A young group of Tigers embarked the Arp High School boys basketball program onto a new era in the 2022-23 season.
While many them earned a great amount of respect from coaches throughout District 16-3A, six of them were voted as All-District honorees.
After being moved up to varsity halfway through his sophomore year, junior power forward Fisher Arrington has become a versatile force inside for the Arp Tigers.
His efforts have made him a first team all-district player.
Despite often being outsized by many of his opponents, Arrington proved to be tough to defend near the basket.
His aggressiveness helped him average eight points a game, the twelfth highest scoring total in the district, and third on the team.
In his first year as a starter, sophomore guard Landon Smith became Arp's leading scorer, and a threat from anywhere on the floor.
Smith earned second team all-district honors.
His 10.1 points per game average was sixth best in the league. He scored in double figures in 15 of the team's 27 games, and averaged nearly 12 points per contest during district play.
After a year away from the basketball court, senior guard Wyatt Ladd returned to the hardwood and made an impact as a consistent starter for the Tigers.
The lone senior on the 2022-23 squad, Ladd's leadership as well as his play helped him become a second team all-district performer.
Ladd contributed 5.7 points per game for Arp High School including a pair of contests when he scored in double figures.
Freshman center Jaxon Schminkey embraced a major role for the Tigers from the start of the season.
With plenty of room to grow, Schminkey is already turning into one of the premiere interior players in the league. He was rewarded with a second team all district selection.
Schminkey averaged 4.5 points per game for the year although, he reached double figures five times including a season high 18 points against district champ Tatum.
A deadly outside shooter, freshman guard Cornelius Pierce quickly became one of the top three-point threats in the district.
Pierce received honorable mention for the all-district teams as he often hit three or four baskets from behind the arc.
He wound up third in the league in three-point shots made and eleventh in scoring at 8.1 points per game.
Moved up to varsity during district play, freshman guard Cade Ward established himself as a solid ball handler, and a scrappy defender that's not afraid to hustle or get his uniform dirty.
Ward was named an honorable mention all-district player despite only playing in eleven of the Tigers' 27 games.
He pitched in with 4.1 points per game, but scored a season high 15 points against playoff bound West Rusk.
With five of the six all-district honorees returning next season for the Tigers, the future looks very bright for Arp as coach Brian Malone, who just completed his first season at the helm, continues build his program with a play relentless attitude.