1A-8 Conference Preview

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-8.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Bearden</h2>   2025/2026 Recap - 2026/2027 Preview   Overall Record - 17-7   Conference Record - 13-1   Home Record - 10-4   Away Record - 7-3   Season Finish - Lost to Kirby in the first round of Regionals   Key Players -    Landon Faucett 2027 6'0   Quart Chears 2027 6'2    Treydon Quaries 2027   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Bradley</h2>   2025/2026 Recap - 2026/2027 Preview   Overall Record - 9-27   Conference Record - 5-9   Home Record - 5-10   Away Record - 3-14   Season Finish - Lost to Nevada in the first round of Regionals   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Columbia Christian</h2>   2025/2026 Recap - 2026/2027 Preview   Overall Record - 7-16   Conference Record - 3-11   Home Record - 5-7   Away Record - 2-8   Season Finish - Lost to Emerson in the first round of Districts   Key Players - Kash Smith G 2027   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Emerson</h2>   2025/2026 Recap - 2026/2027 Preview   Overall Record - 12-14   Conference Record - 5-9   Home Record - 8-12   Away Record - 4-11   Season Finish - Lost to Taylor in the second round of Districts   Player Breakdown    The first thing that stands out about Peyton is that he's a warrior on the court. In this conference preview series, I've been watching games from last year; I can say Peyton might be the hardest-working player I've watched yet. Sometimes he even scares me, hitting the floor as hard as he does. As a player, Ferguson plays mostly at the forward position. He's shown he can stretch the floor and even hit shots on the move, creating for himself. In the post, he has strong footwork and holds his own against bigger post players. Peyton is very athletic; in one particular play against an opposing 6'7 center, he was able to outjump him for the rebound. When combining his athleticism and work ethic, you get an impressive and versatile player.     Oree is an impactful floor general for Emerson. He's a smart player who utilizes his IQ for the game in many aspects. Being the passer he is, Oree can be an underrated shooter. In his junior season, he showed that he could hit the three-ball, even when being contested. Johnson is a major threat from below the perimeter. He's able to use his body and get into the mid-post, where a post fadeaway seems to be a go-to move.    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Hermitage</h2>   2025/2026 Recap - 2026/2027 Preview   Overall Record - 8-13   Conference Record - 5-9   Home Record - 5-7   Away Record - 2-6   Season Finish - Lost to Bradley in the second round of Districts   Player Breakdown    Josh is a part of a talented Hermitage backcourt. When on the ball, Josh is aggressive getting at getting to the rim. Showing some different moves down low, such as a euro or hop step. Off the ball, Mitchell is a threat from the perimeter. He doesn't get rattled easily and has good form from deep, especially on the wing. He's a true combo guard, with the potential to grow in his strengths even more.     Robin is one of the top breakout candidates in 1A. Coming off a strong year, the Junior is primed to take another leap offensively. With a quick release, Carroll is someone defenses have to keep an eye on. Hermitage as a team loves to shoot from the perimeter, which makes it hard for defenses to focus in on someone in particular. I believe this could give Robin the chance to show how good of a shooter he really is. Robin is a fun watch in transition when pushing the pace. When he gets to the rim, he's crafty, showing off some impressive hop steps and reverse finishes. Carroll a sneaky defender, anticipating opponents' dribbles perfectly for steals.    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Nevada</h2>   2025/2026 Recap - 2026/2027 Preview   Overall Record - 30-9   Conference Record - 10-2   Home Record - 17-5   Away Record - 13-3   Season Finish - Lost to Crowley's Ridge in the second round of State   Player Breakdown    Monti has one of the highest ceilings in the entire state. Playing at the 1A level, he mostly plays center, but projects more as a forward. The 6'8 post has great athleticism and can run the floor well. Mixon has even shown the ability to take it coast to coast himself. He's a good rebounder who will continue to get even better as he develops and becomes more aggressive. Using his athleticism and size, he's a versatile defender but can still anchor the paint. Going into his junior season, Mixon is one of the best prospects in the 2028 class.     Rico is one of the most dangerous guards in all of 1A. The biggest reason why he is such an offensive threat is his shooting ability. Playing with other talented guards last year, many of Rico's shot attempts were off the catch. Listed at just under six feet, he has a strong floater game once getting past defenders to keep his game from becoming one-dimensional.    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Strong-Huttig</h2>   2025/2026 Recap - 2026/2027 Preview   Overall Record - 3-14   Conference Record - 2-12   Home Record - 3-5   Away Record - 0-8   Season Finish - Lost to Bradley in the first round of Districts

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-8.