1A-5 Conference Preview

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The high school basketball season is right around the corner in the state of Arkansas. Before the season tip-offs, I wanted to preview every division of every conference in the state. These will have player breakdowns, coach quotes, and more. It should be noted that almost all the stats, such as records or returning players, are from MaxPreps/Scorebook Live. With that being said, let's hop into conference 1A-5. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Augusta</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2025/2026 Recap - 2026/2027 Preview </strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>After a 12-15 season, Augusta brings back key players such as [player_tooltip player_id='3731396' first='Keldrick' last='Woods'] and Elijah Briscoe. Briscoe's sophomore season at point guard had its ups and downs. With a second year of experience, the talented guard should have the offense running more fluidly and efficiently.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Player Breakdown</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":3731396,"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a8c7a0c180cd"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Keldrick is a talented multi-positional player. Offensively, he plays on the wing but  regularly slides up to the one. Though not a fully developed ball handler, Woods has the confidence to deal with defenders. Woods has a quick first step off the catch and makes the most of it by getting to the rim. Woods has a tendency to put the ball high above his head and attack the rim, which can make it difficult for defenders to get their hands on the ball. Rounding out his overall offensive game, Keldrick has shown alot of promise shooting-wise. Favoring the mid-range area, he has flashed from three mainly off the dribble. Most importantly, he's got good confidence from the perimeter. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Bradford</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2025/2026 Recap - 2026/2027 Preview</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Bradford is coming off a state tournament appearance and a regular season where they went perfect in conference play. Looking forward to this year, Bradford will have to have players step up in a bigger role. That being said, they look to have the talent to have another great season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Player Breakdown</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":3731401,"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a8c7a0c18143"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">In his junior year, Cameron mainly came off the bench for Bradford. As he enters his senior year, the forward looks to take a new role for Bradford. The 6'4 post is a strong rebounder who is very good at finding a body when blocking out. He's aggressive sometimes to a fault but will be a double-double threat. Having a bigger frame at the 1A level, you would think he would be a pure post. This is not the case, as Addington is mostly on the perimeter or lurking in the dump-off spot. I would love to see Addington be more aggressive around the rim, where he has shown to have nice touch. Cameron is one of the biggest threats for a breakout senior year in the division. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Guy-Perkins</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2025/2026 Recap - 2026/2027 Preview </strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Guy-Perkins has more of a veteran squad this year, which will benefit them.  Peyton Pierce is a potential game-changer for this team. It'll be important for pieces around him to emerge if they want to have the season they are capable of.  </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Nemo Vista</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2025/2026 Recap - 2026/2027 Preview </strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Nemo Vista is coming into the year as one of the favorites to win the conference. Last year Nemo Vista was very good within the conference, almost exclusively losing to Bradford. Jimmy Wadkins and [player_tooltip player_id='3692557' first='Colton' last='Prince'] are a young dynamic duo that'll be the engine of the offense.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Player Breakdown</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["3692557"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a8c7a0c181b0"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Having watched Colton this summer with the Arkansas Kings, Prince was maybe the best player of the weekend championship. Now as a junior, he will almost certainly be one of the best players of the division. Prince can score the ball in a multitude of ways. As a stronger wing, he is able to attack the basket and score downhill. Impressive with both hands, Colton has a strong hop step. Mostly off the catch, he is an efficient shooter. As he continues to grow, his ability to create for himself will as well. He has shown an ability to create his shot, but the key will be being able to do that in a variety of ways. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>West Side Greers Ferry</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2025/2026 Recap - 2026/2027 Preview </strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>According to MaxPreps, West Side only had a few seniors graduating last year. After going 4-23, it should be interesting to see where this squad will improve. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Wonderview</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2025/2026 Recap - 2026/2027 Preview </strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Wonderview was a dangerous team last year, making it to regionals. They returned almost their entire team and are primed to take a swing at being conference champions. On top of a deep bench, Wonderview has some real game changers. The Stobaugh brothers were both All-State last year, and seniors [player_tooltip player_id='2575498' first='Keelyn' last='Harris'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2574752' first='Karter' last='Wilson'] were All-Conference. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Coach Q/A</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Where has this team improved the most from last year?</strong> <em>"We return a lot of experience from last season. We return 90+% of our offense and 87% of our defense so we definitely have experience coming back. We have focused a lot of our spring and summer on getting stronger and shooting the ball so hopefully we see the difference in those areas when the season starts. I believe we should have some good depth at every position and decent length/athleticism."<br></em><br><strong>Who's one or two guys that are x-factors for this year? </strong><em>"[player_tooltip player_id='2395375' first='Cayleb' last='Stobaugh'] (senior) and [player_tooltip player_id='2574521' first='Bentley' last='Stobaugh'] (junior) are coming off of all-state seasons last year. [player_tooltip player_id='2574752' first='Karter' last='Wilson'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2575498' first='Keelyn' last='Harris'] are two seniors that had all-conference honors last season and I look for them both to have a big year. [player_tooltip player_id='2784280' first='Landon' last='Roberds'] (senior) is another guy that I look to have a breakout season."</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Player Breakdown</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2395375"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a8c7a0c18211"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Caleb is the heart of Wonderview's team. The two-time All-State selectee is able to impact the game in every way imaginable. As the floor general, you can quickly see his leadership and knowledge of the offense. Stobaugh is a high-IQ passer, seeming to never turn the ball over. He's a strong guard who uses it to his advantage on both ends of the court. Offensively, he uses his body to get to the rim and finish through contact effectively. Cayleb also rebounds very well for his position, which then usually leads to a great outlet pass. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2574521"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a8c7a0c1826c"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">The younger brother of Cayleb possesses the same high IQ and knowledge of the game. Playing alongside his brother, Bentley takes on more of a score-first role. He's a talented scorer and is able to create his own looks. It isn't rare to see a stepback or a side-step three from him. Without the ball, he's active, coming off screens or cutting to the rim. Bentley can sometimes be a little loose with the ball, but he's incredibly shifty and can get past opponents regularly. The junior guard plays with alot passion, and it's easy to tell how much he cares.  </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2574752"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a8c7a0c182e1"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Karter brings the Wonderview squad all together. Alongside the Stobaugh brothers and [player_tooltip player_id='2575498' first='Keelyn' last='Harris'], Wilson is why the offense is so versatile. At 6'3, he's an imposing post player who is a talented scorer. Working alot in the high post, he's a great mid-range shooter and stretches the floor from the perimeter. Where he really shines is in the post, though. Karter is physical when posting up and can get to the free-throw line normally. He's got a nice right-handed hook that he utilizes the majority of the time. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Sacred Heart</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2025/2026 Recap - 2026/2027 Preview </strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>After a season where Sacred Heart finished in the middle of the pack. I believe they are ready to take the next step. Returning star guard [player_tooltip player_id='2763644' first='Joe' last='Sommers'] and more depth than before. It wouldn't be a surprise to see Sacred Heart compete for a division championship. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Coach Q/A</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Where's an area where you think your team has progressed from last year?</strong> <em>"Our depth this year will be much improved. Last year our Jr. High won our conference championship (6-0) and finished 17-5. Those freshmen are now proving to be a valuable asset on the Sr. High this year. We have good size on our front line (6'4", 6'3", 6'1"), but our guard play is what drives our team. We have several shooters, and athletes all over the floor. Our success will be determined on whether we can stop anybody.  Our defense needs to improve."</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Who's one or two guys that could be x-factors for this year to be successful? "</strong><em>[player_tooltip player_id='2763644' first='Joe' last='Sommers'] is a 5'11" junior. I think he is one of the top 20 players in the state for his class. He has an incredibly high basketball IQ. He can shoot, create on his own, and take over late in a game. He's a tremendous athlete; quick, strong and he can jump (dunks with 2 hands off 2 feet). He also is a 4.0 student athlete. He's a D1 prospect."</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><br>Player Breakdown</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2763644"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a8c7a0c18358"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Sommers is becoming more of a two-way threat every day. He is a talented scorer who gets it done in different ways. He's a crafty finisher who flashes great athleticism around the rim with reverse and hop step layups. As a shooting threat, he has shown he can score on and off the ball. With a crisp right-handed jump shot, Joe is one of the best shooters in 1A. The best part is he's just a Junior. As he continues to develop his game, Sommers will continue to rise in the rankings, </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->