arden Vaughn 5'11" | SF/C Riverside | 2028 State AR is already a dangerous two-way star. Even with all of the talent this class has to offer, it will be hard for her to stay out of the top 10.

Both Riverside and Alpena have deep rosters with multiple players who can contribute at any time. However, I think Riverside’s freshman forward, Arden Vaughn Arden Vaughn 5'11" | SF/C Riverside | 2028 State AR , could be the biggest difference maker.

Vaughn was recently crowned the Shawn Tillery 2A-3 player of the year during the 2A-3 district tournament. This is no surprise to Riverside fans, as Vaughn has been torching defenses all season long. She recently had a 20-point outing against Buffalo Island Central, who also made the tournament. Vaughn also had a 24-point performance versus a talented Sloan-Hendrix team earlier in conference play.

Because of Vaughn’s 5’10” frame, she spends much of her time down low, catching the ball on the block and maneuvering her way inside. She loves to play physically, as she will tuck her head down and go right into the teeth of the defense, forcing her way in and finishing through contact.

Vaughn is also a fantastic defender. Heading into the playoffs, the freshman had 9 points, 14 rebounds, and 2 steals against East Poinsett County. Before that, she had 2 blocks versus Marshall and Buffalo Island Central, and then 20 points, 11 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1 block against Rector.

Arden Vaughn Arden Vaughn 5'11" | SF/C Riverside | 2028 State AR has a chance to be the headliner of this great first round matchup, even as a freshman.