Cortez High School (12-6) has had some very successful seasons as of late, and now as a member of the state’s Division-III Class, this year’s team looks prepared to make some noise when it counts again. A big reason for Cortez’ hopes of winning a state championship this season relies heavily on the shoulders of talented 5-foot-10 senior guard Alfredo Jiminez (pictured) and their new coaching staff. Jiminez has been a handful this high school season – averaging close to 26 points per/game on the season. He has had numerous strong performances this season, and has his team in the…
Author: Anthony Ray
It has been a terrific season for Tri-City Christian High School, as they have gone undefeated this high school season – in hopes for a state title amongst charter schools. Tri-City Christian’s only competition this season has been Skyline Prep, and the two teams understand that, to win it all, each will have to defeat the other en route to the championship. Tri-City Christian is definitely the favorite after first defeating Skyline Prep at home earlier this season, and then doing it again on Saturday evening at South Mountain Junior College. In front of another standing-room only crowd, Tri-City Christian…
South Mountain Junior College is making a nice run at the right time of the season, after winning their last 3 games in a row. Currently South Mountain ranks fifth in the conference, and second among division-II junior colleges in the ACCAC. A big reason for the success of South Mountain has been the play of a trio of players – 6-foot sophomore guard Jackson Price, 6-foot-4 freshman forward Terrence Johnson and 6-foot-9 sophomore post Connor MacDougall (University of New Mexico signee). MacDougall, Johnson and Price each rank among the top overall performers in the ACCAC this season, as all…
Phoenix College 6-foot-5 sophomore guard/forward Russ Davis was instrumental last season in helping his program win their 3rd consecutive Region-I Division-II title. Alongside former star guard Brandon Brown (Loyola Marymount) last season, Davis would flourish, as both helped lead the team to tremendous success. This season, without the services of Brown breaking down defenses, Davis has played a different role and has seen his individual production slip. As a result, Davis has not been recruited as hard as maybe he had thought he would, and definitely not as well as I had envisioned for the sharp-shooting prospect. Davis is a…
The 2015-2016 junior college basketball season in the Arizona Community College Athletic Conference (ACCAC) is now in full swing. Here are this week’s Players of the Week in men’s basketball in the conference . . . ACCAC D-I Player of the Week: Jarran Lands, Eastern Arizona Lands averaged 19 points and 8 rebounds per contest for Eastern Arizona this past week. Lands led the Gila Monsters with a 21-point, 9-rebound performance in their win over Cochise College – shooting 50% from the field and 88% from the free throw line. ACCAC D-II Player of the Week: Greg Minor, Scottsdale Greg Minor led Scottsdale…
The 2015-2016 junior college basketball season in the Arizona Community College Athletic Conference (ACCAC) is now in full swing. Here are this week’s Players of the Week in women’s basketball in the conference . . . ACCAC D-I Player of the Week: Brijanee Moore – Central Arizona Brijanee Moore averaged 22 points, 5 rebounds and 8 assists in wins over Eastern Arizona JC and South Mountain JC last week. She also had 7 steals in the two victories by Central Arizona. ACCAC D-II Player of the Week: Taylor Blue – Pima Former Peoria HS graduate Taylor Blue had double-doubles in wins over Tohono and…
Sunnyslope High School (21-4) has been on an absolute tear this high school season, and has been one of the state’s best and most surprising teams this season. Led by head coach Ray Portela and his very experienced staff of coaches, the Vikings have had numerous big wins this season and are preparing themselves for a strong finish in the state playoffs. On Tuesday evening, Sunnyslope would host a very talented Mountain Ridge HS team in an exciting match-up. Mountain Ridge (17-6) is absolutey loaded with talent – possessing as much or more individual athletic talent than any other team…
Apollo High School (21-3) has been on a tear since a loss to Mesa High School in the Mountain View High School Basketball Invitational – winning their last 10 games in a row on the season. The loss to Mesa High School came when Apollo was without several of their top players, due to disciplinary reasons. Now back to full strength, this team has cruised throughout the season. As the team now focuses on the Division-II state playoffs, and an eventual match-up with division favorite Shadow Mountain HS, the Hawks would host rival Greenway HS on Friday evening. It was…
As the former AAU/club coach for current 2016 NBA All-Star selection, 5-foot-9 point guard Isaiah Thomas of the Boston Celtics, myself and our entire Arizona Preps’ staff would like to congratulate our friend on his recent selection to the 2016 NBA East All-Star Team. After being selected as the last pick of the NBA draft, this young man worked tirelessly to work his way to one of the game’s biggests individual honors. I can remember like it was just yesterday, but it was during the spring of 2006 when Isaiah would send me an email, stating that he would like…
One unsigned 2016 prospect that has really caught my attention this high school season is Dobson High School’s talented 6-foot, 165-pound senior guard Kendrick Williams (pictured left). An unheralded guard prospect, Williams has led his Dobson team to a nice 15-5 overall record this season, and is soaring under the recruiting radar. Every year there are numerous Arizona prospects that go well underrecruited and fly well below the recruiting radar. This season, Williams is one of those prospects that is worthy of serious recruiting attention. I first discovered Williams in our recent Arizona Preps Fall Showcase at Glendale Community…