Arkansas' best boys basketball players: Meet the state's top seniors

Arkansas' top senior boys basketball players

By Kyle Sutherland | Photo by Karen Schwartz

With the high school basketball season in full swing, SBLive is looking at the best boys players in Arkansas class by class. Today, we feature the top seniors. This is not meant to be a comprehensive list as there are hundreds of great basketball players in the state. Use the comments section to discuss other standout players in the state.

Soon, you will have a chance to vote on who you think is the top senior boys basketball player in the state.

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Riley Buccino | Bentonville West | 6-3 shooting guard

A guy who has played a lot of basketball for West, Buccino is what head coach Greg White calls a true leader. He eclipsed 1,000 points in his career and is the school’s all-time leading scorer. 

“Riley’s best quality is that he makes everyone around him better,” White said. “When you get to coach a Riley Bucchino, you enjoy every second of it.”

Carl Daughtery Jr. | Maumelle | 6-3 guard

The UCA signee and is set the take Maumelle on another run after coming up just two points shy of a state title last year. 

“Carl is a great young man with a high basketball IQ,” Maumelle head coach Michael Shook said. “He continues to improve his game that in turn helps our team improve.”

Derrian Ford | Magnolia | 6-3 combo guard

Ford is the nation’s 54th overall player for 2022 per the 247 Sports composite rankings and he has continued to impress every time he is on the court. The Razorback signee helped Magnolia to an undefeated record so far this year and hopes to finish this season with a state championship after falling in the semifinals last season. 

“A coach’s dream is one way to put it, and there are not enough boxes on the sheet to check for him,” head coach Ben Lindsey said. “Until you have coached him, you really don’t understand.”

Colby Garland | Maumelle | 6-1 shooting guard

After helping Magnolia to a 71-5 record from his freshman through junior year, Garland transferred earlier in the fall with his family and could be the final piece in the Hornets hoisting the state championship in March. 

“This team has a chance to be really good once we get on the same page and Colby is a big part of that,” Shook said. “We’re not there yet, but we don’t want to be…we want to play our best basketball in February and March.”

Gabe George | Bryant | 6-1 guard 

Boasting a 4.28 GPA, George gets the job done both on the court and in the classroom. Known as a tireless worker in the weight room, he has received multiple offers from smaller college programs. 

Bryant head coach Mike Abrahamson mentioned how George was one of the crucial pieces to the team’s success. “Gabe is not just a great scorer, but great defender,” he said. “Along with Khasen Robinson, he has taken many charges this year and has a good assist/turnover ratio.” 

Landon Glasper | Fayetteville | 6-1 guard

After working his way up the rotation and averaging 18 points as a junior, Glasper was challenged this year by the coaching staff to take the next step as a leader. 

“We told him coming into the year that we need him to be a leader both on and off the court,” head coach Brad Stamps said. “We’re awfully young so we need him to lead these guys, and he has stepped up and done that.” Glasper broke his wrist in October missing the first few games, but Stamps said he is Glasper has been much more of himself.

Harrison Hicks | Bentonville | 6-7 forward

Coach Dick Rippee does not feel Hicks has reached his full potential but has been pretty good from three-point range shooting at 40%. He put up 14 points in a lop-sided 78-48 victory of defending 5A runner-up Maumelle. 

“Multiple guys on our team, Harrison included, could average more points on other teams,” Rippee said. “We have a balanced attack where seven or eight guys could be the leading scorer on any given night.”

Javion Guy-King | Mills | 6-6 small forward

Guy has been held back by injuries this season but has already built a solid resume as the nation’s 55th-ranked small forward for the class of 2022 per the 247 Sports composite rankings. Though listed as a forward, Guy-King is very effective as a guard. Back in November before the injury, King exploded putting up 40 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 assists in a scrimmage with West Memphis while he was double and triple teamed basically the entire game. He currently has offers from Arkansas, Oklahoma State, and Orla Roberts among others.

Daylen Love | Osceola | 6-6 guard

Osceola is off to a hot start, thanks in large part, to Love’s 20 points per game after averaging a double-double last season putting up 23 points per game and 10 rebounds. 

“Daylen has been doing well,” head coach Vernon Wilson said. “We are excited about him and our depth this year.”

Donyae May | Russellville | 6-0 point guard

The leading scorer for the Cyclones is averaging around 20 point per game. May is a great floor general who always seems to know not just his role, but the other four around him. May took an unofficial visit to Arkansas back in September and has received college interest. 

“Donyae has led us on the floor,” head coach Kyle Pennington said. “I am very proud of the continued growth.”

Christian Moore | Jacksonville | 6-0 point guard 

One of the more overlooked players on this this list, Moore is currently unsigned but has all the tools to make it at the college level. He had a great 2021 summer with the Old School Wings and is the floor general for the Titans.

Joseph Pinion | Morrilton | 6-6 wing

The first commit to the now No. 2-ranked recruiting class for the Razorbacks is hoping to lead the Devil Dogs back to the Class 4A state title game after falling short against Mills last year. Pinion plays the wing position very effectively with a great shot and is an underrated defender. 

“Joseph has continued to work and has embraced his role with the new players,” head coach Keith Zackery said. “I was concerned with how he would handle having a new team around him, but I have been very pleased. 

Khasen Robinson | Bryant | 6-1 shooting guard

As the younger brother of Razorback guard KK Robinson, Khasen has been a big part of Bryant’s success this year. Robinson scored a game-high 28 points in Bryant’s 63-57 victory over cross-county rival Benton on December 15th in the Saline County Shootout at Hornet Stadium. 

“Khasen has grown so much and is one of the great scorers we have on our team this year,” head coach Mike Abrahamson said.

Hayden Shanks | Bentonville | 6-2 combo guard

Shanks is a sharpshooter for the Tigers and a lockdown defender. He was named the 6A West’s defensive player of the year as a junior. 

“Hayden is a fierce competitor,” Rippee said. “He is having a great senior season and always defends the other team’s best perimeter player.”

Grayson Sims | Russellville | 5-10 guard

Sims shot 45% from deep with 70 makes last season and has built on that success averaging 18 point per game. Pennington mentioned how Sims and Donyae May mesh well together. 

“We have been getting contributions from multiple guys, but both May and Sims have embraced leadership roles,” he said.

Nick Smith Jr. | North Little Rock | 6-4 combo guard

As the No. 6 prospect on ESPN’s 2022 standings, no Arkansas prep player has ever been ranked as high as Smith. The Razorback signee showed out on the national stage this past summer playing for Brad Beal Elite and has continued that into this season against some of the nation’s best. A few games into conference play, he is averaging just shy of 30 points per game.

Parker St. Pierre | Valley View | 6-1 combo guard

St. Pierre can knock it down from just about anywhere on the court, particularly from long-range as one of the state’s best from deep. He currently holds an Arkansas State offer with many others showing interest. 

Cam Wallace | Parkview | 6-6 wing 

One of two Central Arkansas signees on this list, Wallace has really expanded his game under the current coaching staff. He has become more effective shooting the three at various spots as opposed to just being relied upon in the paint.

“When I first got here, he was more of a post player and not being utilized in the way that we have tried to utilize him,” Parkview head coach Scotty Thurman said. “Giving him an opportunity to expand his game of course helps both us and him, but he can take that with him when he does go to college.”

Kel’El Ware | North Little Rock | 7-0 post

The Oregon commit has been able to make his presence felt even more this season with less attention due to the amount of talent on North Little Rock’s roster. Whether in the paint, from mid-range, or even bringing the ball down the court, Ware does it all effectively. He is ranked the 16thplayer in the country per the ESPN rankings. 

Corey Washington | North Little Rock | 6-6 small forward

Washington could very well be the most overlooked prospect on this list. He is a clear-cut Dvision I prospect but only has one offer from Arkansas-Pine Bluff. Washington had an All-Tournament type performance in the annual King Cotton Classic tournament back in December when he averaged 20.5 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists per game.

Jabari West | Hot Springs | 6-7 power forward

Known as a force around the rim, the George Washington signee is a double-double waiting to happen anytime he is on the floor as seen by one of his top performances this season in a 62-55 victory over Vilonia in December when he totaled 29 points, 12 rebounds, and 3 steals.

Jesse Washington | Jonesboro | 6-1 guard

Washington is the team leader for the Hurricane in just about every category and had an all-tournament performance in the Arby’s Classic earlier this year. 

“He is our leading scorer and shoots the mess out of the ball,” head coach Wes Swift said. “He is also a great rebounder and defender who takes a lot of charges.”

Amarion Wilson | Jonesboro | 5–11-point guard

Known as “A”, Wilson is one of the more underrated shooters who takes care of the basketball. 

“If there is a better true point guard in the state, I have not seen him,” head coach Wes Swift said. “He is a solid defender as well who sacrifices his body as well as anyone.”

Quion Williams | Jonesboro | 6-4 small forward

Probably the biggest name on this list that you may not be aware of, the Oklahoma State commit is the state’s 5th-ranked player per the 247 Sports composite rankings. Williams is a native of Jonesboro and moved to Texas before his sophomore year, then came back and became eligible for the second semester. 

“Quion’s ability to see the floor and make the appropriate play is undervalued,” coach Wes Swift said. “He can really finish around the rim and will arguably be the best rebounding guard you will find.”

Creed Williamson | Little Rock Christian | 6-8 power forward

The son of Arkansas great Corliss “Big Nasty” Williamson is creating a legacy of his own. He has averaged around 15 points per game this year. After averaging 12.4 points and 7.4 rebounds as a junior, head coach Clarence Finley feels Williamson still has work to do to hit his ceiling. 

“Creed can be a difference-maker on both ends if he wants to be,” head coach Clarence Finley said. “I would like him to increase his free throw percentage, but overall, I am very impressed with his development.”