Last week was a week filled with exciting basketball action for this year's 21st Annual Fear The Hop basketball tournament at Mesa High School, as this event annually represents the start to the boy's high school basketball season. Each participating high school program competes in (4) games throughout the week, which has extreme value for each of the high school programs in competition. The Fear The Hop Tournament was created by basketball people that understand the game, and understand the value of pre-season basketball. The Fear The Hop Tournament really helps teams to prepare themselves for the high school season.
After winning last year's Fear The Hop Tournament, the host, Mesa High School would win back-to-back tournament championships, after a big, but narrow, 57-56 championship win over a tough Chandler High School program, that gave Mesa everything they could handle in the tournament final - a game that truly had no losers.
Mesa HS Head Coach Scott Stansberry and his Mesa staff coached a very young group in this year's tournament, and led these young men to a 4-0 start to the season. Chandler HS Head Coach Jon Rother and his experienced staff have helped to take their program of players to another level in a short period of time, and now are set to have a big season. Both of these two programs are very well coached and I personally applaud both programs for how they manage their teams and players. They both provided for an excellent tournament and a very exciting championship game.
Mesa was led in the tournament championship and throughout the tournament by superb 6-foot-4 freshman guard Kyi Kyi Miles, who was selected as the Tournament Most Valuable Player. Miles was very impressive throughout the tournament in the manner he approached each game. Miles, a mere freshman, was a leader for his team and played very unselfish basketball - finding his open teammates consistently throughout the tournament, and allowing his offensive game to come to him. He made numerous big shots in games, but did it in a manner that helped his teammates blossom as well. Miles proved just how great of a feel for the game that he has, and also showed that he can take over a game offensively when he decides to as well. Miles is a tremendous talent and his performance throughout this event was fun to watch.
Mesa had a very well balanced attack in the event, on both ends of the floor. Coach Stansberry got nice contributions from numerous players, which really paid dividends in the end for the Jackrabbits. 6-foot sophomore guard Daijon Grayson was also impressive in his play throughout the tournament. While Grayson did not score a lot in the championship game, his play throughout the event was strong. Grayson and Miles will make up an electric backcourt all season long, and will be a formidable math-up for any team in the future, as they both mature. Grayson has grown a great deal since last season, and he actually had a nice two-handed dunk on the break in a semi-final tournament win over Valley Christian HS. Grayson is a very difficult guard to defend, as a result of his quickness and ability to get to anywhere he wants to on the floor.
Grayson would be selected as an All-Tournament selection, alongside teammates 6-foot-3 senior John Petersen and 5-foot-11 senior guard Jarren Galarza. Mesa also got excellent production and support from 6-foot-1 sophomore guard Josh Stewart.
Chandler High School was led by the overall versatile play of talented 6-foot-5 do-it-all junior Brandon Stapleton throughout the tournament, and he will have a big junior season in the state. Stapleton has emerged as one of the elite prospects in Arizona's 2026 Class, as a result of his consistent and strong performances this fall and now in the Fear The Hop. Stapleton gave it his all throughout the event, as he scored from all (3) levels, as well as any prospect I have seen do it, and in some time. Stapleton has a nice package of tricks in his bag and he showed them all off throughout the event, as he scored over defenders in the lane, from mid-range and from longer ranges, with a soft touch from the perimeter. Stapleton emerged as a serious Division-I recruiting target in this week's event, and I look forward to seeing much more of him this high school season.
Congratulations to both teams on an awesome championship game and tournament performance, and good luck to both teams this high school season.
