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“TAY BOOTHMAN READY FOR NEXT CHAPTER”

Za-Ontay “Tay” Boothman has been on the elite level Arizona basketball scene for quite a while now. As the starting point guard from one of the most successful high school programs in the state for the last few years. Boothman made an impact at Buckeye almost instantly and every year brought a little more production.

His coming out year would probably be considered his sophomore season as he teamed up with 6’5” then-junior wing Otis Frazier III to make one of the more dynamic duos in the Valley. They ended that season 24-4 on the year and gave ,then-juggernaut Shadow Mountain, the most competitive and intense half of basketball the Matadors experiences all year. The Hawks fell short in that game, but Boothman was game! It was the first time I saw that the hot-shooting guard really had a different bit of DNA in his body. He knocked down shots, defended both of Shadow’s D1 guards in Jalen House (ASU) and Jovan Blacksher Jr. (GCU) and talked to everyone the whole time he was doing it.

Boothman joined the Powerhouse Hoops 16U program that spring and summer and put college coaches all over the West Coast on notice. Division-I college coaches raved about not only his scoring ability and defensive prowness, but his toughness, moxie and leadership. His most impressive stretch came in the last tournament of the summer in Las Vegas as a very successful Powerhouse 16u team took on some of the West Coast’s shoe-program teams, including the Seattle Rotary Select, The Truth and Las Vegas Prospects. Boothman lit every one of them up in front of multiple college coaches.

For his efforts, he would come out of that summer picking up offers from Denver, Central Arkansas, Northern Arizona and Houston Baptist, with many more keeping tabs on him.

The past season was one of the more anticipated one’s in Buckeye Union High history, with big hopes of a state championship. Boothman and Frazier both lived up to the billing but the team lost a lot of their senior leadership and toughness that made them such a competitive team. They fell short in the 4A quarterfinal, despite Boothman’s very productive efforts. Though the high school season did not end the way Boothman wanted or anticipated, he was set up to have a big spring for Powerhouse Hoops UAA Rise with the band that did so much damage the previous summer and would add some pieces that could formulate to even more success.

However, Boothman would find out that he had suffered a mild shoulder injury that would put him out for a little over a month.

He returned for his first AAU tournament in Kansas City during the spring live period in April before the shoulder was fully healed and with no time for true recovery. The rust and lingering pain presented a Tay Boothman that not many recognized. The frustration with not being able to play up to his standards wore on him a little but the competitive spirit inside him would not allow him to completely shut down. So he went to work…

He returned back to normal the following month with a very strong showing in the Area Codes Elite 8 in the Desert in Phoenix and looked even better at the West Coast Elite Memorial Day Classic in Las Vegas to end the spring.

In June, he went back to play for a very new-look Buckeye Hawks team, losing his 3-year long running mate in Frazier, along with some other pieces that formed the Buckeye puzzle. Playing for a team that would rely so much on what he does over the course of a game., He had a very good showing in the Section 7 Live Period event in Phoenix, twice putting up 40+ point games and keeping Buckeye competitive.

He then approached the summer with focus and intensity. He had a very strong showing locally for the West Coast Elite Summer Tip-Off before heading to Atlanta for the UAA Rise finals in front of many college coaches that have Boothman on their recruiting board. The dog in Tay Boothman that we have come so familiar in seeing was out of the kennel once again and ready for all the dogfights that come with such a high profile AAU event.

The sharp-shooting guard has just wrapped up his last AAU showing and will now start looking into his recruitment and make a decision on where he wants to spend his college basketball career and the next 4 years of his life. He will wear a Buckeye jersey, a jersey that he has worn with so much pride for the last 3 years, for one last season and chase the state title that has always avoided him. It will be new territory for him. He will be the main focal point of every defense he see’s and is sure to face more than a few box and one defenses. However, he intends on getting his official visits out of the way and pledging his commitment to whatever program he decides to join. The options are very wide open as of now but one thing is certain, whoever lands Boothman will be getting a package that any coach would love to have in their program. On and off the court!

CARSON BASHAM READY FOR UAA RISE!

Few Arizona high school basketball prospects have come as far as 6-foot-11, 220-pound 2021 Center Carson Basham has. Basham has emerged as the top big man prospect in the state of Arizona in the Spring and Summer while starting for Coach Ray Portella and the Sunnyslope Vikings, one of the top teams in the state.

In the Spring he broke out with Team Arsenal out of California in the Under Armour Rise circuit. He was a match-up nightmare for one of the better teams on that 16U circuit.

The talented and high-academic big man is finally growing into his body and figuring some things out with the fluidity of his game. His hands are getting better and better every time I see him and he is stretching his game out to the deep mid-range level while also developing a nice little handle. He is very effective on the boards and has found himself some real toughness down low.

For his efforts, college coaches are taking notice. For a kid that went into the spring with just two Division-I offers, he has now racked up offers from TCU, Washington St, Santa Clara, UC-Santa Barbara, Grand Canyon, Montana, LMU and NAU.

He could come out of this weekend with many more with a strong performance in Atlanta. Basham and his Arsenal squad will play their first game on Thursday at 915am against Showtime Ballers and then later that night at 940pm against M.A.T.T.S Mustangs. They will return Friday afternoon at 1pm against AC Georgia and then 6pm against Pro One.

Good luck to Arizona’s Carson Basham out in Atlanta. Go do work, Big Fella!

TY TY WASHINGTON GETS SET FOR PEACH JAM!

Few have made as much noise on a high school basketball court than 6’4” 2021 guard Ty Ty Washington. The Cesar Chavez super-skilled and ultra-talented, high-level bucket getter has led a very undersized, but hard-nosed Champions team to a lot of wins in June and has them looking like one of the early favorites to win it all in the 6A division. For his efforts, he picked up his first high-major offer from hometown PAC-12 school, Arizona State.

Washington is one of the more unguardable guards in the state and the west coast, so you can only imagine that this was the first of many Power 5 offers. However, he has also picked up some very quality offers from some of the West Coast’s quality mid-major programs such as Santa Clara, Pepperdine, UC-Santa Barbara, Montana, Pacific, Grand Canyon and Portland.

Now for a kid that has been striving on the biggest stages thus far in his young career, he will play on the biggest stage he has yet to see as he travels with his Vegas Elite 16U EYBL team to Augusta to play against the nation’s best on the highly coveted Nike circuit.

One thing is for certain, Ty Ty will not be rattled. He is a very composed kid that plays with almost a stoic look on his face that does not get sped up easily. As much buzz as his name is creating, he is a few good showings out there from spreading that buzz to a national level. The nation is about to see that beautiful, picture perfect pull-up and the tough and competitive spirit he plays with.

Vegas Elite will compete in Pool C and will square up with NEO Tru Game on Wednesday night at 930pm. They will play UPlay Canada on Thursday at 3pm and then Friday at 3pm against Team Durant.

It should be an interesting weekend for the #PhoenixSon

Powerhouse Hoops 16U UAA Gets Set For Atlanta!

Led by one of the top prospects in the country, 6-foot-9 2021 Forward DaRon Holmes (Millennium High), Powerhouse will try to finish strong in the UAA Circuit. Holmes was one of the most consistent players on this circuit all spring but needs more help from the supporting cast at this level to come out of some of these games with wins, or at least quality performances.

Holmes has picked up offers from Arizona, Kansas, Marquette, Wake Forest and USC so far thus spring.

They will take on Team Charlotte (Thur, 9:15am), Team Thad (Thur, 6pm), Mudiay Elite (Fri, 1pm) and District WAWG (Fri, 830PM)

DaRon’s high-school teammate, 6’0 2021 PG Justus Jackson, will have to be the guy that steps up the most for this team for them to have a successful trip in the ATL. In a sense, this team goes as he goes. If he can get to his spots and knock down some shots and start creating some attention to open up shooters on the outside and create slashing lanes to the rim, this team can put some points on the board.

Jackson came out of the spring with offers from Pepperdine, North Carolina A&T, Portland and Southern Utah with many more schools on his bumper.

The team’s best offensive option on the perimeter is 6’3” 2021 guard D’Marco Dunn. Dunn goes into this live viewing period with one Division-I offer (UTEP). With a good showing, he could walk out with a few more. He will need to knock down that beautiful pull-up jumper he has and get some chances in the open floor to show off his athleticism.

If Dunn and Jackson are playing at a high level and attracting some attention, that gives time for 6’2” 2021 guard Brett Hardt Jr. a chance to set his feet and get his shot off. If he can get them open looks in the corner, they might really have something going. Hardt Jr. picked up an offer from UC-Santa Barbara in June.

6’2” 2021 point guard Jalen Scott has looked great as of late and has given this team some added and much needed playmaking since returning from a foot injury. His shot is still something that is left to be desired but his elite level passing and ability to create for other scorers has been a difference maker.

Scott owns offers to UC-Riverside and Northern Arizona.

No player on this team has left more meat on the bone than 6’6” 2021 Wing J.T Elder. Elder has all the make-up to really do some damage on this circuit. The size, skill set, fluidity and ability to get it done on both ends of the floor. He needs to be the guy that steps it up for this Powerhouse team and plays up to the potential he possesses.

6’4” 2021 Wing Ky Oliver has had some flashes during the spring. He has single handedly kept them in and won some games. The bouncy and very active wing can score at all three levels and has some flexibility on the defensive end. If he can put together some of them good showing this weekend, they will stay in a lot of these games.

6’9” 2021 Center Carter Van Hammond is their lone true big man. Van Hammond will have to hold his ground against some of the opposing bigs he will see this weekend. If he can limit the production that his counterpart has and play with his usual activity, it will work wonders for this group.

It should be a very interesting weekend for a team that is overdue for a breakout showing. They played up into the 17u division here in Phoenix last weekend in the West Coast Elite Summer Tip-Off Classic and ended 3-1. Starting point guard Justus Jackson tweaked his groin but should be good to go for Atlanta. Out of the four games they played, they only looked as good as they could be in one of them. The others were games they eked out against teams they should have defeated by double digits. They will need a much better showing this weekend to make some noise and look impressive in front of coaches.

POWERHOUSE 17U UAA RISE SCOUTING REPORT

The Powerhouse Hoops 17U UAA Rise team is one of the hotter teams on the West Coast, going an impressive 27-2 thus far this spring. I have had the pleasure of seeing this group a number of times and have come away with the analysis that this may be the first Arizona AAU team in a long time that sends the whole roster to Division-I Universities to play the game of basketball. Below is a run down of their roster.

Osasere Ighodaro (6’10”. 185 lbs. Forward. 2020. Desert Vista High)

Offers: Stanford, California, USC, Arizona, Vanderbilt, Pittsburgh, Texas, Minnesota, Marquette, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, Virginia Tech, Northwestern, GCU, Pepperdine, Rice, UC-Irvine, New Mexico, Saint Mary’s, Weber State, Northern Arizona, San Jose St, Montana and more…

-Ighodaro is a true point forward with upside that is through the roof. The potential of where he could end up is getting scary. A reliable shot from behind the 3-point line could soar his stock to the top 50 players in America range. Already an elite level passer and defender but most high major schools can’t wait for him to be able to put the ball in the basket a little more consistently and add some weight and strength.

Level: High Major

Evan Nelson (6’2”. 170 lbs. PG. 2020. Salpointe Catholic)

Offers: Rice, Pepperdine, Nevada, UC-Santa Barbara, Harvard, GCU, Colorado St, Pacific, Davidson, LMU, Boston, BYU, Duquesne, UC-Davis, UC-Irvine, Portland St, Utah Valley

-Nelson is soaring to new heights as of late with one of the better pull-up jumpers you will find on the West Coast. Scores from all 3 levels and has a real burst with the ball in his hands. Terrific on-ball defender that creates havoc on that side of the ball. Good playmaker and runs the pick-and-roll at a high level. Elite athleticism is the only thing stopping him from getting high-major type offers but has terrific body control and enough lift to finish amongst trees.

Level: Mid-to-High Major

DeAndre Henry (6’7”. 225 lbs. PF. 2020. PHHoenix Prep)

Offers: Portland St, South Dakota, NAU, Air Force, NC A&T

-Henry is a work horse of a forward. Pure heart and determination for a kid that was one of the top ranked offensive lineman in America before switching over to basketball full-time. Has some sneaky bounce and thrives on the defensive end and on the boards. Most coaches would like to see him get more lift but he is extremely smart and uses his body like a monster truck. Great screen setter. If he can pull his range out another 3-5 feet and add a real pick-and-pop asset to his game, he will be a real factor on the floor.

Level: Mid-Major

Tay Boothman (6’1”, 150 lbs. PG. 2020. Buckeye Union)

Offers: NAU, Central Arkansas, Denver, Houston Baptist

-Boothman has a clip from the outside and when he is on, he is infectious. Another kid on this team that plays with so much heart, grit and grind. Can really make some things happen with the ball in his hands and has shown his ability to be a real point guard as of late. Could use a little tightening on his handle but rarely turns the ball over because of it being a little loose. On the defensive end he is a dog and uses his long arms and long strides well with on-ball defense. A true competitor!

Level: Mid-Major

Kiimani Holt (6’4, 190 lbs. G. 2020. PHHoenix Prep

Offers: Portland St, Montana, UC-Santa Barbara, Idaho State and Northern Arizona

-Holt is a great athlete with a great college-ready body that absorbs contact and can really get downhill. Very good slasher that can play above the rim. Needs to add a consistent jumper for the next level but if he does, he can be the leading scorer of a program one day. When locked in he can really get after it on defense but a consistent defensive mindset will make him that much harder to take off the floor. Rebounds well for his position.

Level: Low to Mid-Major

Hunter Ruck (6’9”, 210 lbs. PF/C. 2020. Rancho Solano Prep)

Offers: NAU, Idaho St, Houston Baptist

-Ruck is a high-academic kid with a college-ready body. Above average athleticism that can play inside and out. Has the ability to knock it down from the perimeter and has good footwork down low that can create some baskets down low. Good passer and finds cutters well. Plays hard but needs to toughen up mentally. If he can figure out the mental side and develop the ability to put the ball on the deck, he will be in good shape at the next level.

Level: High Academic Mid-Major/Ivy League

Logan Phillips (6’7”, 160 lbs. Wing. 2020. Valley Christian)

Offers: Incarnate Word

-Phillips is as long as the Sonoran desert and uses his length well on both ends of the floor. Has the ability to score at all three levels but added weight and strength will help him with finishing inside. Has one of the better floaters you will see at this level and is an underrated athlete. Very good basketball IQ and a versatile defender.

Level: Low to Mid-Major

Anthony Garza (6’7”, 175 lbs. F. 2020. PHHoenix Prep)

Offers: Air Force, North Carolina A&T,

-Garza is all energy, all heart! Has a motor that is unmatched. Most coaches wish he was 2-3 inches taller for what he does on the floor but he is an above average athlete. Very good defensively and on the boards. Underrated passer and playmaker. Very unselfish player and a consummate locker room type of kid. Has began to hit some shots outside the paint as of late, which is what most D1 coaches were waiting to see. I believe that we have yet to see the best Anthony Garza yet but needs to refine his skill set some. Continue improving on his jumpshot and get more of a reliable handle, though he can snatch it off the rim and take it the length of the floor. Some added weight and muscle would do him some justic as well.

Level: Low-Major

Brycen Long (6’2”, 160 lbs. Guard. 2020. Gilbert High)

Offers: Houston Baptist

-Long is a quick-release, knock down shooter with an underrated playmaking ability. A very high basketball IQ that can play both guard positions. Doesn’t have much athleticism or burst to his game, but his cerebral part of the game makes up for those deficiencies for the most part. Could use a little better of a handle for the next level and, like most, added weight and muscle. But he will be a knock down shooter no matter where he goes. Decent defender but limited foot speed will make it hard for him to guard quick-burst guards.

Level: Low-Major

Two players on this team have already committed to Division-I Universities. 6’3 2020 Shooting Guard Alem Huseinevich has committed to Head Coach Steve Alford and the Nevada Wolfpack, as he is currently competing for the Bosnian National Team. The other is 6’2” 2020 point guard Dayton Harris, who has committed to Head Coach Shane Burcar and the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks. He will still be playing with this team for the month of July.

ABCA SECTION 7 BRINGS OUT THE AZ TALENT

ABCA SECTION 7 WAS A HIT!

With all the rule changes within the NCAA, the viewing period has changed drastically and has left many college coaching staffs reeling and trying to figure out how to best recruit players on the fly. The ABCA Section 7 event held in Phoenix, Arizona was a game changer. College coaches from all over America filed into the city to see some of Arizona’s and the West Coast’s top talent compete with their high school squads.

One of my favorite aspects of the event is how well they determined and placed the levels of the teams. The top-notch bracket was filled with West Coast powerhouses, while the teams that are more just fighting to make the playoffs in their local venue were placed in a bracket willed with like-built teams. It made the games very competitive and evenly battled.

The organization and attention to detail was great. Media and college coaching books were very well put together. College coaches and national scouts were impressed and pleased with just about everything across the board. All in all, it was a great event.

With the recent big shifts in Prep Schools on the West Coast and in Arizona, a lot of the talent most would expect to see was absent in this event. However, there was no shortage of hard play and talent out of our Arizona schools. I am from Arizona. A true native of “the Phix”. So Arizona basketball holds a special, dear place in my heart. So I can not express how proud and happy I was to see something like this come to the City and bring out the West Coasts best. Our city was on center stage for all of America’s basketball community to see. And there was one overwhelming statement I heard all weekend long, “Arizona really has a lot of talent out here right now,” or some words close to that.

DARON HOLMES (6’9”, F, 2021, MILLENNIUM HIGH)- Holmes and the Millennium Tigers took part in the “top dog” bracket and held their own after a 2nd half breakdown against the runner-up Mater Dei. But Holmes looked like one of the top players and prospects all weekend long. His length and the simplicity he plays with makes high-major colleges want to envision him in their jersey. He doesn’t need the ball in his hands to drastically effect the game and he is starting to really be able to put the ball in the basket at a high level from all three levels. His handle is improving more and more every day and he seems to be getting stronger and able to initiate and absorb contact inside. Holmes picked up an offer to USC over the weekend.

TY TY WASHINGTON (6’4”, G, 2021, CESAR CHAVEZ)- Washington is beginning to get scary good. His level of play is starting to translate to the elite level status as high-major schools are starting to take notice. His demeanor and toughness on the court is just as intriguing as the tools he has in the box. He competes on both ends and is gaining a reputation as a walking bucket. His handle is starting to put defenders on skates and his pull-up jumper is one of the best you will find on the West Coast. Washington picked up offers to Grand Canyon and LMU over the weekend with many more sniffing around.

EVAN NELSON (6’3”, G, 2020, SALPOINTE CATHOLIC)- Nelson has been playing out of his mind since the start of the high school season last year. His level of play has risen to a very high level and his academics make him even that much more intriguing. He is really beginning to take over games and his outside shot is a certified weapon. His explosion is impressive and his ability to play through contact and beat people off the dribble make him a killer. Nelson picked up offers from Harvard, LMU and Cal-Poly over the weekend.

OSASERE IGHODARO (6’10”, F, 2020, DESERT VISTA HIGH)- Ighodaro is truly a Swiss Army Knife. He has a little bit of everything in his game. His passing and defense are his bread and butter. He is also an elite level athlete. His jump shot still has a ways to go and he needs to get stronger to play at the level that he is destined to end up at. Ighodaro is playing a different game then most, so his game will get critiqued a little bit more than most, but he really has some tools in the shed that make him one of the top sought after rising seniors on the West Coast. He picked up an offer to Rutgers with so many high major head coaches sitting courtside at every one of his games.

ZA-ONTAY BOOTHMAN (6’1”, G, 2020, BUCKEYE UNION)- Boothman has one of the deadlier strokes in the state from the outside and is a heat warning waiting to happen at anytime. The degree of difficulty of his shot making is impressive. He is also one of the fiercest competitors you will come across. His length disrupts flows on the defensive side of the ball. Once he develops a stronger handle, his playmaking on the offensive end should improve right with it. The game I got to see of his, he dropped 41 points on Seton Catholic. The certified bucket had college coaches running across town all weekend.

ISAIAH BROADY (6’7”, G/W, 2021, CHANDLER HIGH)- Broady opened some eyes in a real way for a lot of people. He was a relative unknown going into this weekend but came out of it with quite the buzz. His length and ability to put his imprint on a game in so many ways make him intriguing. He has all the tools that colleges look for this early in the game. He can handle it, shoot it and is top-of-the-square-type bouncy. His ability to guard multiple decisions and disrupt passing lanes is a factor. He is asserting himself as one of the top AZ prospects in that loaded 2021 class. Broady picked up his 1st D1 offer to UC-Santa Barbara.

JALEN SCOTT (6’2”, G, 2021, PARADISE HONORS)- Scott led his team to an impressive 3-1 record this weekend. His length and court vision really set him apart at that position. He has some work to do with his stroke from the outside and could really use a strong pull-up in his game to elevate him to the next level but he is one of the best passers in his class on the West Coast. The things he see’s on the floor is impressive, to say the least.

ADRAME DIONGUE (6’10”, C, 2022, CHAPARRAL HIGH)- Diongue might have been one of the most intriguing prospects I saw all weekend. It is not very often that you get to see a kid with that size and length with his fluid movement and good hands and feet. He gets up rather easily and loves to be in the paint. He has the making of an elite level shot blocker and was a huge part of Chaparral winning the Cherish Bracket Championship. He arrived from the Senegal about 5 months ago and you should expect to be hearing his name a whole lot moving forward.

JUSTUS JACKSON (6’0”, G, 2021, MILLENNIUM HIGH)- Jackson was a little up and down at times this past weekend but when he is on, he is really on. He is starting to gain the reputation of the guy you have to contain to be able to beat one of the top teams in the state. He has the ability to really fill it in and is good at getting spacing to get his shot off despite being a smaller guard. His pull-up jumper is impressive and his leadership on the court stands out. Jackson picked up an offer to North Carolina A&T.

GRADY LEWIS (6’7”, F, 2021, SUNNYSLOPE HIGH)- Lewis was great all weekend long for the Vikings, who ran the table to win the ServRX bracket with some very impressive wins. His energy on both ends of the floor is impressive and his name is starting to come out of a lot of D1 coaches mouths. He is a terrific offensive rebounder and has a very reliable right-handed move around the basket. His strength and athleticism stand out on a team that is filled with next level type prospects. He was the MVP of the division.

DOMINIC GONZALEZ (6’4”, G, 2020, IRONWOOD HIGH)- Gonzalez was very impressive this past weekend for an Ironwood team that had an impressive showing against some very tough competition. The silky smooth guard is starting to play a little more aggressive as of late and it has him looking like a bucket machine. He is starting to generate some D1 interest and has a ton of high level D2’s interested in him.

CARSON BASHAM (6’11”, C, 2021, SUNNYSLOPE HIGH) -Picked up an offer from GCU

JOHN SOLOMON (6’8”, F, 2021, DESERT VISTA HIGH) – Picked up offers from Grand Canyon, South Dakota and New Mexico over the weekend.

DYLAN ANDERSON (6’10”, PF, 2022, PERRY HIGH)- Team finished 2-2 but it was no fault of Anderson’s. The top-10 nationally ranked recruit in the 2022 class was still able to showcase his wide variety of skills what makes him such a nationally sought after recruit.

HUNTER RUCK (6’9”, F/C, 2020, RANCHO SOLANO PREP)- The team struggled some with being a 2A school in a bracket full of big schools but they held their own and Ruck was often the best player on the floor. He is generating a ton of low-to-mid major interest.

JERRY ILIYA (6’5”, G/W, 2020, PARADISE HONORS)- Huge part of a 3A team that went 3-1 in a bracket full of big schools. Lost to the eventual champ of the bracket by 4 with Iliya being a catalyst.

ELIJAH SAUNDERS (6’6”, F, 2022, SUNNYSLOPE HIGH)

OAKLAND FORT (5’8”, PG, 2022, SUNNYSLOPE HIGH)

NATE PICKENS (6’1”, G, 2022, PARADISE HONORS)

LANDON SCHUMAKER (6’5”, F, 2023, BASHA HIGH)

JASON KIMBROUGH (5’11, PG, 2021, MOUNTAIN POINTE)- On this team he is their main guy and you can see him growing under that role. Though I feel at the next level he will be a great piece and a great addition to a strong DII program. He is undersized, but is very savvy and can really knock down the open J. Brings it on the defensive end and is very competitive and tough.

PAUL HAYDEN (6’4”, G, 2020, SUNNYSLOPE HIGH)- Hayden impressed me and a lot of other people this past weekend. On a team full of talent he seems to find his place on the court from game to game. Plays with a high IQ and does all the small things that a successful team needs. Even got some attention from some low-major Division I schools.

CARSON KELLY (5’7”, PG, 2021, CHANDLER HIGH)- Kelly is very undersized but, man, he is so smart. He really knows how to play the game of basketball and can make some things happen with the ball in his hands. He is lightning quick and always plays with his head on a swivel. He reminds me of a player that becomes a coach 8-10 years from now.

MICHAEL BATCHELOR (6’0”, G, 2020, MILLENNIUM HIGH)- On a team with two certified DI talents and some other guys that can play the game, Batchelor seems to find his lane in every game. He is often times the 3rd scoring option and makes plays in opportune times. I am not sure what level he ends up on but he played well enough this past weekend to deserve a mention.

NICK RILEY (6’7”, F/C, 2021, CHANDLER HIGH)- Riley was impressive this past weekend for a Chandler team that played in some dogfights. Riley is a difference maker for a team that has emerged as a favorite to win it all in the 6A Finals. They should certainly be in the hunt and Riley will be a huge factor in that run. His activity and presence around the rim on both sides of the floor is a must for this team and he has some games where he is a load down there.

BAILON BLACK (6’2”, G, 2021, IRONWOOD HIGH)- A nice all-around guard that brings playmaking to a loaded Ironwood backcourt. Black has the ability to score and set up teammates and usually is leading the Eagles in the assist column.