Sheridan’s Free set for all-star game
The top high school athletes in Arkansas are in Conway this weekend, and a recent Sheridan graduate will be there to showcase his skills.
Former Yellowjackets star Peyton Free will play in the Arkansas High School Coaches’ Association all-star boys basketball game at 3 p.m. today at the University of Central Arkansas’ Jeff Farris Center. Free will be on the West team.
Free said he is excited to play with some of Arkansas’ best.
“I’ve seen most of these guys play throughout AAU and high school games, non-conference games,” Free said. “I know there’s a lot of talent, cool guys to hang out with.”
Free, an East End native, has attended the Sheridan School District since second grade. He played varsity basketball starting his sophomore year and was named to the Class 5A all-state team this past season.
He made a school-record 96 three-pointers as a senior after making 95 as a junior.
Sheridan Coach Joe Scott said Free deserves to be in the all-star game.
“Teams would game plan for Peyton every game in conference,” Scott said. “He got face-guarded a ton. He got double-teamed. People would want to push him off the three-point line, get him off his spots since he was such a good shooter … So to see him get acknowledged for that with the season he had and the way teams would try to scheme to stop him, I was really excited for him.”
In addition to his all-state accolades, Free was one of four Yellowjackets named to the 5A-South all-conference team. One of the highlights of his season came on the road when he hit a half-court buzzer-beater to beat Benton.
Scott said Free’s competitiveness sets him apart from other athletes.
“He’s one of those kids that’s really good at winning,” Scott said. “I don’t know if that makes sense, but you can come out there, you can play whatever sport. Ping-pong, you can go play baseball, basketball, football, the kid just wins. I don’t know how. He just wins at everything he does.”
This weekend is about more than one game for Free. The recent graduate is still deciding what is next for him. He has received a few offers to play college basketball at small schools, but he is also considering entering the workforce. He is interning with a construction company this summer.
Free said he believes this weekend will play a big part in helping him decide what path to take.
“Is the basketball going to get me where I want to be?” Free said. “Is the degree what I need to do what I want to do with life, or do I need to get straight into work? Start making money, or play basketball four years and get a degree? I’m kind of juggling really what I want to do.”
The boys basketball all-star game follows the girls all-star game, which begins at 1 p.m. The all-star football game at UCA’s Estes Stadium will conclude the weekend at 6 p.m.
Marquis Stone of Pine Bluff, Blaine Dickson of Rison and Landon Wolf of Warren were selected to play in the football game.