Players to watch in Conference Play

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Christmas break is here, and that means conference play awaits teams across the state when school resumes. Here are a few prospects to watch out for on the hardwood in conference play in 2026.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2473516' first='Peyton' last='Strickland']-Point Guard-Monticello-6'5” 2027</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2473516' first='Peyton' last='Strickland'] is an athletic prospect at the point guard spot for Monticello. He is the type of player who controls the tempo. Strickland knows when to play aggressively and when to be a bit more deliberate. He has the range to hit from anywhere on the floor with impressive consistency. Strickland plays hard on both ends of the floor. He has the potential to put up big numbers during the conference portion of the season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2382014' first='Lleyton' last='Weaver']-Shooting Guard-Jonesboro-6'1” 2027</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Jonesboro guard is a player who take over a game on both ends of the floor. Weaver gets into the paint and finishes with points. Meanwhile, he is an unselfish player who knows when to make the extra pass to the open teammate. Weaver has a knack for hitting the big shot at key moments in the contest for Hurricane. Weaver must be accounted for on the floor or he could shred you all game. Weaver has the potential for a big conference portion of the season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2426780' first='Garyn' last='High']-Point Guard/Shooting Guard-Cave City-5'11” 2028</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2426780' first='Garyn' last='High'] has the versatility to play either backcourt position and excel at each one. High is extremely from all three levels of the floor. He is a ball handler who will catch opponents off-guard with how smooth he can be distributing the ball. High fills up the stat sheet with no problem at all for Cave City. He is a player to watch out for during the conference slate of the season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2376832' first='Cole' last='McGarrah']-Small Forward/Shooting Guard-Prairie Grove-6'3” 2026</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The senior Prairie Grove guard just crossed the 1,000-point mark for the Tigers. McGarrah has the ability to absorb contact in the paint or drain the deep shot beyond the arc. McGarrah handles the ball well. He finds the open shooter and plays hard on both ends of the floor for the Tigers. McGarrah and the Tigers have the potential to challenge for a conference title this season. Keep an eye on McGarrah.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->