With numerous unsigned prospects in Arizona’s 2026 Class now looking to make decisions on college programs for next season, and with the looming NCAA Transfer Portal making it difficult for high school prospects to get any opportunity for recruitment, Dream City Christian Prep’s promising 6-foot-11 senior Atuka Bakhtadze has found a Division-I college home. Bakhtadze announced this week that he has decided to give a verbal commitment to University of Missouri Kansas City (UMKC) and new Head Coach Mark Turgeon and his staff. Bakhtadze was among the elite prospects available this spring in Arizona’s 2026 Class, making his commitment a significant…
Author: Anthony Ray
There are moments in a lifetime when you can step back, look at everything you’ve poured your heart into, and finally say we did it. For me, that moment is now. For more than (30) years, since 1995, I have dedicated my life to scouting and covering basketball in the state of Arizona. I have traveled countless miles, sat in empty gyms, watched unknown prospects chase dreams, and worked tirelessly to help build something that, at the time, many believed was impossible – a basketball culture in Arizona that could stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the very best in the country. When…
In a season defined by national exposure, rising expectations and the continued emergence of Arizona as a true basketball hot-bed, no player or college prospect made a louder statement on the biggest stage than CIA Bella Vista Prep’s star 6-foot senior point guard Miles Sadler (West Virginia signee). Last weekend, Sadler put the finishing touches on a remarkable prep school career – leading CIA Bella Vista Prep to an amazing National Championship victory at the prestigious Chipotle Nationals, televised live on ESPN. In a thrilling championship matchup against nationally acclaimed Montverde Academy (FL), Sadler rose to the occasion – delivering…
Pima Community College 6-foot-7 sophomore standout Mason Hunt is coming off a tremendous sophomore campaign, and now his college recruitment has heated up. Hunt firmly established himself as one of the top overall performers in the Arizona Community College Athletic Conference (ACCAC) over the past two seasons, while helping lead one of the most dominant programs in the country. As a result of his strong play this season and his performance in the recent Division-II National Tournament, Hunt has seen numerous Division-I college programs extend offers to him. Hunt will soon have a big decision to make for himself. Over…
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Phoenix, AZ — SSS Academies / Fire-n-Ice Arena proudly announces the hiring of George “GC3” Courtney III as its new Director of Basketball Operations, bringing one of the West Coast’s most respected basketball minds into a key leadership role. Courtney has built a strong reputation nationally as a premier basketball scout and evaluator. His detailed player evaluations and event coverage have been widely utilized and respected by college coaches and national scouting services across multiple platforms, including Arizona Preps, GC3 Hoops Magazine, Nothin But Net Magazine, Prep Girls Hoops, and Prep Hoops. In addition to his scouting expertise, Courtney has played an instrumental role in the…
We now turn our attention and focus to the recruitment of Arizona’s top available prospects still remaining uncommitted to college programs. While the state of Arizona had a record number of commitments and signings this fall, there are also many prospects still available among the senior class that are still looking for college homes. Leading this list of available high school prospects in the 2026 Class is Sandra Day O’Connor High School’s talented and versatile 6-foot-7, 205-pound senior guard Colton Watson. Watson is a very skilled guard prospect with excellent size and a high basketball IQ, and has intriguing athleticism…
We now turn our attention and focus to the recruitment of Arizona’s top available prospects still remaining uncommitted to college programs. While the state of Arizona had a record number of commitments and signings this fall, there are also many prospects still available among the senior class that are still looking for college homes. Leading this list of available high school prospects in the 2026 Class is Basha High School’s very athletic and versatile 6-foot-4 senior Desean Middlebrook. Middlebrook is a superb athletic talent with an excellent motor that has excellent upside and potential for the future. With his best…
Few players in Arizona high school basketball have left the kind of impact that Basha High School’s 6-foot senior guard Mason Magee (University of San Francisco signee) has during his career. A dynamic senior guard and one of the elite guard prospects in America’s 2026 class, Magee recently wrapped up a remarkable high school career that will long be remembered in the state of Arizona. This fall, Magee will continue his basketball journey at the University of San Francisco, where his skill, athleticism, and leadership are expected to help him make an immediate impact. As he prepares to graduate this…
The Arizona Community College Athletic Conference (ACCAC) was on full display this weekend, as both Pima Community College and Cochise College both captured major postseason victories, and now find themselves on the doorstep of national tournament play. For Pima, the victory was historic as the Aztecs captured their third consecutive NJCAA Region-I Division-II Championship on Saturday with an emphatic 74–49 victory over Scottsdale Community College, completing a remarkable 32-0 perfect season. With the win, Pima secured both the Region I and West District titles, earning an automatic berth into the NJCAA Division-II National Championship, which will be held March 16–21…
The 2025-2026 Arizona high school basketball season came to a dramatic conclusion Saturday night at Veterans Memorial Coliseum, as the nation’s #5 nationally ranked and #1 seeded Sunnyslope High School (28-2) captured the 2026 AIA Open Division State Championship with a hard-fought victory over St. Mary’s High School, 60-51. In a matchup featuring two of the state’s premier programs, Sunnyslope ultimately emerged victorious after a highly competitive championship battle that showcased the very best of Arizona high school basketball. The game capped a remarkable season and one of the most competitive Open Division tournaments in recent memory. Sunnyslope began their…