Prep athletic facilities statewide are locked for the next two due to the Arkansas Activities Association dead period, but there is still plenty of basketball news to discuss from Monday.
Be sure to follow Natural State Sports on Facebook and Twitter (X) for all of the latest headlines statewide.
Pocahontas Hired Missouri Hall of Famer
Pocahontas crossed the border to find its next boys basketball head coach and landed Chris Pilz, a 2022 inductee of the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame. This comes after Pilz retired from Waynesville (Mo.) High School on May 20, where he coached the Tigers for the past 13 seasons.
The hire was initially reported earlier this month.
“I put a lot of thought into it,” Pilz told Phelps County Focus in an interview. “I loved my time here. The people here are great to work with, and the players are hard workers. The administration was great and the support was solid.”
Pilz has compiled a combined career record of 429-378 in the prep and collegiate ranks. He is 343-264 in high school – 168-172 at Waynesville – and also served stints at Missouri-based Salem High, Senath-Hornersville and Hazelwood Central during his career that spans over three decades.
Waynesville struggled to a 11-17 overall record in Pilz’s final season last spring and he will have another uphill climb at Pocahontas, inheriting a squad that is coming off of a 4-18 campaign.
Pea Ridge Selects Parker to Lead Boys Basketball
Pea Ridge announced on Monday evening that former college coach J.D. Parker will succeed Trent Loyd, who left last week to take the head coaching position at Bentonville West.
“Thankful and ready to get to work!,” Parker mentioned in a post via Twitter (X).
Parker was Greenbrier’s top assistant under Mike Simmons for the past two seasons and has led programs at the next level including Ecclesia College, Blue Mountain (Miss.) Christian University (formerly Blue Mountain College), along with Wynne in the prep ranks.
Four-star Prospects Lanier, Muldrew headed to prep school
Two of the state’s premier basketball prospects are going out of state to continue their high school careers.
2025 guard Courtland Muldrew is moving to the East Coast to attend Oak Hill (Va.) Academy, where the likes of Kevin Durant and Carmelo Anthony once starred. Muldrew is ranked as high as No. 100 overall in his class per 247Sports, third in Arkansas, and averaged 24 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists as a junior for Springdale Har-Ber after transferring in from arch rival Springdale. Muldrew’s offers include Arkansas Pine-Bluff, LSU, Missouri – Kansas City, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, SMU and Wichita State.
2026 prospect Jacob Lanier is going the opposite direction of Muldrew after playing for Maumelle the past two seasons. The 6-6 guard will enroll at AZ Compass Prep, which is in Chandler, Arizona. Lanier put on a show earlier this month in the Pangos All-American Camp Top 30 All-Star game, earning MVP honors. Lanier is ranked as high as 33rd overall in his class per ESPN, and second overall in Arkansas. Lanier has reported offers from Arkansas, Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Cal, Creighton, Kansas State, Ole Miss, SMU, TCU and Texas Tech.
Kyle Sutherland is a journalist and podcast host (Arkansas Preps Weekly) for The Natural State Sports Network. His written work has been featured in outlets including the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Best of Arkansas Sports and Hooten’s Arkansas Football. He is also the color commentator for 103.7 The Buzz’s high school football Game of the Week. Email Kyle at kyle@naturalstatesports.com.