Here are our new Fall Player Rankings for girl's basketball senior prospects in the state of Arizona. This class of prospects is very talented – led by some really talented girls prospects in the state.
Leading the way for this class is our top-rated prospect, Millennium High School's gifted 5-foot-7 senior point guard Raina Perez (Northern Arizona commit). Perez made a believer out of everyone in the state of Arizona with her superb play over the past two seasons. Here ability to play the game transcends girls basketball, as she competes with boys as well and holds her own.
Perez had considered waiting to see her college recruitment reach new heights, but after considering her options for college basketball Perez realized that she was happy with an in-state program. Perez recently gave a verbal pledge to Northern Arizona University and women's head coach Sue Darling. Perez chose Northern Arizona over scholarship offers from Grand Canyon, Hawaii, Portland and Texas Tech.
A special talent with the basketball in her hands, Perez is a big-time individual talent with a nose for the basketball, a highly developed feel for the game and an advanced skillset. She is a flat out steal for the Northern Arizona women's basketball program. Perez is an absolute winner and a coach on the floor. A big-time performer.
Checking in at our #2 spot is South Mountain High School's 5-foot-10 senior forward Najiyyah Pack. Pack is as talented and gifted a prospect as there is in the state, regardless of class. Pack put up ridiculous numbers last season - averaging 23.6 points, 8.9 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 4.4 steals per/game. Pack did everything last season for a team that finished 17-12 overall. Pack has very good size as a college prospect and also has very good versatility as a player. She is capable of playing as a 2/3 in college, and will have a huge senior season.
Tucson High School's 5-foot-11 senior combo-forward Alexis Cortez is Tucson's top rated prospect. She is a very talented performer, and is among the state's elite scorers of the basketball - averaging 25.2 points and 5.2 rebounds per/game last season. She scored career highs last season of 40 and 39 points in wins over Notre Dame Prep and Casa Grande HS. Cortez is a tremendous talent and led her high school program to a strong 25-6 overall record last season.
Kingman High School's talented 5-foot-10 senior forward Desirae Gonzalez is an elite-level talent, and a big-time scorer of the basketball. Gonzalez is the state's top returning scorer this high school season after averaging an eye-popping 29.7 points per/game last season. She was terrific overall as a player, and also averaged 10.7 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 4.9 steals per/contest. Gonzalez is one player that could see a rise in our next player rankings, and is worthy of consideration as the state's top overall prospect.
Chaparral HS 5-foot-10 senior guard Kayla Shaw is a very gifted prospect with a nice overall skill level, and Thunderbird HS 5-foot-5 senior guard Ozahria Fisher is a very tough and skilled guard prospect with an excellent ability to make plays for herself and others when she has the basketball in her hands. Both girls prospects will have big senior seasons and lead their teams to strong performances as seniors.
Horizon High School's 6-foot-4 senior post Katie Grant (Quinnipiac University commit) is one of the top overall prospects in Arizona's 2016 class, and also one of my favorite prospects in the class. Very few post players in the state of Arizona or in the West, for that matter, have the size and potential of Grant. I expect Grant to only continue to improve over time, and she could make a jump in our next player rankings.
Mountain Pointe HS 5-foot-10 senior forward Tilasha Oakey is a high-energy wing prospect that is capable of scoring in bunches. Oakey has the ability to become instant offense over time. She has an excellent knack already for scoring the basketball, and is able to score the basketball off the dribble on drives to the basket or from the perimeter where she possesses a good shooting stroke with a quick release. She is a very nice talent that has the ability to develop nicely over time - with continued development as a player.
Here are our Fall Player Rankings for the girl’s 2016 class in Arizona. While we have not seen everyone among the class in the state, these individuals have proven to be the best at this point in time.
Arizona Preps 2016 Class Girls Fall Player Rankings (In Ranking Order)
1. Raina Perez 5-5 SR PG Millennium HS (Goodyear, AZ) - Committed to Northern Arizona
2. Najiyyah Pack 5-10 SR SG South Mountain HS (Phoenix, AZ)
3. Alexis Cortez 5-11 SR SF/PF Tucson HS (Tucson, AZ)
4. Desirae Gonzalez 5-10 SR SF Kingman HS (Kingman, AZ)
5. Kayla Shaw 5-10 SR SG Chaparral HS (Scottsdale, AZ)
6. Ozahria Fisher 5-5 SR PG Thunderbird HS (Phoenix, AZ)
7. Katie Grant 6-4 SR C Horizon HS (Scottsdale, AZ) - Committed to Quinnipiac University
8. Tilasha Okey 5-10 SR SG/SF Mountain Pointe HS
9. Brianna Lehew 6-1 JR C Thunderbird HS (Phoenix, AZ)
10. Carley Turnbull 5-11 SR SF Mesa HS (Mesa, AZ)
11. Jordenn Reibel 5-7 SR PG Valley Vista HS (Surprise, AZ)
12. Alexis Contraras 5-9 SR SF Millennium HS (Goodyear, AZ)
13. Danae Ruiz 5-5 SR PG Maricopa HS (Maricopa, AZ)
14. Seneca Richards 5-11 SR SF Red Mountain HS (Mesa, AZ)
15. Cerena Reeves 5-8 SR SG Valley Vista HS (Surprise, AZ)
16. Sydney Harden 5-11 SR PF Sahuaro HS (Tucson, AZ)
17. Vanessa Murphy 6-2 SR C Xavier HS (Phoenix, AZ)
18. Christine Ortega 5-10 SR PF Flowing Wells HS (Tucson, AZ)
19. Elis Ozgur 6-1 SR C Valley Vista HS (Surprise, AZ)
20. Ashley Dempsey 5-8 SR PF Page HS (Page, AZ)
21. Makenna Merrell 5-7 SR SG Duncan HS (Duncan, AZ)
22. Mariah Leary 5-7 SR SG Phoenix Christian HS (Phoenix, AZ)
23. Leah Goodman 5-2 SR PG Horizon HS (Scottsdale, AZ)
24. Emily Miller SR Tri-City Christian Academy (Chandler, AZ)
25. Merceidez Fabok SR Mogollon HS (Heber, AZ)
Best of the Rest
Lexy Ram 5-11 SR Ironwood Ridge HS (Tucson, AZ); Czarina Lorta SR Nogales HS (Nogales, AZ); Mariah Kozie SR San Carlos HS (San Carlos, AZ); Damareece Camarena 5-10 SR Safford HS; Brooke Caragata 5-6 SR Cibola HS (Yuma, AZ); Britt Lopez 5-3 SR Copper Canyon HS (Glendale, AZ); Josselyn Morris 5-9 SR Yuma Catholic HS (Yuma, AZ); Hailey Goley 5-4 SR Tanque Verde HS (Tucson, AZ); Alexia Martinez 5-5 SR Glendale Prep Academy (Glendale, AZ); Cassidy Curtner SR Gilbert Christian Academy (Gilbert, AZ); Arissa Paulson SR Payson HS (Payson, AZ); Erica Baldenegro 5-5 SR Cibola HS (Yuma, AZ); Addie Buzas 5-10 SR Chaparral HS (Scottsdale, AZ); Nizhoni Whitehorse SR Monument Valley HS (Kayenta, AZ); Callie Thygerson SR Pima HS (Pima, AZ); Amber Rollins 5-8 SR Saguaro HS (Scottsdale, AZ); Sydeny Kilburg SR Desert Mountain HS; Sky McGee 5-9 SR Phoenix Country Day HS (Paradise Valley, AZ); Mya Timms SR Sunnyslope HS; Sierra Mattos SR Santa Rita HS (Tucson, AZ); Jazmine Covington 5-8 SR Thunderbird HS; Galy Saenz 5-6 SR Mayer HS (Mayer, AZ); Jenae Lewallen 5-8 SR Liberty HS (Peoria, AZ); Taylor Usry 5-9 SR Desert Christian HS (Tucson, AZ); Toni Davis 5-7 SR Desert Vista HS (Phoenix, AZ); Walia Smith 5-9 SR Round Valley HS (Eager, AZ); Makayla Filiere 5-11 SR Hamilton HS; Ciera Walker 5-11 SR Casa Grande HS (Casa Grande, AZ); Ciera Walker 5-7 SR St. Michael HS (St. Michaels, AZ); Savannah Willis 5-6 SR Ray HS (Kearney, AZ); Rachel Cummings 5-4 SR Tombstone HS (Tombstone, AZ)
Fall Player Ranking Notes: Our player rankings have been determined by a body of work from each student-athlete. Each player’s body of work consisted of performances throughout the high school season, and also performances throughout the spring, summer and fall seasons. A top performance throughout the high school season impacts a player’s ranking a great deal. A student-athlete’s performance throughout the fall, spring and summer will have an even bigger impact, since our staff is able to observe Arizona players in competition against much better local, regional and national competition. The complete body of work has been taken into consideration for each of our player rankings. Player rankings are based on a particular student-athlete’s ability to play the game of basketball – not academic performance, although a player can help him or herself if he/she is an excellent student. Rankings are done to help aid college coaches in their ability to identify the top student-athletes by position and class in the state. These rankings are forwarded to college coaches at every level throughout the country. Rankings will be updated throughout the year.
