Prospects Wrapping Up Early and What Comes Next?

<p>The season may be over for a handful of 6A prospects, but the story doesn't stop at the final buzzer. Take a look at the teams and a few prospects who missed the cut this year. Keep us updated on ALL prospects over on “X“ and “Instagram,” just tag @PrepHoops_AR & @VortexSportsArkansas.</p>   <p>6A teams missing the playoffs this season: Fort Smith Northside, Fort Smith Southside, Rogers-Heritage, Little Rock Southwest, Conway, Cabot</p>   <p>Top Prospects by team</p>   <p>Ft Smith Northside: Kyrell Black, [player_tooltip player_id='2403967' first='Jayvyn' last='Bullock'], [player_tooltip player_id='2978115' first='Elijah' last='Nolan'] all class of 2027</p>   <p>Ft. Smith Southside: N/A</p>   <p>Rogers-Heritage: [player_tooltip player_id='2028697' first='Skye' last='Davenport'] senior commit to Pearl River CC</p>   <p>Little Rock Southwest: Senior [player_tooltip player_id='2382368' first='Jeremy' last='Criswell'], and juniors [player_tooltip player_id='2484366' first='Aidan' last='Gill'], [player_tooltip player_id='2401741' first='Zion' last='Jenkins']</p>   <p>Conway: [player_tooltip player_id='2223809' first='Jamal' last='Holden'], [player_tooltip player_id='2389952' first='Karl' last='Johnson'], [player_tooltip player_id='2762100' first='Elijah' last='Collum'] trio of 2027s</p>   <p>Cabot: N/A</p>   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Rogers‑Heritage War Eagles</h2>   <p>Heritage leaned heavily on senior guard<strong> [player_tooltip player_id='2028697' first='Skye' last='Davenport']</strong>, who carried the scoring load and set the tone with his competitiveness, returning from a stint out of state playing Prep. His commitment to Pearl River CC is well‑earned, and his presence gave the younger players a model for how to work, lead, and compete. Already tough not seeing a playoff spot, and with Davenport graduating, the War Eagles enter a transition year where the biggest question becomes who replaces that production and who becomes the next reliable piece. The emergence of a new leader will determine how quickly they climb back into the playoff picture.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Little Rock Southwest Gryphons</h2>   <p>Southwest showed flashes of being a competitive team, but unfortunately, too many games kept slipping away for them to clinch a top 4 seed. Still, the emergence of their young core gives them something real to build on. Senior <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2382368' first='Jeremy' last='Criswell']</strong> provided stability, hustle, defense, playmaking, and now the torch passes to juniors: <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2484366' first='Aidan' last='Gill']</strong>, who is a fearless scorer, and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2401741' first='Zion' last='Jenkins']</strong>, the glue guy with a good motor. Gill's quickness and shot‑making give him the tools to become a featured option, but he'll need to limit turnovers more often. Jenkins has the athleticism and downhill ability to be a problem for defenses, and improving his assertiveness and efficiency will take his game to another level. With Criswell graduating, this becomes a young core team, and how they grow over the next eight months will shape Southwest's ceiling next season.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Conway Wampus Cats</h2>   <p>Conway's season ends without a playoff berth, but their future is built around one of the most intriguing young class of 2027 trios in the state. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2223809' first='Jamal' last='Holden']</strong>, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2389952' first='Karl' last='Johnson']</strong>, and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2762100' first='Elijah' last='Collum']</strong> showed real upside throughout the year. Holden's size and ability to stretch the floor give him the makings of a long‑term project and adding a better face-up game with more strength will unlock more of his game. Johnson brings physicality and energy, a consistent shooting stroke. Continued development as a playmaker and defender show allows him to impact games even more. Collum is the two-sport player of the group, and rounding out his IQ and defensive consistency will elevate him on the court, as the natural feel is already there. Conway didn't get the results they wanted this season, but the pieces are in place for a major leap next year if this trio grows together.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Fort Smith Northside Grizzlies</h2>   <p>Northside's season closes earlier than they hoped, but the story here is far from disappointment. This was a year where a young core was thrown into the fire, and instead of shrinking, they showed real flashes of what the future could be. <strong>Kyrell Black</strong>, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2403967' first='Jayvyn' last='Bullock']</strong>, and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2978115' first='Elijah' last='Nolan']</strong>, all from the 2027 class, bonded fast. Black showed he can be a quick shooter and scoring threat, but now he'll need to sharpen his decision‑making, defending, and become a more consistent three‑level option. Bullock's athleticism and motor popped throughout the year, and adding more ball-handling moves in traffic along with a deep jumper will push him into two‑way territory. Nolan grew alot, and as he continues to develop as an inside-out player on both sides, he becomes the steadying forward every good team needs. Missing the playoffs hurts, but Northside's foundation is stronger today than it was in November, and there are positives to look forward to.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Cabot</h2>   <p>Cabot faced a transitional season without a clear star to anchor the offense, and in a league as unforgiving as 6A, that's a tough place to be. Their path forward is about development which has shown improvement since last season. Building a more consistent scoring identity and establishing the defensive edge that defines the best teams should be the young guys focus as a whole. With no standout senior prospect this year, the opportunity is right there for someone to emerge and reshape the program's direction.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Fort Smith Southside</h2>   <p>Southside never quite found its rhythm this season, and the lack of a clear go‑to player made it tough to compete in a league this deep. Their offseason becomes about growth, finding the next lead guard, defensive toughness, and developing players who can truly impact games. The door is wide open and the program's bounce‑back will depend on who steps forward and embraces that responsibility.</p>

The season may be over for a handful of 6A prospects, but the story doesn't stop at the final buzzer. Take a look at the teams and a few prospects who missed the cut this year. Keep us updated on ALL prospects over on “X“ and “Instagram,” just tag @PrepHoops_AR & @VortexSportsArkansas.