Arizona basketball is loaded with top-rated national boys prospects in the state, and continues to progress with the blossoming of Arizona prep schools, and while many top-rated prospects continue to land in the state to play at these prep schools, some of the prospects already in the fold are changing programs. While it does not happen often, for former Hillcrest Prep 6-foot-6, 180-pound senior wing Chance Westry, this is the case. After giving a recent big verbal commitment last weekend to the University of Auburn, Westry made his decision for college, and also decided to change prep programs before the start to the prep season - now landing at #1 pre-season ranked AZ Compass Prep for the 2021-2022 prep season and making AZ Compass an even stronger and more dominant program for the season.
Westry is currently rated among the nation's elite overall prospects in America's 2022 Class, currently being ranked as the #32 overall prospect in the 2022 Class by ESPN. Westry, who was a standout performer for one of the nation's elite programs, Sierra Canyon High School (CA), recently decided to leave Sierra Canyon (personal reasons) and landed at Hillcrest Prep in the valley. Hillcrest is widely recognized as one of the elite prep programs in America, and will be absolutely loaded with talent this prep season. Westry was a major bright spot for the program, but after a major disagreement between Westry and his family and the Hillcrest coaching staff, Westry decided to leave the program this weekend and pack his bags - joining the already recognized #1 rated team in America, AZ Compass Prep.
I caught up with Hillcrest Prep Program Director Nick Weaver regarding Westry's decision to leave the program, and, of course, he was not happy, but advised me that their program would be announcing two more Top 50 additions to the program in the next week, and that their program would be fine with Westry's departure.
For AZ Compass Prep, the rich will get richer, as their program recently received a #1 pre-season national ranking by Max Preps - a tremendous accomplishment by an Arizona prep program. AZ Compass is actually an high school and will look to compete again for the GEICO National Championship. While the program competes on a national schedule against other top-rated prep schools, AZ Compass is a charter school and an actual high school program, although there was a lot of confusion in year's past when the program began their national competition.
Westry gave a big verbal commitment to Head Coach Bruce Pearl and the University of Auburn this weekend, and still has some academics to complete to clear the NCAA Clearninghouse, but he will join an already loaded roster of elite college prospects that features numerous high-major Division-I talents - making the AZ Compass roster even deeper and more talented than ever before.
Westry played for AZ Compass on Monday evening in their first exhibition game of the season, a route of sister prep program Skyline Prep. Westry was electric in his performance - proving why he is considered a Top 50 national prospect. He will provide athleticism, versatility and more star power for an already elite roster that is the clear favorite to win a National Championship this season.
