Last week kicked off the start of tryouts for the AIA. Many teams probably know most of their varsity teams, but JV and freshmen teams were probably made last week.
Every year I release my “way-too-early Top-75,” which includes 1A-6A teams.
We will slowly reveal the rest of the teams the next two weeks before we head into the start of the season. This year the season starts Wednesday, November 19th, which is 8 days from today.
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We move over to the 43-36 teams.
#43 Buena Colts (5A)
Head Coach: Dennis Baker
The skinny:
They lost in the Elite-8 to Canyon View in the 5A playoffs. They lost one key senior but brought back some good players with Thomas, Booker, Fruean, Nelson and Brooks. Thomas and Booker form a tough duo in Tucson and they are a very old team with experience who can make some noise despite their lack of size.
They will be led by:
6’0 SG 2026 Joseph Thomas
6’0 SG 2026 Jeremy Booker
6’1 SF 2026 Teddy Fruean
6’0 CG 2026 Ricardo Brooks
5’11 CG 2026 Adam Nelson
#42 Horizon Huskies (5A)
Head Coach: Bob Williams
The skinny:
They beat North in the 5A play-in game and lost to Buena last year. They bring back a lot of size with one of the older teams, like Buena, in 5A as an all senior starting five with Hayes, Brackmann, Burke, Milner and Henss.
They will be led by:
6’6 SF 2026 Ethan Hayes
6’6 PF 2026 Owen Brackmann
6’5 PF 2026 Parker Burke
6’0 PG 2026 Ryan Milner
Breakout player
6’6 PF 2028 Gavin Henss
#41 Desert Mountain Wolves (5A)
Head Coach: Mitch Armour
The skinny:
They won the 5A play-in to Sunrise Mountain and then lost to Catalina Foothills. They bring back their top three players with Rosato, Beausejour and Galliart plus add two talented freshmen with Quinet and Stapleton who will immediately start.
They will be led by:
6’3 SG 2026 Nick Rosato
5’11 PG 2027 Amaurie Beausejour
6’4 PF 2027 Jaxon Galliart
Breakout players
5’10 PG 2029 Brexton Quinet (Featured Image)
5’10 PG 2029 Kendell Stapleton
#40 Valley Christian Trojans (3A)
Head Coach: Greg Haagsma
The skinny:
They did the rare 4-peat but lost A LOT of talent to that crazy run. They do have their star coming back with Colby Jessup (who is definitely a POY candidate) plus Paxton and Mason Tamlyn got a little time in last year but most others around him do not have the experience yet. The X factor for them may be their 6’8 transfer Eldridge from Texas who will give them some much needed size. They have a top of the food chain coaching staff and we will see if they challenge to get an incredible 5-peat!
They will be led by:
6’4 PG 2026 Colby Jessup
6’1 CG 2026 Paxton Tamlyn
6’2 CG 2027 Cyler Jessup
5’10 PG 2028 Mason Tamlyn
Breakout players
6’8 C 2027 Bryson Eldridge
6’4 PF 2026 Devin Morganfield
#39 Gilbert Tigers(6A)
Head Coach: Andre LaFleur
The skinny:
They beat Maryvale last year in the play-in 6A game and then lost to Cesar Chavez the next round. They had an interim coach and brought in a brand new staff. They also added multiple transfers with Speed Jr, Medina, Richardson and Davis to jump start the program back up. In my opinion, Jones will be their key player, as he had to sit with a double transfer rule and was a JV star last year.
They will be led by:
6’3 SF 2028 Kyle Speed Jr
6’5 PF 2027 Adam Medina
6’2 SG 2028 Chops Davis
5’10 PG 2027 Carter Watson
5’10 PG 2028 Paul Richardson
Breakout player
6’5 PF 2026 Malachi Jones
#38 Dysart Demons(4A)
Head Coach Keegan Cook
The skinny:
They lost in the Final-4 to a tough Deer Valley team and lost Lamar Anderson. They did bring back a lot of their talent though and added a good freshman. Leyva-Fonseca, Havvard and Tillman will be a tough senior trio and freshmen PG Cruz will help out immediately.
They will be led by:
6’6 PF 2026 Santiago Leyva-Fonseca
6’3 SF 2026 Ashton Havvard
5’10 PG 2029 Jordan Cruz
Breakout player
5’10 CG 2026 Damien Tillman
#37 Salpointe Catholic Lancers (4A)
Head Coach: Eric Castillo
The skinny:
They made the OPEN last year and lost to NDP and then went to the 4A playoffs and lost to the eventual champion St. Mary’s Knights. This summer they had a good showing at Section-7 to qualify and some bright spots showed up with Hicks plus their seniors with Campas, Rasul and Edgerson gives the Tucson team some size and leadership.
They will be led by:
6’5 SF 2027 Cameron Hicks
6’2 PG 2026 Kingston Campas
6’5 PF 2026 Omar Rasul
Breakout player
6’4 PF 2026 Jazi Edgerson
#36 Desert Vista Thunder (6A)
Head Coach: Walt Bonner
The skinny:
They made the OPEN last year but had to forfeit due to illegally playing outside of the AIA. After that their top three players transferred out. (All three being college type of players too.) They still had some depth left over with some experience with Velez, Taylor and Morris IV. It would not surprise me if freshman Juarez gets some burn this season and helps out with his size plus Mountain Pointe transfer Simms.
They will be led by:
5’9 PG 2026 Nico Velez
6’4 SF 2026 Alex Taylor
Breakout player
6’0 PG 2027 Blake Simms
6’4 SF 2027 Robert Morris IV
6’5 F 2029 JaKoby Juarez
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