Arizona’s Summer Sizzle Standouts (pt. 2)

Here is part two of our coverage from the Summer Sizzle this past weekend in Phoenix, Arizona. We break down a few more standouts that caught my eye and relay their skills and what they brought to the table on days one and two of the Summer Sizzle. In case you missed it, here is <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/2021/08/arizonas-summer-sizzle-standouts-pt-1/">part one of our Summer Sizzle Standouts</a>. Without further ado, let's dive into this next group of standout performers. <hr /> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="137284" first="Tianna" last="Reeder"] </strong>(AZ Magic (Black), 2022) Reeder was fairly impressive this weekend for the Magic. She attacks the basket well, puts her head down, and draws fouls by seeking out contact. Tianna was aggressive offensively on the drive but had a couple of turnovers here and there. She was at her best when under control before getting into those downhill movements. I thought she did an excellent job of sealing for position inside and carving out space in the interior for easy buckets or drops-off passes to cutting teammates. Tianna did a nice job positioning herself defensively serving as a rim deterrent, getting in front of the opponent more often than not before they could complete their drive. I noticed her display of a soft touch on her jumper, hitting multiple off-movement elbow jumpers within the flow of the offense. Crafty player offensively that has a good all-around feel for the game. There's a reason she's ranked 20th in the state in the <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/arizona/rankings/2022-rankings/">Class of 2022 rankings</a>, so be on the lookout for a monster senior season at Estrella Foothills. A two-way player in the purest form. <strong>Hannah Strauss</strong> (AZ Swish, 2025) <em><strong>HS Team:</strong></em> Perry High School Strauss did a nice job running the offense and consistently got the team in their sets and under control. Operates well out of the pick and roll, hit some nice in rhythm mid-range jumpers, using her rolling teammate as bait to create space. Manipulative off the pick-and-roll action and uses eye contact to bait defenders. She is a very good point-of-attack defender that applies pressure and plays with physicality. Through her tenacious defense, she generated a ton of steals and deflections. Her team (AZ Swish) ended up going 4-1 on the weekend and <em>won</em> their bracket, and she played a role in their success as a team. She's an incoming freshman so keep an eye out for her over at Perry High moving forward, as she plays a lot older than her age. There's no doubt in my mind that she'll be ranked in the Class of 2025. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="217485" first="Yvette" last="Ruiz"]</strong> (MVP, 2021) Ruiz provides solid ball pressure defensively, making her opponent “turn” multiple times before crossing half court on numerous occasions. Plays extremely scrappy defensively through her activity and understanding of how to apply pressure and recover. She generated plenty of turnovers and made her opponent uncomfortable on the ball. Offensively I thought she did a nice job pacing the offense and getting the team in their sets. Did a nice job with dribble handoffs and relocating off the ball as well, showing some off-ball potential. Overall she played like a seasoned veteran as you'd expect the 2021 graduate to at this point. Her all-around engagement and activity were very impressive. <strong>Emma Henke</strong> (MVP, 2022) <em><strong>HS Team:</strong></em> Bourgade Catholic High School) Showed solid body control and has good size + length standing at 6'0" tall. She was a consistently active defender, disruptive on the ball especially. Henke played within the flow of the offense and sets good screens at the right time. Made the right reads when she had the ball whether it was making entry passes or cutting off the ball. Didn't do anything particularly flashy, but her steady play caught my eye. With her combination of height, body control, and overall basketball awareness she could be a name to watch next season at Bourgade High during her senior campaign. <hr /> There will be additional coverage from the Summer Sizzle, so stay tuned!