Arkansas’ best girls basketball players: Meet the state’s top juniors

By Kyle Sutherland | Photo by Jaison Sterling

With the high school basketball season in full swing, SBLive is looking at the best girls players in Arkansas class by class. Today, we feature the top juniors. This is not meant to be a comprehensive list as there are hundreds of great basketball players in the state. Use the comments section to discuss other standout players in the state.

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Soon, you will have a chance to vote on who you think is the top junior girls basketball player in the state.

TOP JUNIORS

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Riley Brady | Episcopal Collegiate | 5-10 power forward

Brady is a standout three-sport athlete in basketball, soccer, and volleyball. She has already been tabbed all-state twice and is averaging a double-double with 12 points and 13 rebounds per game.

“She plays with intensity like no one else,” Episcopal Coach Micah Marsh said. “She thinks every rebound is hers. Her physicality and toughness is what sets her apart from the others.”

Riley Bryant | CAC | 5-11 small forward

Bryant has almost doubled her scoring total from last season which has caught the attention of college coaches earning her an offer from Arkansas-Monticello. She has eclipsed 20 points in five games this year, including 28 against Sheridan.

“Riley worked really hard over the summer and fall and has improved so much from a year ago,” CAC Coach Steve Quattlebaum said. “She has gone from scoring around 10 points a game last year to 18 this season.”

Carlee Casteel | Rogers Heritage | 5-6 combo guard

Casteel boasts a 4.29 GPA and a 34 ACT score but also takes care of her business on the court shooting 50% from the field averaging 18 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 2.5 steals per game.

“Carlee’s dedication to improving her strength in the weight room has paid dividends in her ability to finish at the basket as well as rebound on both ends of the floor,” Heritage Coach Josh Laymon said. “She has grown her game this year on the defensive end by increasing her off the ball awareness and looking for steal and charge opportunities.”

Madison Cartwright | Greenwood | 5-10 shooting guard

Cartwright can play any position on the court and has led the Lady Bulldogs to an impressive season so far with wins over multiple top teams. She is averaging 16.4 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 3 steals per game while shooting 40% from the field.

“Mady loves to compete and play the game,” Greenwood Coach Clay Reeves said, “She has done a great job handling the basketball, (as wells as) shooting, rebounding, and defensively.”

Calle Citty | Harding Academy | 5-11 small forward

Citty helped the Lady Wildcats’ soccer and track teams win state titles last season and is hoping to do the same this year with basketball. She is averaging just shy of a double-double this year (16 points and 9.3 rebounds per game) and recently eclipsed 1,000 points for her career.

“Calle has grown in every possible way over the last couple of years,” Lady Wildcats Caoch Rusty Garner said. “Her skill has progressed equally as has her leadership. She has a tremendous basketball IQ and has made herself a very difficult matchup.”

Chloe Clardy | Conway | 5-9 combo guard

Clardy is the top-rated player in Arkansas for the 2023 cycle and 40th in the country per ESPN HoopGurlz rankings and has helped Conway to a No. 12 national ranking. She showed out on one of the biggest stages in December’s Sandra Meadows Classic putting up 38 points in a close loss to national powerhouse Duncanville (Texas) High School.

Ashauni Corley | Episcopal Collegiate |5-7 shooting guard

Like Riley Brady, her fellow teammate on this list, she is a fierce competitor on the defensive end but is also a playmaker on offense averaging 13 points per game as described by Episcopal Coach Micah Marsh.

“Sunnie is very crafty offensively,” Marsh said. “She gives us a spark with her offensive skills.”

Kate Denton | Little Rock Christian | 5-8 combo guard

After contributing off the bench, Denton was inserted into the starting lineup against Mills and the Lady Warriors have only lost one conference game in that span. She has averaged 9.5 points, 2 assists, and 3 rebounds per game and with her extended minutes the coaching staff expects those numbers to keep rising.

“Kate will do whatever she can to help the team,” LRCA Coah Ronald Rogers said. “She is an extremely unselfish player who puts in a lot of hard work.”

April Edwards | North Little Rock | 5-9 guard

Edwards is a key piece of one of the top teams in the state playing primarily one of the guard positions but also can play as a wing. In a January 18th game against top-ranked Conway she led the Lady Charging Wildcats with 18 points along with 10 against Fort Smith Northside, eight of those coming in the first half.

Kamie Jenkins | Southside Batesville | 6-2 center

Jenkins has become a force this year with multiple double-doubles which has in turn made her frequently command double teams. She had a stellar performance in December’s Lonoke Goldfish Classic in which she was named to the all-tournament team.

“Kamie plays with a lot of physicality and body control,” Southside Coach Jenkins Michael Harville said. “She is a sponge. Each night she learns things that we worked on and uses them the next chance she gets.”

Cheyanne Kemp | Morrilton | 5-8 combo guard

Following a sensational sophomore season, Kemp has continued to get better and better. She plays both guard spots for the Lady Devil Dogs but is not afraid to post up or score in the paint.

“She is a dynamic player that is very unselfish and does what her team needs to win,” Morrilton Coach Carin McNabb said. “She’s a special kid who is only going to continue to improve.”

Jenna Lawrence | Farmington | 6-2 power forward

The Razorback commit helped Melbourne continue its dynasty run last season and is now at Farmington trying to help the Lady Cardinals, the defending Class 4A runners-up, win a state title. She has been outstanding shooting 67% from 2-point range averaging 18.1 points, 10 rebounds, 2.2 steals, and 2 blocks per game.

“Jenna stuffs the stat sheer every night, scores from all three levels, and impacts the game on both ends,” Farmington Coach Brad Johnson said. “Defensively, she changes the game with her ability to block shots, change shots, get deflections and steals. Her activity level is off the charts, she has an elite work ethic, is a phenomenal teammate, and is tremendously coachable.”

AJ McCandlis | Viola | 5-7 point guard

McCandlis earned all-state honors as a sophomore leading the Lady Longhorns to a semifinal finish in the 1A state tournament. She has averaged 20.8 points, 6 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 2.8 steal this year.

“AJ has had to score more off the dribble this year and has also had to look to create her own shot more than in the past,” Vioal Coach Jason Hughes said. “She continues to see double and triple teams every night but has remained patient. She does a great job of getting her teammates involved in the game.”

Alyssa McCarty | Gentry | combo guard

McCarty is a big reason why the Lady Pioneers are sitting in great position in Class 4A averaging 15 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals per game.

“Alyssa is one of the hardest workers I have ever coached,” Lady Pioneers Coach Toby Tevebaugh said. “She has a love for the game you don’t see as often these days and it is contagious to her teammates.”

Pacious McDaniel | Har-Ber |5-9 power forward

McDaniel averaged 20 points per game as a sophomore along with multiple postseason honors and has continued to be one of the Lady Wildcats’ key players this year. She is exceptional on the defensive end, particularly at taking charges.

Jianna Morris | Sylvan Hills | 5-7 point guard

Morris has already become a highly decorated athlete halfway through her junior year. She recently eclipsed 1,000 points for her career, broke a 32-year-old school record for points scored in a game with 36 against Parkview, and most importantly maintains a 4.2 GPA. She is the top-ranked student in her class and is on pace to be valedictorian.

“Jianna wants to lead her team to things that have never been accomplished at Sylvan Hills,” Lady Bears Coach Shelley Davis said. “She wants to leave her mark both in the classroom and on the court.”

Kierra Neal | Marion | 5-11 small forward/wing

Neal has attracted the attention of college coaches and has continued to improve from some of her areas of opportunity from last season per Marion Coach Shunda Johnson. She is averaging 10.2 points and 5.4 rebounds per game to go along with 1.8 steals defensively.

“Kierra has been more aggressive offensively for us this season attacking the basket and finishing fairly well,” Johnson said. “She has mostly improved her ability to move without the ball and making the correct/purposeful basket cuts.”

Alex Newland | Greenbrier | 5-11 power forward

Newland was key in Greenbrier’s recent triple overtime victory over Alma on homecoming leading the Lady Panthers with 25 points. She contributes heavily in the paint with her length, but can also score on the perimeter averaging 14 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 blocks per game.

“Alex does such a great job for our team inside both offensively and defensively,” head coach Payton Edmondson said. “She really helps us protect the rim with her ability to block shots and rebound.”

Clemisha Prackett | West Memphis | 6-2 center

Prackett has received offers from Central Arkansas and Auburn last summer and is another on this list who uses her length as highly productive frontcourt player. She is a great inside shooter but just as great on the defensive end at blocking shots and winning rebounding battles.

Laylah Reese | Cabot | 5-10 power forward

Reese contributes at every position on the floor depending on the opponent or situation. After playing more of a wing role last season she has transitioned to more of a power forward averaging 13.9 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.6 steals per game.

“I think what sets Laylah apart from other players is her versatility,” Cabot Coach Jay Cook said. “She has become a more physical player on both ends of the floor and her leadership from day to day has improved a great deal.”

Tyra Robinson | Parkview | 6-2 center

Robinson holds an offer from Arkansas that she earned in July of 2019 and is an imposing force in the paint for the Lady Patriots as one of the state’s top bigs. She consistently demands attention around the rim facing double teams and is a force defensively.

Savannah Scott | Conway | 6-5 center

Scott has really picked up the pace from the start of the season up to this point and that attention really began to take notice following a strong performance during the Sandra Meadows Classic in December where she averaged a double-double. She is as dominant as anyone in Arkansas in the paint and colleges have taken notice as she boasts offers from Auburn, Cincinnati, and SMU to name a few.

Mia Smith | Little Rock Christian | 5-8 point guard

Smith’s assist-to-turnover ratio (90:38 tells you all you need to know about her ability to distribute and take care of the basketball. Though she is great at setting her teammates up for shots averaging 5.7 assists, she can also put the ball in the hoop as shown by her 12.5 points per game.

“Mia understands how to run a team,” head coach Ronald Rogers said. “She gets everybody involved in the offense and has a team-first mentality but can take over the game when needed.”

Leigh Swint | Booneville | 5-9 combo guard

Swint is one of the many reasons the Lady Bearcats have had the best start in school history and counting. She leads the team in steals with 3.9 per game, and second in points (9.9), rebounds (5.1), and assists (2.7) and has Booneville in great position to make a run for the 3A state title.

Josie Williams | Conway Christian | 5-9 point guard

As a 4.0 student off the court, Williams is every bit as successful on it averaging 17.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 2.4 steals for the Lady Eagles and is also 86% from the free throw line.

“Josie is playing very efficiently as of late,” Conway Christian Coach Trey Lynch said. “She is knocking on the door of a 50/40/90 shooting slash line and doing a number of important things to help us win.”