As the calendar flips to the fourth Thursday of November, a familiar theme of faith and family rings throughout the state and the country as people gather to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday.
With Thanksgiving comes a week full of amazing high school basketball action throughout the state as from Vista Grande to Mesa and Deer Valley to Ben Franklin and everywhere in between, programs are meeting up and battling in holiday tournaments.
Although the season is only at its very beginning there’s plenty to still be thankful for in Arizona high school basketball.
1. The stars stayed home
From the end of last season to the beginning of this one, rumors swirled throughout the state and the country about multiple top prospects in the state leaving to go to prep programs or other highly coveted high school programs in other states. One player did leave in former Perry star Bruce Branch III, but outside of him, the state kept the overwhelming majority of its star talent this year. Adan Diggs, Cameron Holmes, Darius Wabbington, and others had multiple rumors surrounding them but they all shut those down and in the process are the top dogs in Arizona as the 2025-26 season gets underway.
2. The quality of teams
If someone points to Arizona, they point to Millennium, or Sunnyslope, or the Basha’s of the world. But what about the Deer Valley’s? The Highland’s? Or even the Central’s of the world where their bench units could be contenders in other states. The depth issue has always reared its head when Arizona teams are compared to out of state programs, but now? Multiple programs are getting deeper and deeper with its talent pools and are producing quality players with their 6th, 7th, and 8th player off their bench. The fact that Arizona has gotten to a point where the majority of its top teams aren’t relying on just one or two games but a true rotation is another proof of its progress.
3. No more ducking the early season smoke
This is a newer concept for some Arizona teams. Some in the past would avoid competing in quality tournaments or events to avoid being “exposed” by a team people consider a lesser but that has changed especially this year. Red Mountain wasn’t afraid to go toe to toe with a quality Seven Lakes (TX) program neither was Arcadia against Mesa. Maryvale held its own against both Verrado and Deer Valley, and Highland knocked off O’Connor. Millennium wasn’t afraid to go out of state and face IMG Academy and neither was Sunnyslope who traveled to face Redondo Union (CA). Everyone claims they want the smoke, but now more than ever are teams backing that up early in the season with quality matchups and tough challenges.
Basketball is in the best position it has been in the state of Arizona possibly ever and with that comes a new load of challenges and struggles from both teams and players.
But make no mistake about it as Thanksgiving gets underway, Arizona as a basketball state is still trending upward and with the investment being made by athletic directors and districts as well as from coaches and players themselves the sky is truly the limit.
With a break in the action on Thanksgiving, reflect and enjoy the day because once Friday gets going, the ball will be tipped and the competition will be fierce.
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