Scottsdale's Saguaro High School (10-3) is a definite elite team for the future, but their future is also now, as Head Coach Lucas Ramirez and his coaching staff have worked very hard to build a winning culture for the program. While the program is very young still, the team is off to a very good start to the season, behind strong play from their very young roster, which includes one of the state's top backcourts in 6-foot-1 sophomore guard Pierce Harrington, 6-foot-2 sophomore Nas Haley and 6-foot-6 sophomore Bentley Elrod. This trio of young performers has been very good this season, and Pierce Harrington has been at his best - pouring in terrific numbers on the season.
Over the past two seasons, I’ve had the pleasure of following Pierce Harrington closely, and it’s been nice to see him blossom into one of the top overall guard prospects in Arizona’s 2028 class. Now a 6-foot-1 sophomore, Pierce has elevated his game to a whole new level this season. He’s leading his team with 21.3 points per game, along with 3.7 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.6 steals per contest - proving he’s a do-it-all guard with a competitive edge.
This season, Pierce has had some standout performances, including a huge 32-point outing in a dominant win over Lee Williams High School. He also dropped 28 points in a tough overtime loss to Millard South (NE) during Saguaro's host event last week. In both games I watched last week, Harrington showed serious leadership for his young team, as they almost overcame a 20-point deficit against New Trier High School (IL).
Pierce isn’t doing it alone, though, as fellow sophomore Nas Haley is also having an excellent season - averaging 18.6 points per game himself. The combination of Harrington, Haley and Elrod give Saguaro a terrific future ahead.
While starting the season at 9-0 and now sitting at 10-3, the team has faced some tough out-of-state competition, but is proving to be one of the top teams in the state's 4A Division. The team has another big test coming up against Foothills High School (CA) in this year's loaded Damien Classic on Monday.
Pierce Harrington is a very good shooter of the basketball with serious range, able to make shots from anywhere on the floor and under defensive pressure. He is not only a scorer with a smooth shooting stroke and great range, but he’s also a tough competitor and a winner. He is a slick ball handler that can get to where he wants to on the floor, and also can get his teammates involved. He will only continue to mature in his ability to make his teammates better as he gains more experience. I believe he’s rising to another level even earlier than expected, and he’s going to be a name to watch in Arizona basketball for years to come.
I will continue to follow this Scottsdale Saguaro program closely throughout the high school season, as this will definitely become one of the better teams to watch over the next couple years. Harrington is a big part of the rapid development of the program, and one to definitely pay close attention to throughout the season.
