The 16th Annual Arizona Preps Fall Showcase was held this weekend in exciting fashion, as much of the state’s best basketball talent came together at Sandra Day O’Connor High School. Our staff would first of all like to thank the school staff and head coach Matt King for his hospitality for this year’s event! The staff and everyone involved were more than gracious.
While there were not many girls in this year's event in comparison to the boys, there was however some quality, as Millennium High School’s terrific 5-foot-7 junior guard Raina Perez made the game look quite easy on Saturday - scoring and doing what she wanted, when she wanted against the tournament competition. Perez was a force in the event and proved why she is regarded as the state's best player right now.
Perez is a floor general with a superb feel for the game – capable of making players around her better. She sees plays develop before they happen on the floor and is quite capable of making a play for herself or others at any time in the game or during a possession. She has excellent range and a quick release on her shot, and is able to finish plays in traffic against bigger defenders. Perez is a capable lock-down defender as well, as a result of her lateral quickness and quick hands. She has very good on the court anticipation, allowing her to beat offensive players to the spot on the floor. With continued focus in this area of her game, Perez could definitely be a lock-down defender at the collegiate level. What is most exciting about Perez is that she has already achieved many honors, and she is still a mere junior prospect. Over the next two years of high school basketball in the state, it could become very interesting for this special young prospect, as she begins to garner serious college recruitment from the highest level.
Perez made a believer out of everyone this high school season, whether within the state of Arizona or not – scouts and media included. Perez’ ability to play the game of basketball at a high level has caught the attention of many people in the basketball community, and has placed her name in the minds of basketball enthusiasts as an elite level prospect among the 2016 class. While Perez has yet to receive a national player ranking, it will soon come for this budding young prospect.
The 2013-2014 high school basketball season was a special season for Perez, as she did almost everything for the Millennium High School basketball program – leading the program to a strong 27-4 overall record on the season. As a mere sophomore, Perez would earn First-Team All-State honors by the Arizona Republic.
Congratulations from our Arizona Preps staff to Raina on an amazing career thus far, and continued success.
