When I began scouting players in the state of Arizona in 1995, the state was almost void of any exposure opportunities for Arizona’s top talent, and there simply were not as many top-rated players to scout, although there were many good ones. I began covering Arizona’s top talent in an attempt to help establish and also improve the overall basketball culture in the state. Through the development of my scouting service, the Arizona Hoop Review, the Arizona Preps platform and also organizing and operating events, such as the Arizona Preps Fall Showcase, I worked to develop our basketball culture in…
Author: Anthony Ray
The wait has ended for St. Mary’s High School’s talented 6-foot-2 senior guard Styles Phipps. After a recent official recruiting visit to hometown Grand Canyon University, the visit was enough to reel in a commitment from Phipps for the Antelopes and Head Coach Bryce Drew and his staff. Phipps announced his commitment on Monday afternoon on social media to GCU, as he will be staying home for college. Grand Canyon University has done an excellent job, since Bryce Drew and his staff took over, at landing some of Arizona’s top-rated local talent. GCU landed Noah Amenhauser from Estrella Foothills HS…
The exciting annual Pangos All-West Frosh Soph Camp took place this weekend, Saturday and Sunday @ McBride High School in Long Beach, CA. This event featured many of the top prospects in the West for the 2026 and 2027 classes. The event featured more than (200) individual prospects in this weekend’s camp, which was attended by many of the top regional and national basketball scouts and media in the business and organized by top-rated elite national scout Dinos Trigonis. There were numerous Arizona prospects in attendance, but prospects from two Arizona-based programs dominated the competition this weekend, as many young…
The exciting AZ Compass Prep Fall League will continue and finish up this week on the campus of AZ Compass Prep in Chandler, Arizona. The league has been filled with exciting and competitive basketball action and will conclude this week with playoffs on Monday evening, and then the semi-finals and championship game on Wednesday evening. Arizona Preps will be on hand for both nights, to bring you our overall team winners and top individual performers from the event on our social media outlets and the Arizona Preps website. Here is the update to this week’s exciting playoff game schedule for…
It was not too long ago that I spoke consistently about the promise of former St. Mary’s High School basketball prospect Jeremiah “Bear” Cherry, a 2022 high school graduate for the Knights. After a strong high school career for the Knights and then having to go the junior college route for college, Cherry has now taken his body and game to completely another level, and now Division-I college programs are in hot pursuit of the gifted post prospect. The 6-foot-11 sophomore post Cherry is now entering his sophomore season for New Mexico Junior College, and has seen his college recruitment…
PHH Prep has been one of the top up-and-coming prep programs in the West for some time now, since entering the prep school ranks years ago. After years of showcasing some of Arizona’s top talent on their annual roster and producing many Division-I athletes for college programs, this year will look much different for the program in many ways, as the program has taken a major leap and will participate in the Overtime Elite basketball league this season, where they will face some of the nation’s top overall professional basketball prospects in a season format. As a result, PHH Prep…
Sunnyslope High School’s skilled and sharp-shooting 6-foot sophomore guard John Mattingly made an impact during his freshman season – helping lead the Vikings to a nice runner-up finish for the Open Division State Championship last season. Mattingly is set to have a strong sophomore season, alongside a loaded group of prospects for the Vikings this season. Mattingly, like several of his teammates, are receiving loads of college interest as of late, and now Mattingly has received his first Division-I offer for himself. Mattingly has received an offer from Northern Arizona University, as Head Coach Shane Burcar and his coaching staff…
Sunnyslope High School’s 6-foot-7, 185-pound senior forward Jai Anthoni Bearden has found his college fit, after seeing his college recruitment begin to take shape this summer. Bearden received several offers for himself, but has decided on a college program early in the recruiting process, giving a verbal commitment to Ball State University this weekend, and making the announcement on social media on Monday. Bearden gave a commitment to Ball State Head Coach Michael Lewis and his men’s basketball staff, choosing Ball State over other offers from Valparaiso and Portland State. Bearden had a strong spring and summer performance while playing…
One of the top prospects in Arizona’s 2024 Class has trimmed down his recruiting list of schools down to five programs. Dream City Christian Prep’s promising 7-foot, 215-pound senior post Emmanuel Stephen has been on the rise after a strong performance this spring and summer, and now he is looking to make a college decision. Stephen has received offers from a nice list of Division-I programs for himself, and now will make his college decision between (5) different high-major programs. Stephen is coming off a strong spring performance for himself on the club circuit, while traveling with the Paul George Elite…
With the fall recruiting period upon us, and many of the nation’s top prospects in the 2024 Class taking official recruiting visits, senior prospects are beginning to see their college recruitment begin to take shape. Notre Dame Prep’s strong and athletic 6-foot-4, 195-pound senior guard Anthony Batson has impressed me with his play and explosiveness for some time now. After having a strong spring and summer for himself, and seeing his college recruitment begin to soar, Batson has decided to give an early verbal commitment to a program in the American Conference. This week Batson announced on social media that he…