State champions highlight team
Here is The Arizona Republic's All-Arizona boys basketball team and the eight finalists for Player of the Year, along with the best of the rest.
The Republic will announce the Player of the Year for each sport later this spring.
Tay Boothman, Buckeye, 6-1, Sr.
A scoring point guard, he helped Buckeye break through, ending Shadow Mountain's four-year reign of state titles with 34 points in a 74-71 4A tournament win. He averaged 26 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.7 steals.
Keiren Brown, Phoenix St. Mary's, 6-3, Jr.
The only junior to make first-team AllArizona, this powerfully built guard led the Knights to 24 wins and into the 4A semifinals before losing to Peoria, a game in which he scored 31 points. Averaged 15.2 points, 8.3 assists, 8.1 rebounds, and shot 48 percent from the field, 37 percent from the 3-point arc and 72
percent from the free-throw line.
Dominic Gonzalez, Ironwood, 6-3, Sr.
The school's all-time leader in points and 3-point shots made, he averaged 18.1 points, six rebounds and 4.2 assists, helping the Eagles win the state title. He had 18 points, including 12 of 13 free throws, in the 78-70 win over Millennium.
Dayton Harris, Mesa Skyline, 6-2, Sr.
He was among the nation's top 10 in assists with 9.5 a game, leading the Coyotes to their deepest run in school history, before falling to eventual 6A champion Desert Vista in the semifinals. Averaged 15.9 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.2 steals.
DaRon Holmes, Goodyear Millennium, 6-9, Jr.
He averaged 23.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 3.8 rebounds on 5A state runnerup team. In a 10-point loss to national power Sierra Canyon, he had 20 points, 10 rebounds, four assists
and three blocks. Gatorade named him the Arizona high school basketball Player of the Year.
Trent Hudgens, Glendale Ironwood, 6-2, Sr.
After sitting out the first half of the season with the transfer move from Moon Valley, he was a catalyst behind the school's first state title and upset of Millennium in the 5A championship game. He averaged 18.7 points, 4.2 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 2.3 steals.
Osasere Ighodaro, Phoenix Desert Vista, 6-10, Sr.
Arguably the best defensive player in the state, the Marquette-bound center averaged 15.9 points, 10.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 4.4 blocks a game, leading the Thunder to the 6A state championship.
Evan Nelson, Tucson Salpointe Catholic, 6-2, Sr.
A three-time Arizona Republic All-Arizona selection, Nelson led the Lancers to their first 4A state title, averaging 17.2 points, 4.4 assists and 5.1 rebounds. He averaged 19.4 points in his four-year varsity career. He will be playing at Harvard in college.
Best of the Rest
Cooper Burbank, Chinle, 6-3, Sr.; Logan Phillips, Chandler Valley Christian, 6-7, Sr.; Thompson Taylor, Tucson Catalina, 5-10, Sr.; Trevell Walker, River Valley, 6-2, Sr.; Eric Baldonado, Holbrook, 5-10, Sr.; Jedrique Chavez, Safford, 6-4, Jr.; Joseph Padilla, San Tan Foothills, 5-10, Sr.; Malik Payton, Florence, 6-0, Jr.; Nate Pickens, Surprise Paradise Honors, 6-2, So.; Trey Donaldson, Gilbert Christian, 6-2, Sr.; Cesar Saenz, Tucson Sabino, 6-3, Sr.; Quest Williams, Poston Butte, 6-0, Sr.; Deven Dahlke, St. Mary's, 6-2, Sr.; Jimari Grayson, Apache Junction, 6-1, Jr.; Tommy Lingruen, Tempe Marcos de Niza, 6-3, Sr.; De'Marion Anderson, Buckeye Youngker, 5-10, Fr.; Andrew King, Desert Vista, 6-2, So.; Jahon Lethridge, Phoenix Thunderbird, 6-1, Jr.; Isaac Monroe, Peoria, 5-11, Sr.; James Burries, Phoenix Moon Valley, 6-4, Sr.; Shay Cain, Goodyear Desert Edge, 6-3, Jr.; Daryian Matthews, El Mirage Dysart, 6-5, Jr.; Grant Weitman, Salpointe, 6-3, Sr.; Deven Franks, Queen Creek Casteel, 6-1, Sr.; Khalid Whitaker, Tucson Flowing Wells, 5-11, Sr.; Terrence Green, Phoenix Carl Hayden, 6-6, Sr.; Sunday John, Surprise Willow Canyon, 6-3, Sr.; Kade Juelfs, Lee
Williams, 6-0, Sr.; Jamison Kay, Yuma Gila Ridge, 6-5, Jr.; Steven Legleu, Nogales, 6-1, Jr.; Tanner Mayer, Peoria Sunrise Mountain, 6-5, Sr.; Russ Lingruen, Marcos de Niza, 6-2, Sr.; Mitchell Carlos, Casa Grande, 6-0, Sr.; J.D. Feagles, Phoenix Horizon, 6-3, Sr.; Macell Galloway, Buckeye Verrado, 5-9, Sr.; Anthony Giliberto, Paradise Valley, 6-7, Sr.; Zay Freeney, Phoenix South Mountain, 6-0, Jr.; Nahshon Harper, Avondale La Joya, 6-0, Sr.; Hunter Ruck, Rancho Solano Prep, 6-9, Sr.; Justus Jackson, Millennium, 6-0, Jr.; Nathan Calmese, Gilbert Mesquite, 6-2, Jr.; Duke Brennan, Gilbert Perry, 6-10, Jr.; Dasean Lecque, Desert Vista, 6-0, So.; Jaylen Wesley, Tempe McClintock, 6-2, So; Trent McLaughlin, Chandler Basha, 6-4, Jr.; Eric Blackwell, Tempe Corona del Sol, 6-2, Sr.; Joe Kelsey, Mesa Desert Ridge, 5-10, Jr.; Dyson Lighthall, American Leadership Queen Creek, 6-9, Sr.; Andrew Camacho, Peoria, 6-0, Fr.; Kevin Kogbara, Peoria, 6-5, Jr.; Jalen Scott, Paradise Honors; Jorden Josephs, Scottsdale Chaparral, 6-5, Sr.; Brycen Long, Gilbert, 6-3, Sr.; Carson Basham, Phoenix Sunnyslope, 6-10, Jr.; Jason Kimbrough, Phoenix Mountain Pointe, 6-0, Jr.; Jerry Iliya, Paradise Honors, 6-6, Sr.; Jamar Brown, Chandler Hamilton, 6-3, Sr.; Jovany Featherston, Sierra Vista Buena, 5-10, Sr.; Stone Braveheart, Yuma Kofa, 6-5, Sr.; Joe Feeney, Brophy Prep, 6-5, Sr.; Carson Kelly, Chandler, 5-10, Jr.; J.T. Elder, Vail Cienega, 6-7, Jr.; Juhlawnei Stone, Mesa Dobson, 6-6, Sr.; Glory Nwotite, Shadow Ridge, 6-1, Sr.; Mark Hunter, Tucson, 5-11, Sr.; Steven Cervantes, Mesa, 5-11, Jr.; J.J. McCain, Westview, 5-11, Jr.; Marcus Libman, Phoenix Pinnacle, 6-0, Sr.; Myles Gantt, Tucson Cholla, 6-1, Sr.; Miles Guliford, Peoria Liberty, 6-1, Jr.; Nicholas Riley, Chandler, 6-8, Jr.; Tosh Baker, Pinnacle, 6-8, Sr.; Roosevelt Washington, Laveen Cesar Chavez, 6-2, Fr.; Dominic Capriotti, Skyline, 6-4, So.; Patrick Herrera, Skyline, 6-1, Jr.; Jason Collier, Camp Verde, 6-1, Jr.; Ahamed Mohamed, Glendale Apollo, 6-0, So.; Malachai Harris, Whiteriver Alchesay, 6-3, Sr.; Demetrius Begaye, Sanders Valley, 5-11, Sr.; Jordan Moody, Scottsdale Christian, 6-0, Sr.; Jake Taylor, Goodyear Trivium Prep, 6-1, Sr.; Tanner Poeschl, Skyline, 6-6, Sr.; Josiah Prior, Tucson The Gregory School, 6-0, Sr.; Kota Benson, Sells Baboquivari, 6-0, Fr.; Jara Amador, San Pasqual, 5-8, Jr.; Braegan Patton, Anthem North Valley Christian, 6-0, Sr.; Brad Johnson, Fort Thomas, 5-7, Sr.; Jacob Martel, Kingman, 6-5, Sr.