Arizona's 2014 class of girl's prospects in the state of Arizona has defined itself this high school season a great deal, as many of the top-rated prospects in the class have made significant cases this season for recognition among the state's best. One of the top overall prospects in Arizona's talented junior class is Dobson High School's talented and skilled 5-foot-7 junior guard Tori Lloyd.
Lloyd is among the state's top emerging talents this season and has had a strong junior campaign while helping lead a talented Dobson HS team to a strong record on the season. Dobson has compiled a record this season of 21-6 and ranks among the elite teams in Arizona's Division-I Class - competing in Section-II of the division. Before losing to Hamilton HS last week in the semi-finals of the Division-I, Section-II tournament, and before losing to top-rated Highland HS recently, Dobson had won 12 games in a row on the season.
Dobson will look to advance deep into the state playoffs this post-season, and a big reason will be the play of Lloyd.
Lloyd is a deadly shooting guard prospect that is capable of playing both guard positions on the floor. Her ability to shoot the basketball is terrific, as her shooting stroke is as pure a stroke as there is in the state - capable of making shots from anywhere on the floor and under pressure. With unlimited range on her shot, Lloyd is able to keep defenses on her toes whenever she has the basketball in her hands. She is a fundamentally sound performer and is able to make plays for herself or others off the dribble, as a result of her shoestring handle and excellent court vision.
Lloyd is an exceptional ballhandler that is capable of keeping her defender off balance with her hesitation dribble and quick crossover. She is a very unselfish prospect that enjoys finding her open teammate on the floor, and can be unselfish to a fault at times, as she will often pass up open shots to find a teammate unattended. Her unselfish spirit will suit her well in the future, as she is a legitimate combo-guard that is able to play either guard position effectively on the floor. She is also able to pass the basketball effectively with either hand, and sees plays before they happen at times - a very nice attribute.
I caught up with Lloyd and her family recently, and they advised me that Tori's only true interest or hobby is the sport of basketball, as she is a true gym rat that loves the game of basketball - a value that is indicative of her ability to play the game at such a high level. Three words that were used to describe Lloyd ber her parents and her personal trainer and club coach Kitch Kitchen were passionate, dedicated and focused.
Lloyd advised me that she is currently hearing from numerous college programs already for her services. Such schools as Arizona State, Loyola Marymount, San Diego, Gonzaga, Dartmouth, Eastern Washington and Northern Colorado have all been in contact with Lloyd.
Lloyd also told me that she would prefer to stay on the West Coast for college.
Lloyd is a solid student and carries a 2.8 CUM GPA. She is still undecided as to what she wants to major in college.
Look for Lloyd to make a big splash in our up-and-coming 2014 Girl's Player Rankings later this week, as she has risen to one of the top-rated prospects the state has to offer.
