In-state Talent; High School Basketball Season

[brs_hogfan]

I have been following the high school season with interest.  Here are a few observations by class:

2017
* Fayetteville High School (FHS) / UA signee Grayce Spangler is out with a knee injury.  I don't know how serious.

2018
* Christyn Williams -- no new insights into where she might choose to play except that gauging from a couple of tweets she did not appreciate reaction here in Arkansas to the kneeling controversy.  May have damaged our chances.
* I haven't seen the two North Little Rock (NLR) 2018 stars Yo'Myrie Morris or Amber Hawkinson play this year but their team is doing well.
* I think 6'2" FHS center Jasmine Franklin has the goods to be a Power 5 conference signee.  She is strong. But her play is inconsistent.

2019
* Kennedy Tucker (NLR) would seem to be the player to watch in this class

2020
* I think this class has the potential to be the best upcoming class.  I see several Power 5 future signees. 
* UA offeree Elauna Eaton (Jonesboro) unfortunately tore her ACL and meniscus but let's hope she has a full and fast recovery because she could be a great one.
* UA offeree Sasha Goforth is having a great start at FHS.  At the recent Bulldog classic she was named MVP (other all-tournament players were 2017's Abigayle Jackson, Bre'Amber Scott, Lauren Holmes, and Ashley Breathitt).  She leads FHS in points and blocks and is high in all other major statistical categories.
* Coriah Beck who plays on FHS 9th grade team leads her team in all major statistical categories.  I have watched her play and think she definitely has the goods to be a Power 5 signee.
* Laykn Sanders of Lamar High School has range on her shot and great handles.
* Destiny Salary (Jonesboro) is a real athlete.  She's not polished yet but I think she will get there.

Who would you add (or subtract) as players to watch as possible future UA signees?

[LadybackBBFan]

Williams need to know that the kneeling would not even have been allowed at most Universities and reaction would have been the same.

[psycHOGlogist]

Thanks for that information, brs! Bummer to hear about Spangler's and Eaton's injuries. Hope both of them have quick recoveries and no permanent damage.

I've been really curious about 2018 Morris - she's a top 60 kid, according to ESPN, at this point, but I guess she just gets overshadowed by the well-deserved hype that Williams gets.

And I agree with LBBBF about the kneeling incident - but that doesn't mean that some northern schools (cough, U Conn, Notre Dame, cough) won't try to use the issue as a wedge (if they even need to).

[jdlittle]

I would think that the U of A performance in the SEC games would have a lot to do with attracting recruits.  Coach Dykes performance during his 3rd year could be a major factor.   What does anyone think our SEC record will be this year.   

[brs_hogfan]

I would think that the U of A performance in the SEC games would have a lot to do with attracting recruits.  Coach Dykes performance during his 3rd year could be a major factor.   What does anyone think our SEC record will be this year.

Yes, I agree.  The top players want to play for a successful program.  I am hoping for a winning SEC record and a trip to the tournament.  But I'm not ready to predict that yet.

[LadybackBBFan]

I would think that the U of A performance in the SEC games would have a lot to do with attracting recruits.  Coach Dykes performance during his 3rd year could be a major factor.   What does anyone think our SEC record will be this year.   

I earlier predicted at least an 11 - 2 non conference and at least an 8 - 8 conference record.  We should be 12 - 1 non-conference, but the following has me concerned as we go into SEC play: loss of Danberry, how quick Freeman can bounce back from surgery, slow development of Wilson, Mason's development going backward the last two games and continued poor half court offense. 

[Gerald Gilber]

I have watched her play many times and Lakyn Sanders at Lamar High School is the real deal, starts as a ninth grader on a team that is 12-1, she has been battling an ankle injury but is getting close to full speed again

[jackflash]

jimmy done well with the Arkansas talent we will have a shot at most of them

[brs_hogfan]

2020 JHS Destiny Salary just got an offer from Ole Miss. Coriah Beck is getting attention from major schools. FHS guard Wyvette Mayberry might be another 2020 to add to the list of potential in-state recruiting targets.  May be a little far down the road, but the 2020 in-state class is loaded.

[jdlittle]

just lost to last place team in sec

[Hogtied85]

just lost to last place team in sec

preseason polls mean nothing. Arkansas is without Monk and Freeman. Wilson needs more time and she will be ok. Its one game and as they say you can't win them all.

[Dr. Starcs]

We are terrible and Dykes needs to go back to tv.

[jdlittle]

Polls mean something,  what about in football?   I think they mean a lot in basketball also.   Wonder what the excuse is in football.  sounds like some  people on this board must work for the athletic department with their excuses.  Unfortunately, injuries part of the game.   For whatever reasons we got beat by a team that is picked 14th !!!    I would be concerned, however my expectations have not been high for this season.    Men and women basketball are now in the SEC conference, no longer can they rent a win.  hope they do well.  but whatever they do will not matter because their will be excuses to keep them employed.  AD should have made an accountant rather than making decisions on who to hire in sports.   Did hire good track man, appears he struck out in fb, bb and womens bb.  .   

[psycHOGlogist]

Pre-season polls mean something, but they are not often right. They are based exclusively on what people think about returning talent. Ole Miss -- while they're not going to be a top team in the SEC -- is performing significantly better than what was expected of them. Furthermore, we have always, under every coach, played crappy in Oxford.

[psycHOGlogist]

Another 2020 blue-chipper that we are on.

https://twitter.com/Raoul_000/status/820857131477925889

Here is the linked article:

http://sportsday.dallasnews.com/high-school/high-schools/2017/01/15/girls-basketball-player-week-jan-15-planos-jordyn-merritt

[brs_hogfan]

Another 2020 blue-chipper that we are on.

https://twitter.com/Raoul_000/status/820857131477925889

Here is the linked article:

http://sportsday.dallasnews.com/high-school/high-schools/2017/01/15/girls-basketball-player-week-jan-15-planos-jordyn-merritt

Plano played Fayetteville earlier this year in the Sandra Meadows Classic. Easy win for Fayetteville (I watched on video).  That linked article makes her sound impressive but she did not play well against Fayetteville.  Maybe just a bad day for her.

[jackflash]

everybody getting bigger so must Arkansas going to need 6-4 or 6-5 players to move up

[brs_hogfan]

We have some great in-state talent coming down the pipeline.  Enough that we could build an exciting team based nearly just on in-state players.  But it's hard to see how we are going to land them when we have so much controversy and overall lack of interest in the program (e.g. maybe 500 in attendance last game).  That's really unfortunate.

Here's the in-state team I want (starting with 2018):

2018
Christyn Williams
Yo'Myris Morris
Jasmine Franklin

2019
Kennady Tucker

2020
Sasha Goforth
Elauna Eaton
Destiny Salary

There are others too, and obviously some that will emerge as top players over the next couple of years.  But I think that would be a pretty exciting team.

[brs_hogfan]

Anybody interested in the in-state talent pool should watch the Fayetteville vs North Little Rock 7A Championship game this coming Saturday March 11 at 11 AM. It should be available online or via an app.  For Fayetteville, you can see 2017 signee Grayce Spangler (still coming back from a knee injury though) as well as 2020 Sasha Goforth (offered; Fayetteville's leading scorer) and 2018 Jasmine Franklin.  Franklin has not been offered by UA so far as I know but she sure should be.  Incredible rebounder. On the NLR side 2018 Yo'Myris Morris and 2019 Kennady Tucker are prospects among others.

These are two very deep and talented teams.  NLR is defending AR champ and Fayetteville has already beaten the MaxPreps #2 team nationally Duncanville (Texas state champion in highest division) and McEachern (playing for Georgia state championship today in highest division).  My point being is that these aren't just the two best teams in the state but that they are a couple of the best teams nationally as well.

[psycHOGlogist]

Doesn't Coriah Beck play for FHS, too? I haven't seen her, but I've heard she's good!

[brs_hogfan]

Doesn't Coriah Beck play for FHS, too? I haven't seen her, but I've heard she's good!

She is good. But she played for one of the two FHS 9th grade teams, not the varsity team.  The varsity team has two freshmen -- Sasha Goforth and Wyvette Mayberry.  All three are future D1 I think.

[brs_hogfan]

For anyone interested, here is a link showing the app on which you can watch the FHS vs NLR game (free):

https://twitter.com/FayBulldogs/status/839922583814483968/photo/1

I hope whoever is the new coach recruits 2018's Jasmine Franklin and Yo'Myris Morris hard.  I have watched Franklin on multiple occasions and am very impressed with her.  I've seen less of Morris but she reportedly has offers across the SEC and, like Franklin, is a relentless rebounder.

[brs_hogfan]

Sasha Goforth (MVP) and Yo'Myris Morris were the two who really stood out in the championship.  Hope the new coach goes after both of them hard and Jasmine Franklin too.  I really think the in-state talent pool we have in the upcoming classes is impressive.  We are apparently out of contention with Christyn Williams but even without her we could build quite a program from the upcoming in-state classes.  But we need a good hire and need fan support.

[flippinhogmana]

The most important recruits to land are already on the roster for the new coach.  I include especially DC and Wilson, they could be a dynamic duo, I also include Ratliff.  I know she is a project but she does have height and she hasn't officially declared she is transferring yet. 

[flippinhogmana]

I would also say that the odds of Wilson staying have gone up considerably of late.

[logic]

We have some great in-state talent coming down the pipeline.  Enough that we could build an exciting team based nearly just on in-state players.  But it's hard to see how we are going to land them when we have so much controversy and overall lack of interest in the program (e.g. maybe 500 in attendance last game).  That's really unfortunate.

Here's the in-state team I want (starting with 2018):

2018
Christyn Williams
Yo'Myris Morris
Jasmine Franklin

2019
Kennady Tucker

2020
Sasha Goforth
Elauna Eaton
Destiny Salary

There are others too, and obviously some that will emerge as top players over the next couple of years.  But I think that would be a pretty exciting team.

You are dreaming because realistically they are not coming to the UofA. Maybe 2 and possibly 3 if we are extremely lucky.

[flippinhogmana]

You are dreaming because realistically they are not coming to the UofA. Maybe 2 and possibly 3 if we are extremely lucky.

Look either get off the suicide watch, go away or at least shut up.  Wait just six months and you will see a drastic difference, I promise you.  You are not being logical.

[brs_hogfan]

You are dreaming because realistically they are not coming to the UofA. Maybe 2 and possibly 3 if we are extremely lucky.

Yes, obviously we are not going to get all of these players.  But my point was simply that we have a lot of in-state talent right now and if we can get our program heading in the right direction, so that most of our in-state talent actually wants to stay, our future could be bright.

[logic]

Williams need to know that the kneeling would not even have been allowed at most Universities and reaction would have been the same.

No doubt there are universities in California or Massachusetts where the reaction would have been different.  However, that doesn't include her top 5 universities.  Therefore, likely her tweet is just an excuse to do what she was going to do anyway; i.e., eliminate Arkansas. Either that or else she cannot think logically.