Day one of this year's exciting Southwest Showcase Main Event actually began on Friday evening, but since there were only a couple of games taking place on the evening, we will call Saturday's full day of action day one of this year's event. Organized by Tournament Director Ron Coleman, this year's Main Event has become the kick-off for the club season in the state of Arizona - filled with hundreds of teams for boys and girls at every age group.
This year's event seems to be the best ever, as the excitement filled the air before and during the tournament by basketball enthusiasts in the state - looking to catch a glimpse of the state's top club programs and players in competition with one another.
I was able to catch a lot of the girl's action on the day, as I spent more than 10 hours in the gym on Saturday - a very long day of basketball. As a result, here are the top individual girls performers that I saw perform on the day . . .
Raina Perez 5-7 Sophomore Millennium High School - 2016 Class
- Raina Perez (pictured) is coming off a big sophomore season at Millennium HS where she was regarded as good a prospect as there is in the state - earning herself First-Team All-State honors from the Arizona Republic, and also was selected as an All-Arizona selection from our staff here at Arizona Preps. Perez is a high-energy and versatile point guard prospect that is capable of doing almost anything she wants on the floor, and also getting to anywhere she wants to on the floor. She has an exceptional handle of the basketball and makes plays for herself and others at a high rate. Perez is a problem on the basketball court for opposing players and teams, and has a terrific future ahead of her as a college prospect.
Kristine Anigwe 6-4 Junior Desert Vista High School - 2016 Class (Cal commit)
- Anigwe is the most dominant force in the state, as a result of her size and length. No one in the state can match up with her physically, which makes her an absolute force in local events. After a strong junior season where she was regarded as good a prospect as there was in the state, this spring and summer will be huge for Anigwe as she looks to gain much more national recognition and competes against the best post players in the country. I really feel that her national ranking should be much higher, so her performance from here out will be vital in making her case among national scouts and media. Anigwe runs the floor and scores effectively around the basket with a series of jump hooks and moves toward the basket. As she continues to develop her ability to score effectively from mid-range and also stay out of foul trouble, she will raise her stock as a player for the collegiate level.
Kiara Edwards 6-3 Freshman Valley Vista High School - 2017 Class
- Edwards is the top freshman prospect in the state and is an absolute load for opposing prospects to handle in the paint. She has a very high skill level for his youth and is able to score inside and out. Edwards has a very well developed understanding already of how to use her big body to gain excellent inside position, where she is able to make plays for herself. A very unselfish post prospect as well, Edwards does an excellent job of finding the open player on the floor when she collects the basketball in the post. She has good low-post footwork and can score either with her back to the basket, or while facing the basket out to 15 feet. A terrific young prospect that will see the highest level of college recruitment over time.
Sabrina Haines 5-10 Junior Desert Vista High School - 2015 Class
- Haines is a do-it-all and versatile guard prospect that helps teams win with her ability to defend the opposing team's best player, while also putting pressure on opposing defenses with her ability to attack the basket and score from the perimeter. She is a complete guard prospect that has excellent value to her team. Her toughness as a player does not show up in the stat sheet, but she is a winner and is a valuable asset to any team she plays for. Haines is regarded among the elite prospects in Arizona's 2015 class, but she is worthy of a much higher national ranking and should be considered among the nation's top 100 prospects for the 2015 class. This spring and summer will be big for her campaign among high-major college programs.
Armani Hawkins 6-0 Junior Mesa Mountain View High School - 2015 Class (Arizona State commit)
- Hawkins is the highest ranked player in the state of Arizona - regardless of class. She is a big-time talent with a variety of skillsets, making her a very attractive talent for college coaches. Unfortunately for college coaches, Hawkins gave an early verbal commitment this fall to the Arizona State Sun Devils. While already committed, Hawkins is focusing this club season on simply improving her overall skills and competing at a high level against the nation's top talent. Hawkins is a versatile guard prospect with a nice handle of the basketball and an ability to score the basketball amidst defensive pressure. After a junior season where she suffered an injury for much of the season, Hawkins is looking forward to having a big club season for herself. A gifted prospect with a bright future ahead of her and a terrific attitude and personality.
