Thoughts on AA girls for 2015-2016

[Yak]

Alright, we have seen the 2A season wind down with some great team efforts and players. I am not trying to overlook the fact that there are two teams left, but there are many posters for other teams that like posting and sharing their thoughts.... especially on the heels of recent tournament play. England vs Marmaduke should be a great match up. I wish luck to both teams as they both try to win this years title. However, lets look around and "forecast" , for a lack of better words, about 2015-2016. Returning players, upcoming seniors, who should be loaded with talent (of course, students transferring, quitting etc we cannot determine). Below is my thoughts on the State tournament teams from this year, starting with the top two playing for the championship:
England: Talented group with a few seniors. Not sure about how many seniors they lose total, but it looks like they may have several players returning that contribute this year. Maybe lose two main players that are seniors?
Marmaduke: I have heard they have some upcoming young talent. People have said they lose 4 starters that are seniors and have 1 junior who will return
JC Westside:Return everyone (from my understanding) as seniors from this years squad. 5 seniors that start next year?
BIC:I know nothing about except that they have a good basketball program, both boys and girls
Foreman:I think they lose their senior point guard who scored a lot of points. Other than that, I am not sure
Spring Hill:I think they return all their starters who will be seniors. I have heard they have some freshwomen that will contribute as well as sophomores.
Marked Tree:I know nothing about. In State tournament last year and this year....lose all starters after this year?
Mineral Springs: Someone from that area mentioned they were young and will be returning 3 out of 5 starters.
EPC:I know nothing about. They did compete with JC Westside for awhile in their first round game.
Magnet Cove: 3 or 4 starters returning, seniors with 1 or 2 juniors?
Hector:Not sure. Heard they had a ninth grader that started for them this year, but, again, not sure.
Poyen: 4 starters returning as seniors. 1 junior starter returning. Should be tough again.
Parkers Chapel: Have two primary scorers that have graduated?
Quitman: I know nothing about
Mountain Pine: Young team with all starters returning, 4 juniors and a sophomore?
Conway Christian: I know nothing about.

Please chip in with your thoughts and comments. I am hoping that someone knowledgeable with their respective programs can contribute some factual information. I may do a preseason "write-up" on here for next year and use some of this information. Thank you and I hope everyone is at the Championship games coming up!

[thorntonl]

Mineral Springs will have 4 of their 5 starters coming back. Only losing one senior on the whole team.

[Yak]

Mineral Springs will have 4 of their 5 starters coming back. Only losing one senior on the whole team.

Thank you Thortonl. 4 of their 5 coming back...are they all juniors or a mixture?

[Cheek]

England is only losing four Sr. and of the four only two are starters.  The two starters are roll players and can be replaced.  England subs a lot and none of them are Sr.  We have an 8th grader who should move up and start next year.  With this being said, England has the potential to be better next year.

[hogfan32]

Spring Hill returns 4 of 5 starters. Only using 2 seniors that maybe combined for 8 points a game together. Junior class is talented just had a tough time adjusting to a new coach this season. Nice group of freshmen that will help and add depth once they get more experience.  Also have a really good player moving back into the district who's  an ace shooter & another re-enrolling after being home schooled whos a good defensive player.  Year 2 under coach Whatley with a much deeper team, hopefully with no injuries they will
Make some noise next year.

[Yak]

Cheek, now that you mentioned that, it seems like someone else said that an 8th grader will be able to help England next year. Pretty dang good anytime someone that young can contribute. Obviously, with that many returners, England should be in the mix for next year.

[Yak]

Thank you hogfan. With the few comments I see posted and some people contacting me, next year -competitive wise- across the board.....whew, AA looks to be tough.

[BICMUSTANG4LIFE]

BIC will have a rebuilding year!  4 starters are Sr.   

[lionfan59]

JC wont return five seniors!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!... We are going to take 11 and put her with our guards...

[STATGUYQHS]

Quitman had 3 Sophmores and 2 Freshman Starting this year.  The future is bright for the girls program.

[Yak]

Wow! Quitman started 3 sophomores and 2 freshmen? Yes, I would say the future is bright for the Quitman Ladies program. As for lionfan59, please clarify.

[Neabasketball]

Marmaduke will lose a lot be still be very competitive and prolly still win the north.. Will defiently miss Bopp though

[HorseFeathers]

Hector's fortunes will depend on who the new coach will be...guy that coached them at state is our superintendant, and former boys coach from around 10 years ago...

[bdubyab60]

EPC loses its 3 best players.

[MSHS FAn]

Mineral springs will return their entire team -1! They will be good! Especially since Backus will have a full offseason to work with these girls! Only issue is that they don't have any difference makers coming up from the jr high team! Not taking a shot at anyone, just being honest! They won't have a lot of depth! But they will be pretty good next year! I guarantee they will work hard this offseason and thy will shoot ALOT of free throws!

[Yak]

MSHS fan, I have seen many teams that need to work on free throw shooting. It appears to be a lost art! EPC, maybe some junior high kids can help? Otherwise, losing 3 starters could be a challenge....of course, you may have some good sophomores/juniors. HF, that is interesting about a Superintendent coaching the girls. My hat's off to him, as being an administrator and coaching would require a lot of time! Do you know if they had a lot of underclassmen this year or were they mainly seniors?

[lionfan59]

Wow! Quitman started 3 sophomores and 2 freshmen? Yes, I would say the future is bright for the Quitman Ladies program. As for lionfan59, please clarify.

we are stilling JC #11 that girl can handle the rock... 

[redrider30]

21 turnovers in 1st half of semis (not all hers but she was the point guard). Better learn how to handle it better before next season. A fancy pass that goes out of bounds is still called a turn over.

[lionfan59]

21 turnovers in 1st half of semis (not all hers but she was the point guard). Better learn how to handle it better before next season. A fancy pass that goes out of bounds is still called a turn over.

..don't hate on a fancy flashy player that will play D1

[redrider30]

If she plays D-1 she had better grow about 6 inches or get a lot better. Marmaduke is good but they are not D-1. I'm not knocking her I think she's a good player but watching her against Bopp you have to be honest enough to know where she is at this point in her career. I hope she does get to go to a D-1 school. Bopp basically was only recruited by one D-1 school and she ain't even close to being the player she is and Medina from Spring Hill last year didn't go D-1 and she ain't in the same league with her. I've watched as many HS girls players in Arkansas, Tennessee and Missouri as anyone and it's just a fact that hardly any D-1 players come from class A or AA. 

[RedWolf275]

Isn't Zimmerman from Wonderview going D1.

[redrider30]

Didn't say it couldn't be done.  Isn't Zimmerman 6 foot tall? That makes a difference when recruiting for D-1. Not saying it's right but if you are not big you have to be great. Bopp is a great player, as good of a 2A guard that I've ever seen. Not recruited by many schools because of size and I don't think that's fair but that's just the way it is especially at schools like ASU. They would rather have someone athletic and big instead of someone who can score and play if they are small.

[lionfan59]

Didn't say it couldn't be done.  Isn't Zimmerman 6 foot tall? That makes a difference when recruiting for D-1. Not saying it's right but if you are not big you have to be great. Bopp is a great player, as good of a 2A guard that I've ever seen. Not recruited by many schools because of size and I don't think that's fair but that's just the way it is especially at schools like ASU. They would rather have someone athletic and big instead of someone who can score and play if they are small.

a lot of it also has to do with your coach and the words of mouth by other coaches... Just saying High School Coaches play a part in recognition.

[Pick_DA_EAGLES]

Didn't say it couldn't be done.  Isn't Zimmerman 6 foot tall? That makes a difference when recruiting for D-1. Not saying it's right but if you are not big you have to be great. Bopp is a great player, as good of a 2A guard that I've ever seen. Not recruited by many schools because of size and I don't think that's fair but that's just the way it is especially at schools like ASU. They would rather have someone athletic and big instead of someone who can score and play if they are small.

a lot of it also has to do with your coach and the words of mouth by other coaches... Just saying High School Coaches play a part in recognition.

Playing on good AAU teams in high profile tournaments are probably the best way for a small school player to get noticed.

[bdubyab60]

AAU ball is good. I have no idea why Bopp was not recruited by ASU. She is 30 minutes down the road and played in the NEA at least 3 times. ASU signed Fowler from BIC and Bopp is every bit as good probably better especially defensively and way more athletic.

[redrider30]

She's not 5'8". That's why.

[RedWolf275]

Bopp is better than Fowler when both were seniors in my opinion. She can lock down defensively.

[bdubyab60]

She's not 5'8". That's why.

Im not sure Fowler is either

[lionfan59]

The way she plays I would love to see her at UALR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[RedWolf275]

AAU ball is good. I have no idea why Bopp was not recruited by ASU. She is 30 minutes down the road and played in the NEA at least 3 times. ASU signed Fowler from BIC and Bopp is every bit as good probably better especially defensively and way more athletic.

By the way, Fowler has basically not seen the floor for ASU in two years. Mop up duty only.

[MikelB]

EPC loses its 3 best players.

3 bdub?

[bdubyab60]

EPC loses its 3 best players.

3 bdub?

Ward, Phillips and Hinson. I should say 3 of their better players

[MikelB]

EPC loses its 3 best players.

3 bdub?

Ward, Phillips and Hinson. I should say 3 of their better players

Hinson is just 11th grader so with the 9th graders moving up EPC should be good next yr

[bdubyab60]

EPC loses its 3 best players.

3 bdub?

Ward, Phillips and Hinson. I should say 3 of their better players

Hinson is just 11th grader so with the 9th graders moving up EPC should be good next yr

Must have her mixed up with someone else

[basketball__L]

I watched the game with JC and duke and that #11 didn't have 21 turnover and I really don't think she had very many. Yeah she's the point guard but doesn't mean she has them all. I think she played a great game. They had her on Bopp and she held her from scoring. Her ball handling is unreal amazing and her passes just amaze me. I would take her on my team anytime. That #11 will be going somewhere that's for sure.

[Cheek]

England girls had a great season and will be one of the top teams in 2a next year.   

[LC sports]

The Lady Bison of Carlisle loses only 1 senior and will have a chance to be pretty good next year.

[Sport718]

If anyone cares #11 for Westside is Hailey Weather's. She barely had 21 turnovers all season. She has a 4-1 assist turnover ratio for her career. She didn't have her best game in the semi finals but you better believe they will be in the mix next year. I would say they are the favorite with 7 of their top 8 coming back from a final four team. Marmaduke graduates 9 seniors. Congrats to them on a well deserved championship but Westside will be back.

[lionfan59]

If anyone cares #11 for Westside is Hailey Weather's. She barely had 21 turnovers all season. She has a 4-1 assist turnover ratio for her career. She didn't have her best game in the semi finals but you better believe they will be in the mix next year. I would say they are the favorite with 7 of their top 8 coming back from a final four team. Marmaduke graduates 9 seniors. Congrats to them on a well deserved championship but Westside will be back.

I have been saying that #11 was the real deal, and if Westside is bringing that back then, if I was completing my bracket for next year, I would put them at the head of it for sure.  I was really pleased with that team.  and now knowing that they are all that young, then I give them more respect than I already have.  And I have said it before #11 will play college ball, and will be productive at it. 

[Cheek]

I figure the top teams next year will be England, JC Westside, Marmaduke,  Mineral Springs,  Foreman, Quitman,  Junction City and Conway Christian.

[HorseFeathers]

I figure the top teams next year will be England, JC Westside, Marmaduke,  Mineral Springs,  Foreman, Quitman,  Junction City and Conway Christian.

Quitman...and top team...boy those are two words you don't see in the same sentence very often

[thabeast428]

Junction city girls should be tough next yr returning everyone and had a good yr despite losing first round of the regional.

[BigLion10]

You aint lying HF lol

[Donnie Jamon]

Epc MT should both be real down next year. Marmaduke girls will not be anything like this year. Don't know about BIC girls

[MikelB]

Epc MT should both be real down next year. Marmaduke girls will not be anything like this year. Don't know about BIC girls

I sure hope you're wrong about EPC

[Yak]

I would say some general favorites are: England (played Marmaduke close for awhile, had the lead until Marmaduke woke up!), JC Westside, Conway Christian, and Mineral Springs. Sleepers that have a good chance: Spring Hill...based on earlier comment about them. I know they have 3 juniors who will be seniors this coming season. Foreman, a surprise team which has some athleticism and returns most starters. Magnet Cove because they have three starters coming back ( I think ) and will probably have 4-5 seniors on the court at any given time from a 23-9(?),  JC because they have everyone back and have seemed to turn the corner, with a 21-8 record (very big with some fast guards). We can't leave out Mountainburg or Poyen (which should be tough, they are big and tall!).  Outside lookin in to make a statement: Mountain Pine....very young team that seemed to peak at right time. Quitman based on earlier comment of 3 sophomores and 2 freshmen starting, and Parkers Chapel, always a good team from the South.

[WPWells]

My pick to win it all is JC Westside

[Bigditchlion]

Mine is ENGLAND! We will be pretty good!!

[redrider30]

It would be hard for any team to be like ours this year. You heard it hear first and remember this when first poll comes out next year. Marmaduke will be just fine!

[Sport718]

It's England and Westside all the way. Watch!