Skip to main content

Lady X Tournament

In one of the more exciting Championship games at the Lady X Tournament Millennium defeated Perry in an overtime thriller in which Tournament MVP Kassady Dixon delivered a last second assist to Sophomore Guard Mia Amundsen, who was able to drain a game winning 3 as time expired.  The matchup showcased the 2018 Champion vs the 2019 Champion.   While this year's tournament did not have all the perennials powers that it usually showcases, presumable due to it postponement from its June slot due to the the pandemic, it did not disappoint in terms of game play and excitement.  What follows are some take a ways that we have about the teams that made the Lady X Tournament a success in 2020.   Millennium (Finished #1 with an Overtime victory over Perry) is still talented.  They have a D1 committ in Kassidy Dixon (GCU) and a top 5 Freshman in Ellie Guiney.  However they are not still a defensive minded program. In the past the Tigers would hang their hat o...
Post a Comment

6A Title Contender: Valley Vista


Valley Vista -
 The Monsoon are Defending 6A champs.  They have won 3 titles in the past 4 years and will return most of the core that won the 19-20 title.  Led by Senior Post Marissa Davis Jones who has been instrumental in 2 of those Championships, the Monsoon look to repeat in 20-21.  Jones was able to expand her game from a primary post threat and rebounder, into a full wing threat.  She might just be the best all around player in the state as she can score the ball from anywhere on the court as well as guard 1-5.  She will be a top candidate for player of the year.  

Davis Jones is not the only threat that Valley has.  Junior Guard Jenna Isia, missed a good portion of the season with a knee injury that she suffered in last years club season.  Isia was able to play significant minutes in the big games vs Hamilton and Perry, which seemed to carry the Monsoon over the hump. She has an innate ability to get in the lane and lives from the charity stripe.    

Its Valley's inside threat that makes them so formidable in the state.  The inside duo of Jr. Center Saniyah Neverson, and Sr. Center Madison Magee allow the Monsoon to have a strangle hold on the painted area of the court.  This duo was a big part of why Valley Vista was able to be the only team in the state to bear 2x 5A State Champs Millennium in the last 2 years.  

Valley is rounded out by a group of young guards such as Olivia Arvallo, Mikela Cooper, and Zaria Watkins, who incidentally missed the entire season with a knee injury.  This group can shoot from outside, attack the hoop and defend for 84 feet.  The group will be led by Senior Guard Alanis Delgado, who seems to come up with big outside shot after outside shot.  

The biggest factor to the Monsoon's chance for a 4 title is Head Coach Rachel Matakas.  She seems to always have her teams, playing hard, diving on the floor and pestering teams for 84 feet.  Look for the Monsoon to have a realistic chance to repeat in February 2021 due to her leadership.    

up next :Hamilton
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

4A Contender Sahuaro Tuscon

2020  runner  up went on an amazing run  to  even reach the final game. Their final game run included a  F inal   F our victory over defending champ  S hadow  M ountain.  However,  in the title game they fell to perennial power Seton Catholic  by  a  30-point  margin .  If the Cougars are to return   to  the title game in  ‘21,  they will need to fill in some  gaps  that were left  by  graduation  (9 Seniors) .  At this  at this point they have not been hit by the transfer bug.   The  Cougars  will be led by 2020 Gatorade  P layer of the  Y ear ,  Alyssa  Brown.   Her  31 points  a  game and ten  rebounds  made her the premiere  guard  in 4A, if not the state.  In 21 she will be asked  to  reproduce these numbers and add to her six assists again  In  ...
Post a Comment
Read more

6A Contender: Pinnacle

Many changes have come to Pinnacle.  A coaching change, most likely a stylistic change, and maybe even a player change.  Head Coach Rick Bunger has resigned after several years of success leading the Pioneers a Final Four appearance in 2020.  In comes Erica Farnsworth from Shadow Mountain, where she appeared in several Final Fours in 4A and won the 2019 State Title.  Bunger’s style was man to man defense and motion offense with a set of movements that allowed for players to make plays.  Farnsworth’s style, in the past few years at Shadow Mountain, was a zone-based defense both half court and full court, with a set-based offense.  The question is how well do the Pinnacle players transition to this different coaching styles.  On paper Pinnacle has the two of the biggest pieces in place for success.  First is senior guard Ally Stedman.  She is one of the best off the dribble shooters in the state and can really get her teammates open....
Post a Comment
Read more

The Rise of the Prep School: Part 1

Over the last few months the world has been in a Global Pandemic that shut down the NBA Season, cancelled March Madness, postponed Major League Baseball spring training in Arizona, and cancelled spring sports in high school as well as the May Club sessions.   But it seemed like Girls’ Basketball season for Arizona made it out just under the wire, finishing their State Championships in the first week of March.   Had the season ran 10 days more, they may have been cancelled, as has happened in other states.   Teams in these states were in playoffs runs, only to the rug pulled out from under them, as their playoffs were immediately shut down.   So, it seemed like the Girls’ Basketball scene was saved from the Pandemic.   Then a new Epidemic hit Girls Basketball in Arizona, one that could be more long term than effects than any illness could ever have.   It seems that the top players in Arizona are done playing for their High Schools locally and have decided ...
Post a Comment
Read more
Tweets by AzPrepsGirlzHo1