ALL-COUNTY
Garland County basketball, wrestling and swimming
Senior guards Ariana Guinn and Imani Honey have been synonymous with Hot Springs Lady Trojan basketball since their emergence as All-State performers during their sophomore campaigns.
Taking over for Ashley Clayborn, Berniezha Tidwell and Tiaunna Watkins after the trio led Hot Springs to the 2015 Class 5A state championship, Guinn and Honey spent two seasons solidifying their place among the best players in program history before reaching new heights in their final run.
Guinn and Honey led the Lady Trojans to a record of 23-4 in 2016 and 24-7 in 2017, but managed just one win in the state tournament during that time.
Entering this season with one goal to accomplish, the backcourt duo fueled Hot Springs to a statehigh 31 wins, closing the year on a 23-game winning streak that was capped with a 50-47 win over twotime defending champion Watson Chapel in the Class 5A state championship at Bank of the Ozarks Arena. Closing their high school careers by leading the Lady Trojans to their fifth title in program history, Guinn and Honey are The Sentinel Record’s 2018 Girls Basketball Co-Players of the Year and First Team All-Garland County. “We felt like we needed a championship just to put us in that category (with Clayborn, Tidwell and Watkins),” Honey said.
“We were already in that category, but now there’s nothing people can use against us,” Guinn added. “People were always saying that we were two good guards, but we didn’t win state. Now, we have won state.”
The team’s primary ball-handlers in each of their three varsity seasons, Guinn and Honey never stopped working to hone their craft and improve their overall game. Increasing her shooting percentage from the field and free throw line, Guinn went from 15.5 points per game as a junior to 18.9 points per game this season. Honey improved from 10 points and 5.5 assists per game to 14.7 points and 5.8 assists per game.
“We had to push each other in practice every day,” said Honey. “We tried to make sure we were guarding each other or going against each other to make each other better.”
Honey also credited their drive to win a state championship for their increased production on the court.
“Just wanting to win, we had that in our mind every single day,” she said. “I just kept thinking that I haven’t been enough in the previous years, because we didn’t win. I had to be better and get better so that we could win.”
Despite standing only 5-3 as the shortest player on the roster, Guinn never let
the perceived limitations from her height hold her back.
Relying on her quickness and shooting stroke, Guinn rode 3.5 steals per game to easy points in the paint, adding an outside touch by shooting a team-high 35 percent from behind the 3-point line.
“I really just take the open shot when the opportunities present themselves,” said Guinn. “I also ran the floor, so I got most of my points off of fast breaks and used my quickness. I feel like if we go heads up, there’s not a lot of people that can stop me.”
As Guinn led the team in scoring, Honey played more of a true point guard role, as evidenced by her team-high 5.8 assists per game.
Honey’s performance in the state tournament highlighted her ability to take over a game with her scoring or passing, depending on the matchup.
The senior scored a season-high 39 points in a 76-74 comeback win over Batesville in the quarterfinals, and later stuffed the stat sheet with 12 points, six rebounds and five assists to earn most valuable player honors in the championship win over Watson Chapel.
“If everyone else can score, then I usually don’t have to,” Honey said. “In the Batesville game, Ariana and Nya (Moody) got in foul trouble early, so then I was just out there with the younger players and they needed somebody to step up. When the scorers were out, I felt like I had to be more aggressive and looking for my shot for us to win.”
While both players have achieved individual greatness on their own merit, the duo believes playing alongside each other helped them reach their true potential.
Honey transferred from Mountain Pine before her ninth-grade season, forming an instant bond on the court with her backcourt mate.
“It helped a lot, because there was a time before high school when she played by herself and I did too,” said Honey. “You could tell, if she didn’t score 30 points with her other team, then they weren’t going to win. If I didn’t score 30 points with my other team, we weren’t going to win.
“It’s easy to know that you don’t have to do it all, and you can lean on other people to get the job done and help lead the team to a win.” Finishing as double-digit scorers in each of their three varsity seasons, Guinn and Honey’s abilities speak for themselves, but the duo was more proud of what they accomplished with their teammates.
As three-year starters, Guinn and Honey led the Lady Trojans to a record of 78-14 during their tenure, highlighted by two 5A-South conference championships and this year’s state title.
“Winning definitely means more to us, especially the state championship,” Guinn said. “That was something that we worked for since day one, and to finally get it was a great feeling.”
With their high school careers now officially over, the duo has turned their attention toward the next level. With a laundry list of personal and team achievements to back them up, Guinn and Honey believe they have what it takes to play basketball at the collegiate level.
“My goal is to play basketball next season and I’ve been in contact with a few coaches,” said Guinn. “It’s been going good.”
“I plan to play at the next level,” Honey added. “I’ve been talking to a couple coaches and it’s been pretty cool.”
Both players said they’ve been in contact with Tidwell since closing their careers with a state championship, heeding advice from the Highland Community College star about what it takes to be a college athlete. Tidwell and the Scotties were 34-0 before falling, 77-74, to No. 2 Kirkwood Community College (34-3) Friday in the 2018 National Junior College Athletic Association Division II Women’s Basketbaall Championship tournament in Harrison.
“She was just trying to see where our heads were at and telling us what to expect,” Guinn said.
Now that it is all said and done, Guinn and Honey leave behind an undeniable legacy as two of the best players in program history. The duo had simple words of advice for the younger players that strive to reach the same level.
“It might take time and hard work, but in the end it’s all worth it,” said Honey. “If you work really hard, you can get exactly what you want.”
“Just wanting to win, we had that in our mind every single day.”