Recruiting Guy

Nettleton guard has Arkansas on her short list

Elauna Eaton of Nettleton plays during a basketball camp at the University of Arkansas. Eaton is one of the state's top uncommitted players in the 2020 class.

ESPN 5-star guard Elauna Eaton has narrowed her list of more than 30 scholarship offers down to five, which includes the University of Arkansas.

Eaton, 6-0 of Nettleton, announced a top five of Arkansas, Ole Miss, LSU, Southern California and North Carolina State on Monday and has plans to officially visit each school.

Eluna Eaton highlights

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"The official visits will be in September," Eaton said. "I don't know if I'll be doing the Arkansas first or last yet, but most of the visits will be in September.

ESPN also rates Eaton the No. 11 guard and No. 46 overall recruit in the nation for the 2020 class. Her talks with Arkansas helped land the Razorbacks on her list.

"I've had great conversations with them," Eaton said. "I understand their vision and understand where they're trying to go with their program. Even though they haven't made the NCAA Tournament every year, they're progressing and every year they're working towards something better. It's a great environment they have there."

Arkansas Coach Mike Neighbors has made a stop at Eaton's school the past two years on the first day of the fall contact period and plans to do the same Sept. 9, the first day coaches can visit prospects.

For the past two years, Neighbors has seen Eaton the yearly maximum seven times which can be visits to the school or for games.

Her communication with Neighbors has focused on the future and how she can impact the program.

"I feel like he's a phenomenal coach," Eaton said. "I've watched a couple of their games. We talked about the future. We talked about what we could do together. He's explained some of the expectations where he wants to go, and he dreams big and he believes. That's what I've always wanted in a coach. Somebody that believes, and if you believe you can get it done."

As a junior, Eaton averaged 16.2 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.6 steals a game while leading the Raiders to a 25-3 record and the second round of the state tournament before falling to state champion Little Rock Christian. She shot 48% from the field, 37% from beyond the three-point line and 74% from the free throw line.

Eaton has visited Arkansas three times since Neighbors' hiring in the spring of 2017. Narrowing her list of 34 scholarship offers to five wasn't easy, she said.

"It was really difficult," said Eaton, who's thinking of announcing her college decision in mid-October. "I talked to my parents. We debated about somethings and the pros and cons about different schools and we came together and that's the five we came up with."

She prides herself in being a good teammate.

"When they're down, I help them up," Eaton said. "Basketball is a team sport. A leader isn't always the best player on the team. A leader is person that makes other people around them better. I feel like I try to make everybody around me better every time I step on the floor. I have positive energy. I love to win."

Email Richard Davenport at rdavenport@arkansasonline.com

Sports on 08/02/2019