A guide to the best state HS boys basketball tournaments
With the upcoming holidays, here is The Arizona Republic‘s guide to finding the best boys basketball high school tournaments, games and players.
You might need a travel budget to get to some really good tournaments to see top-notch hoops. There are teams going to Las Vegas, San Diego and Hawaii.
Here’s your holiday hoops guide:
Visit Mesa Challenge
Dates: Monday-Thursday.
Where: Mesa Mountain View, Mesa Red Mountain.
Teams in Mountain View bracket: Phoenix Pinnacle, Gilbert Higley, ThunderRidge (Colorado), Tucson Salpointe Catholic, Phoenix Brophy Prep, Brookyln Collegiate (New York), Jefferson (New York), Benet Academy (Illinois), Olympia (Washington), Scottsdale Notre Dame Prep, Federal Way (Washington), Glendale Ironwood, Mesa Mountain View, Corner Canyon (Utah), Gilbert Perry, Snow Canyon (Utah).
Teams in the Red Mountain bracket: Gilbert Campo Verde, Patrick Henry (California), Maricopa, Gilbert Mesquite, Smoky Hill (Colorado), Red Mountain, Pima, Rock Canyon (Colorado).
Top players to see: Koa Peat, Perry, 6-8, So.; Cody Williams, Perry, 6-8, Sr.; Arman Madi, Brophy Prep, 6-6, Sr.; Brigg Wolfe, Mountain View, 6-4, Sr.; Brennan Peterson, Notre Dame, 6-0, So.; Max Toombs, Corner Canyon, 6-2, Sr.; Owen Mackay, Snow Canyon, 6-5, Jr.; Isaiah Kai, Campo Verde, 6-0, Sr.; Braeden Speed, Brophy Prep, 6-3, Jr.; CohenJ Gonzales, Mesquite, 5-9, Sr.; Duce Robinson, Pinnacle, 6-6, Sr.; Jayden Johnson, Brooklyn Collegiate, 6-1, Jr.; Charlie Spann, ThunderRidge, 6-5, Jr.
Outlook: This is the 15th year for this showcase and the most expanded version. This is the first time the showcase is being held at two sites, not just Mountain View. Most of the teams are at Mountain View, where games will start at 10 a.m. each day. At Red Mountain, the games begin at 1:30 p.m. each day. The best first-day game appears to be Perry, the top-rated team in Arizona, against Utah’s Rock Canyon at 8:30 p.m. Monday at Mountain View.
McClintock Holiday Shootout
Dates: Dec. 26-29.
Where: McClintock High School. Teams: Anthem Boulder Creek, Mesa Dobson, Scottsdale Desert Mountain, Tempe Corona del Sol, Chandler Basha, Phoenix Desert Vista, McClintock, Phoenix Arcadia, Phoenix Mountain Pointe, Scottsdale Saguaro, Glendale Apollo, Chandler Hamilton, Peoria Liberty, Tempe, Gilbert Highland, Surprise Valley Vista.
Top players to see: Kaden House, Desert Mountain, 6-3, Fr.; Caden Hunter, Liberty, 6-5, Sr.; Davis Hester, Liberty, 6-0, Sr.; Jamison Fox, Arcadia, 6-7, So.; Mason Magee, Basha, 5-11, Fr.; Torin Bosch, Basha, 6-4, Sr.; Donovan Beard, Dobson, 6-1, Jr.; Bhesania Andrew, Boulder Creek, 6-8, So.; Noah Peterson, Highland, 6-3, Sr.
Outlook: This is a bracketed tournament with the championship on Dec. 29 at 7 p.m. The first two days of the tournament games begin at 10 a.m. The second two days games start at 2:30 p.m. The best first-round game appears to be Boulder Creek (5-1) against Dobson (8-2) at 10 a.m. A Basha-Liberty championship game might be the most likeliest.
Pima CC Christmas Tournament
Dates: Dec. 20-23.
Where: Pima Community College,
Tucson.
Teams: Chandler, Tucson Cholla, American Leadership Queen Creek, Tucson Palo Verde, Tucson Amphitheater, Yuma Cibola, Tucson Flowing Wells, Tucson The Gregory School, Tucson Sahuaro, American Leadership Gilbert North, Tucson Pusch Ridge, Tucson, American Leadership Ironwood, Tucson Pueblo, Payson, Tucson Mica Mountain.
Top players to see: Dylan Novak, ALA Gilbert North, 6-1, So.; Derek Stanley, Cibola, 6-5, Sr.; Masai Dean, Cholla, 6-1, Sr.; Layfe Clarkson, ALA Queen Creek, 6-3, So.; Isaiah Hill, Pueblo, 5-9, Jr.
Outlook: ALA Gilbert North and Cholla might be the top two teams in the field. ALA Gilbert North, 11-0, led by point guard Novak, who is averaging 23 points. Masai Dean leads 9-1 Cholla with 25 points a game.
Judy Dixon Tournament
Dates: Dec. 26-29.
Where: Phoenix Greenway High School.
Teams: Prescott, Glendale Mountain Ridge, Greenway, Phoenix Thunderbird, Tucson Catalina Foothills, Flagstaff Coconino, Glendale, Mesa Skyline, El Mirage Dysart, Phoenix Moon Valley, Goodyear Estrella Foothills, Avondale Westview.
Top players to see: Noah Amenhauser, Estrella Foothills, 7-1, Sr.; Uriah Tenette, Prescott, 5-9, So.; Marshall Kerley, Thunderbird, 6-6, Sr.; Jaquari Williams, Westview, 6-0, Sr.; Andy Saeva, Mountain Ridge, 6-1, Jr.; Ivory Washington, Coconino, 6-1, Sr.; Nate Morales, Dysart, 6-0, Jr.
Outlook: Prescott, Catalina Foothills and Westview have gotten off to good starts.
Winter Hoops Shootout
Dates: Dec. 27-29.
Where: Glendale Cactus.
Teams: Cactus, Paradise Valley, Phoenix Cortez, Queen Creek, North Valley Christian, Phoenix Alhambra, Bradshaw Mountain, Phoenix Barry Goldwater, Cave Creek Cactus Shadows, Yuma Catholic, Yuma Gila Ridge, Glendale Raymond S. Kellis, Phoenix Trevor Browne, Avondale West Point, Corona del Mar (California).
Top players to see: Bradey Henige, Cactus, 7-0, Jr.; Dante Landis, Bradshaw Mountain, 6-6, Sr.; A.J. Marsh, Kellis, 5-7, Jr.; Josh Adams, Cactus Shadows, 6-2, Sr.
Outlook: Cactus has a good chance of winning its tournament with 7-foot junior Bradey Henige off to a monster season, averaging 30 points and 22 rebounds. He recently had a 50-point, 23rebound game against Northwest Christian.