Under the Radar: Arizona 4A Southwest Division

With the 2021-2022 high school basketball scene just around the corner, look no further for a preview of some of the top players that may have flown Under the Radar in the state of Arizona Class AAAA Southwest Region. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="138099" first="Jocelyn" last="Chavez"] - Sophomore - 5’9" - Dysart High School </strong> Jocelyn is another player that I have had the pleasure to watch at the recent Prep Girls Hoops Top 250 Expo in Gilbert earlier this month and I was in for a treat. I wouldn't necessarily say Chavez is a player that is "under the radar" but as a freshman last season, I personally don't think she got the hype that she deserves. She displays the characteristics of a leader at a young age and has a high basketball IQ. The five-foot-nine combo guard averaged 19.1 points per game for a total of 229 on the year. The future looks good for this young gun! <strong>Geneva Holman - Junior - 5’6" - Dysart High School </strong> Another Dysart Lady Demon that stood out as an underclassman during the 2020-2021 high school basketball season was five-foot-six guard, Geneva Holman. Playing in all 16 games, she averages 13.6 points per game and 5.2 rebounds per game against some pretty tough match-ups. Holman was also awarded the MaxPreps Player of the Game three times for her outstanding performances against Saguaro (26 points, 6 rebounds), Paradise Honors (double-double, 28 points, 10 rebounds), and Youngker (double-double, 30 points, 13 rebounds). Looking forward to seeing her progress over the next couple of years. <strong>Nakyah Williams - Sophomore - 5’2" - Paradise Honors High School </strong> Last year as a freshman, Williams, who only stands at five-foot-two, was an unstoppable force for the Paradise Honors Lady Panthers. She averaged 14.3 points per game along with 5.0 assists per game and 4.1 steals per game. Nakyah is not shy on either end of the floor and will take advantage of her quickness to surprise the opposing team. The point guard for the Varsity squad was awarded the MaxPreps Player of the Game in <strong>NINE </strong>different games throughout the 2020-2021 basketball season. With the abilities that Williams already has naturally combined with the four years of high-level basketball, she will continue to grow into a great ballplayer at the next level. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="263397" first="Belinda" last="Gradias"] - Sophomore - 5’10 - Yuma High School </strong> As a freshman last season, Gradias brought the heat for the Yuma Lady Criminals with 110 points over the course of the year. She is a five-foot-ten combo guard that can hold her own during her minutes in a competitive division. Even though it is her first year on the team, Belinda displayed a lot of leadership, energy, and grit that essentially motivated her teammates for the season. She finished off having a double-double in points and rebounds in three separate games along with a total of 162 rebounds. #23 is a confident player with a lot of potential. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="137284" first="Tianna" last="Reeder"] - Senior - 5’10" - Estrella Foothills High School </strong> Tianna is a veteran five-foot-ten big body down low for the Estrella Foothills Lady Wolves that does a good job of defending the rim. She has played on Varsity since her freshman year and made an impact on her team each season. As a junior, #32 averaged 10.3 points per game along with 6.8 rebounds per game and 3.6 assists per game. Reeder is an all-around player that has a good vision of the court. Although the majority of her 165 points came from inside, she was able to knock down 12 three-pointers last season. After helping lead her team to an overall record of 13-3, I predict that Tianna will come out strong for her senior year with the Lady Wolves.