Elicia Shepherd Elicia Shepherd 5'8" | SG/SF North Little Rock | 2026 State AR was the 6A title game MVP, and it is not hard to see why, as she set the tone defensively.

The senior put up 9 points and 11 rebounds, with 6 of those boards coming on the offensive end. This type of performance is not a surprise, considering how effective she is as an undersized wing when it comes to crashing the glass and scoring in the post.

Speaking of scoring, Shepherd shot 50% from the field. Now speaking of defense, the senior only had 1 steal, but the toughness she brings to that end of the floor is incredible, and for all 26 minutes she played in that game, she made an invaluable impact.

With this being her last high school game, I can’t wait to see what the all-conference and all-state performer has in store for whatever college she commits to.

One of North Little Rock’s most consistent players is Elicia Shepherd Elicia Shepherd 5'8" | SG/SF North Little Rock | 2026 State AR , and she had another performance where she did everything she was asked to do.

The senior finished the night with 10 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals. Shepherd was cutting and driving to the basket with precision and aggression. She would not be denied in the paint, whether that was scoring or on the backboard.

Shepherd had an impressive afternoon passing the ball. She found open teammates on the perimeter and in the lane, being a crucial reason why they propelled to a big lead in the second half. She was also diving after every loose ball, out hustling everyone else on the court.

Elicia Shepherd Elicia Shepherd 5'8" | SG/SF North Little Rock | 2026 State AR is going to have another great season, and we should all be prepared for that.

Shepherd is “long and athletic” which is the base and her first step was nice, especially when you factor in her acrobatic finishes after contact. She gave me the HEZ to leave the defender guessing because she could drop the jumper by elevating above their outstretched arms or just drain the “catch and shoot”

Elicia Shepherd Elicia Shepherd 5'8" | SG/SF North Little Rock | 2026 State AR was the highest riser in the latest update of the 2026 class. She jumped from #78 to #29, a wild ranking adjustment! Of course, she earned this position.

Shepherd has been a double-double threat throughout the season. She may only be listed at 5’8″, but her athleticism allows her to grab every board in her sights. On the offensive end, she can put back her teammates’ misses. She is an efficient finisher, using a soft touch around the basket.

Shepherd is also a great defender. She is a shot-blocking threat, as her long arms and athleticism make her a force in the paint. The junior is also quick along the perimeter, as she can break up passes and strip ball-handlers.

Elicia Shepherd Elicia Shepherd 5'8" | SG/SF North Little Rock | 2026 State AR will be one of the top players in this class to watch next season. I also believe she will receive more offers this summer.

I have watched a lot of 6A central basketball this year, and there are not many players who are as efficient as Elicia Shepherd Elicia Shepherd 5'8" | SG/SF North Little Rock | 2026 State AR .

Shepherd may be classified as a shooting guard on this platform, but she is about as good of a forward as you can find at this level. She has a great touch around the basket, not bothered by tight post defenses. Shepherd scored 19 points on 9/9 shooting against Little Rock Southwest last month, displaying that efficiency. The junior is also a rebounding machine.

She has 5 double-doubles on the year, with her most recent being a 10-point, 11-rebound performance against Bryant in late January. Her second double-double was against Greenwood in December, where she had 10 points and 13 rebounds. Shepherd uses her toughness and athleticism to position herself under the basket, winning every rebound battle.

Lyon College has already offered Elicia Shepherd Elicia Shepherd 5'8" | SG/SF North Little Rock | 2026 State AR , and it is time for others to do the same.

Elicia Shepherd Elicia Shepherd 5'8" | SG/SF North Little Rock | 2026 State AR has had some great games this season where she played well on both sides of the basketball, and especially on the backboard. Last night, Shepherd had another game where she made her presence felt.

Shepherd scored 12 points in the game, with 8 points coming in the 1st half. She also scored the first 6 points of the game for North Little Rock. Shepherd scored all of her points from the interior, using her long wingspan to shoot over the defense. She is also great at rolling off screens and cutting to the basket, usually causing her to be wide open in the paint.

Shepherd did not have the rebounding performance NLR fans come to expect from her, but she did grab 2 offensive boards. She also shot efficiently from the field, going 6/9 on the evening.

Elicia Shepherd Elicia Shepherd 5'8" | SG/SF North Little Rock | 2026 State AR has proven to me that she should be higher up than #78 in the class of 2026.