Two weeks ago the AIA kicked off the start of tryouts and we are three days away from the start of the season.
Every year I release my “way-too-early Top-75,” which includes 1A-6A teams.
We are slowly getting closer to the top ranked preseason teams before we head into the start of the season which is Wednesday, November 19th.
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We move over to the 27-20 teams.
#27 Cactus Shadows Falcons (4A)
Head Coach: Zach Washut
The skinny:
They lost in the Elite-8 to 4A runner-up Deer Valley and brought back many of their top players with Godfrey and Fair III plus added arguably one of the top 4A scorers with Ulrich who had to sit all of last year with a double transfer.
They will be led by:
6’1 PG 2027 Myles Godfrey
6’1 SG 2027 Terrell Fair II
Breakout player
6’3 SG 2026 Ethan Ulrich
#26 Arcadia Titans (4A)
Head Coach: Greg Richards
The skinny:
They won the 4A play-in game vs Ironwood Ridge and then lost to the 4A state champs St. Mary’s. This summer they had a good showing. They qualified for Section-7 and then won a bunch of games. They brought back their two top scorers with POY candidate Kendrick and talented junior Knee plus added a star freshman with Thompson II. Also Detroy, Straus, Heinrichs and McGadney keep getting better.
They will be led by:
6’4 SG 2026 Mason Kendrick
6’1 SG 2026 Brock Knee
6’5 SF 2029 Jacobi Thompson II
Breakout players
6’3 SF 2026 RJ Detroy
5’10 PG 2026 Max Straus
6’2 CG 2027 William Heinrichs
6’3 CG 2028 Matthew McGadney
#25 Canyon View Jaguars (5A)
Head Coach: Ramon Marks
The skinny:
They lost in the Final-4 in a close affair to Mountain Pointe in the 5A Final-4 but they did lose a bunch of stud seniors to graduation. They do have a little size and length with Harris and Nowlin Jr and a bunch of talented guards with Sanders, Shelton and Owens.
They will be led by:
6’5 SF 2026 AJ Harris
6’4 SF 2027 PJ Nowlin Jr
5’9 PG 2026 Devin Sanders
6’0 CG 2026 Jason Shelton
Breakout player
6’0 PG 2029 Taylan Owens
#24 West Point Dragons (6A)
Head Coach: Ryan Nelson
The skinny:
They had a breakout season for their school and ended up losing a close game to eventual 6A Champs Brophy Prep. They did lose two good seniors plus a good transfer unfortunately. They do have a strong group of seniors with Kalikilwa, Curry Jr and Hardwick plus a talented sophomore with Kalikilwa.
They will be led by:
6’3 SG 2026 Samuel Kalikilwa
6’6 C 2026 Tyrell Curry Jr
6’4 SF 2026 Edgar Hardwick
Breakout player
6’1 CG 2028 King Kalikilwa
#23 Hamilton Huskies (6A)
Head Coach: Kendall Aldridge
The skinny:
They lost in the Elite-8 of 6A last year after making the OPEN after losing by only two to NDP. They lost a good senior group plus their coach but their best player is back. Most think they will be a little down but I think Cole Jr is that good to carry them in many stretches. Plus Terry, Tainsky and Lauterbach are getting better and better.
They will be led by:
6’3 CG 2026 Marquice Cole Jr
6’1 CG 2028 Tre Terry
6’2 SG 2027 Nate Tainsky
Breakout player
6’5 PF 2027 Camden Lauterbach
#22 Casteel Colts (6A)
Head Coach: Aaron Windler
The skinny:
They lost in the OPEN to Ironwood in a close 3-pt game and then lost to a talented Williams Field team in the 6A playoffs. They lost a bunch of size from last year and lost a big transfer but have multiple juniors finding their groove with Gruver, Koehler and Crowder as players who are ready to breakout plus senior duo of Myles and Lazor then add in a breakout candidate with sophomore PG Martineau.
They will be led by:
5’10 PG 2026 Sir Myles
6’8 PF 2026 Makenzie Lazor
Breakout players
6’3 CG 2027 Ben Gruver
6’2 CG 2027 Cameron Koehler
5’10 PG 2028 Landen Martineau
6’3 SG 2027 Matt Crowder
#21 San Tan Charter Roadrunners (2A)
Head Coach: Kylie Crooms
The skinny:
They lost in the Final-4 to Gilbert Christian of the OPEN for small schools by one possession who ended up losing to Valley in the chip. They literally brought back all their main guys except maybe one and they are the heavy favorites to win it all. Benjamin, Lubash and Jackson are three of the better players coming back plus Reynolds (who only played sparingly), Vargas (who had to sit last year) and Gremillion (a transfer from Texas) will all be huge additions to the top 2A team. Arguably the best six players of any small school.
They will be led by:
6’2 W 2027 Jase Benjamin
5’9 PG 2027 Peyton Lubash
6’2 SG 2026 Kristo Jackson
Breakout players
6’4 PF 2026 Jachin Reynolds
6’6 PF 2027 Dylan Vargas
6’4 SF 2027 Jason Gremillion
#20 Centennial Coyotes (5A)
Head Coach: Zach Hettel
The skinny:
They won the play-in versus Casa Grande and then lost to eventual 5A runner up with Mountain Pointe in a close game. They had a good showing at Section-7 to qualify for new head coach Hettel and have a stud 4-some of seniors to lean on with Rios III, Delafield, Shields and Sackor. Junior Haslerig could be a wildcard the latter part of the season.
They will be led by:
5’7 PG 2026 Johnny Rios III (Featured Image)
6’0 PG 2026 Aidan Lee Delafield
6’0 SG 2026 Romell Shields
Breakout players
6’0 CG 2026 Sekou Sackor
6’4 SG 2027 Jeremiah Haslerig
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