Class of 2023 Player of the Year Candidates
In this article:
Being named Arkansas Player of the Year is a huge accomplishment. There are several players in all classifications that could make a bid as Arkansas’ top player for the 2022-2023 basketball season. The state typically names one female player of…
Access all of Prep Girls Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingBeing named Arkansas Player of the Year is a huge accomplishment. There are several players in all classifications that could make a bid as Arkansas’ top player for the 2022-2023 basketball season. The state typically names one female player of the year, but what if they named a player of the year for the class of 2023 and 2024. This article will focus on the class of 2023 and the players that could have a big year and be named the state’s top female basketball player.
Chloe Clardy Chloe Clardy 5'9" | PG Conway | 2023 State AR | Guard | 5’9| Conway High School | 2023
Chloe is the odds on favorite to repeat as the states Player of the Year. The top player in the state is also ranked #39 nationally according to ESPN. She’s committed to Stanford and is looking to have a stellar senior year while leading her Conway High School to a state championship. Chloe is a big time player that can score in bunches at any moment. If she puts up similar numbers to last year and Conway has another successful season, it would be tough for another player to dethrone Chloe as the state’s top player.
Jenna Lawrence Jenna Lawrence 6'3" | PF Farmington | 2023 State AR | Forward | 6’3 | Farmington High School | 2023
Jenna is another highly touted high school player. This Arkansas commit is a 4 star prospect that is ranked #61 in the nation according to ESPN. Jenna is often viewed as the 2nd best player in the state but she could have a senior year that could propel her to state’s top player for the 2022-2023 season. She has the skill set to dominate the game from the inside and out with her ability to score from the low block to the three point line. It’ll be a big task to take the crown from Chloe, but with a great individual year and leading her team to a state championship it’s a possibility.
Madison Cartwright Madison Cartwright 5'11" | SF Greenwood | 2023 State AR | Wing | 5’10 | Greenwood High School | 2023
Whenever you have a good skill set and you are committed to a division 1 college, you will have a target on your back. Players will want to test their skills against you and see where they stack up or if you are as good as advertised. But once you add a state championship to te mix your target gets bigger. Madison has the opportunity to prove to the state that she is one of the best players in the state. Greenwood has a really good schedule with games against Conway, Fayetteville, LR Central, North Little Rock, LR Christian Academy, and Vilonia. Those games will test her and give her the chance to show she could be this years player of the year. If she puts together a solid individual season and her team goes back to back as state champs, there’s a chance she could be named Arkansas Player of the Year.
Savannah Scott Savannah Scott 6'4" | C Conway | 2023 State AR | Post | 6’5 | Conway High School | 2023
Quiet as kept, Savannah Scott Savannah Scott 6'4" | C Conway | 2023 State AR could be the key ingredient to Conway winning a state championship. Everyone knows about Chloe Clardy Chloe Clardy 5'9" | PG Conway | 2023 State AR and what she brings to the table, but Savannah could dominate the game in other areas that could propel Conway to a state title. Savannah’s ability to dominate the paint with her rebounding, low post scoring, and shot blocking can change the outcome of many games. The 6’5 post player is commmitted to Auburn and is an All-Conference and All-State performer. She has the potential to be a walking double double and if she puts up the dominating numbers that she’s capable of, there’s a chance she could steal the player of the year from her teammate.
Maddi Holt Maddi Holt 5'7" | CG Bergman | 2023 State AR | Guard | 5’7 | Bergman High School | 2023
Often times players at small schools get overlooked. If they perform well people will say it’s because they don’t play against any competition. Or they might think the numbers are inflated and they couldn’t do that against the larger classifications. Well, people will always speculate about players and what they would do against certain teams or players. One thing I would say is Maddi could hold her own against anyone. With her skills and her teams success she could be a player mentioned for player of the year. It might be a long shot, but with her potential to put up good numbers and her team’s chance at another state title, anything is possible.
Jianna Morris Jianna Morris 5'8" | CG Sylvan Hills | 2023 State AR | Guard | 5’7 | Sylvan Hills | 2023
When you are one of the top players at your position and committed to Louisiana Tech you have to be mentioned as a candidate for the player of the year. A lot has to go right for Jianna, but she has the skills and game to have a great senior year. Often individual recognition is tied to team success. Sylvan Hills has a solid schedule and if she can lead her team to a deep playoff run then you have to consider her as a possibility as player of the year.