As we now prepare for another exciting season of high school basketball in the state of Arizona, let’s take a look at some of the top teams and players to watch for this high school season. We have talked about the dominance that Valley Christian High School and Head Coach Greg Haagsma have had for many years, as I have marveled at the overall success of the Valley Christian program for a long time. Haagsma is a legend in the state and his heroics on the sideline for Valley Christian annually has been epic, as he has built a powerhouse…
Author: Anthony Ray
The wait is finally over for one of the top overall girls prospects in America’s 2023 Class, as many prospects around the country are giving their commitments to the respective college programs of their choices. Mountain Ridge High School’s super athletic 6-foot-1 senior forward Miyah Verse is one of the top overall 2023 prospects in the country, and is our #2 overall girls prospect in the state’s 2023 Class. After a long recruiting process for herself, where college programs looked to position themselves with her in her college recruitment, Verse has now made her college decision – announcing her decision…
It was a big weekend for AZ Compass Prep’s 6-foot-9, 200-pound senior forward Zayden High, as he helped lead his terrific AZ Compass Prep program to a runner-up finish in the GEICO Top Flight Division for the Border League event in Las Vegas, Nevada. AZ Compass Prep would come up just short to winning the championship of the event, falling in overtime to #1 nationally ranked Montverde Academy (FL), who played as the Florida Eagles in the event. The game was the most exciting game of the year, from my standpoint, as AZ Compass had the game won, but fell…
This weekend was a big weekend for former St. Mary’s High School standout performer Garrison Phelps. After I recently stated that the ultra-athletic prospect was on the rise in my last write up regarding Phelps, he certainly is and has been, as now the 6-foot-7 prep prospect has decided to pull the trigger on his college recruitment during the fall, early NCAA signing period – giving a verbal pledge over the weekend to Utah State University and their coaching staff. Phelps attended Link Year Preparatory School (MO) this season for a post-graduate year, after graduating from St. Mary’s High School…
There are numerous sleeper prospects in the state for college programs at different levels to take a hard look at this season. One prospect that smaller college programs need to take notice of is Rancho Solano Prep’s 6-foot-6, 230-pound senior post Royce Ramos. Ramos is a very productive post player that has gotten a lot done over his last two high school seasons, but is ready for his best season of all, as he will lead his program back to the top of the 2A Standings, after coming up just short of a 2A State Championship last season. Rancho Solano…
Northern Arizona Head Coach Shane Burcar is a product of Arizona high school basketball. So it is only fitting that he and his staff have done an excellent job in reeling in some of the state’s top overall talent over the past two years. Now the Lumberjacks have received another big commitment – their biggest commitment to date from the state, as they have received a nice verbal commitment from one of the state’s top overall prospects – Brophy Prep 6-foot-7 senior guard/forward Arman Madi. Madi made his announcement on Monday on social media , which was a nice surprise…
St. Mary’s High School has lost some players to transfer over the past few years, so this year’s team will look a little different than years past, as Head Coach Damin Lopez will institute a much faster playing style than year’s past. Led by the superb play of star 6-foot-2 junior point guard Styles Phipps, the Knights will be a high scoring group of performers this high school season. Phipps and his teammates showed just how fast and exciting they will be this season, in this year’s Arizona Preps Fall Showcase, as they defeated a talented Eduprize Prep team in…
Now that we have completed both of our events for this year’s 24th Annual Arizona Preps Fall Showcase, for boys and girls teams in the state, we will now select this year’s Showcase Most Valuable Players for both events. While both events are team events and showcase some of the best teams in the state, we like to and have always selected a Most Valuable Player award at the completion of each event. This year’s Most Valuable Player selection for the Arizona Preps Boys Fall Showcase is Eduprize Prep’s talented 6-foot-8 senior wing Jahki Gupton. Eduprize Prep is very talented again this season, and are…
Now that we have completed both of our events for this year’s 24th Annual Arizona Preps Fall Showcase, for boys and girls teams in the state, we will now select this year’s Showcase Most Valuable Players for both events. While both events are team events and showcase some of the best teams in the state, we like to and have always selected a Most Valuable Player award at the completion of each event. This year’s Most Valuable Player selection for the Arizona Preps Girls Fall Showcase is Desert Vista High School’s gifted freshman rising superstar prospect Jerzy Robinson. Desert Vista…
In case you missed our “Commitment Party” for Southern Arizona Prep’s 6-foot-7 senior post Achol Magot @ this year’s Arizona Preps Girls Fall Showcase, it was an exciting and congratulatory event, as Magot made her college selection – electing to give a verbal commitment to Texas Tech University and their coaching staff. Magot made her decision for Texas Tech over offers from San Jose State and McNeese State. Texas Tech was the first program to offer the developing post player – a nice high-major offer while she did not have any. It was almost frustrating that a prospect with Magot’s…