Underclassmen Standouts: Arizona 4A Desert Sky Division

Look no further for a preview of some of the top underclassmen in the 4A Desert Sky Division in Arizona. Each of these girls was a top freshman in their division last season and I am looking forward to seeing how they continue to perform throughout their careers. Here is a quick overview of the young guns to watch out for in the upcoming 2021-2022 High School Basketball season. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="205681" first="Marley" last="Jackson"] - Sophomore - 5’6" - Saguaro High School </strong> Jackson really made a name for herself during her freshman season for the Saguaro Lady Sabercats scoring 82 points total and 4.6 points per game. She went 6 for 6 from behind the arc during the season opener against Marcos de Niza earning herself the MaxPreps Player of the Game with a total of 22 points. Not only can she get the job done from the three-point line, but she can use her body to get open down low. Marley also helped out her team during her minutes by securing 2.1 rebounds per game and a total of 37 rebounds for the year. <strong>Vanessa Sepulveda - Sophomore - 5’7" - Mesquite High School </strong> Vanessa is another outstanding upcoming sophomore to play in the Desert Sky Division this season. Throughout her freshman year, she played guard for both JV and Varsity making an impact on both teams. For Junior Varsity, she averaged 11.8 points per game and 165 points total, completing 38% of her field goals. Sepulveda was also able to step in for all 18 Varsity games, as well. Her PPG stat is lower at 4.6, but that is completely understandable as your first season playing high school basketball. The experience that she was able to gain playing at such a high level at a young age will help her over the next three years to continue to lead her teammates to victory. <strong>Caitlyn Benally - Sophomore - 5’11" - Seton Catholic High School </strong> #35 Caitlyn Benally was a freshman guard last season that got in each game for the reigning Arizona 4A State Champions, the Seton Catholic Lady Spartans. Even though she may not have been the star or leading scorer, she scored in just about every game making sure that her presence on the court was positive. Benally knew her role throughout her minutes and executed each play. Standing at five-foot-eleven, she brought down 4.3 rebounds per game for the number three ranked team in the state with a few big blocks as well. As she continues to age, more skill and confidence will naturally come. Once it does, she will be a force to be reckoned with. <strong>McKartnie Skousen - Sophomore - 5’6" - American Leadership Academy </strong> Skousen (#4) played point guard/shooting guard last season for the American Leadership Academy Lady Patriots and will play in the upcoming 2021-2022 basketball season as a sophomore. After a tough overall season record of 7-9, McKartnie still stood out as a youngster playing in an extremely tough division and held her own. She scored a total of 51 points for her team over the course of the season while also bringing down 2.8 rebounds per game. A tough player that gives her all during her minutes. <strong>Chloe Hancock - Sophomore - 5’10" - American Leadership Academy </strong> Hancock is another young player that is getting great experience playing in this competitive of a division at such a young age. Although the season may not have gone perfectly for the Lady Patriots, this five-foot-ten upcoming sophomore put up 2.7 points per game and 3.2 rebounds per game. Chloe wants to do the little things right to get herself open down low and I am looking forward to seeing her grow her game over the next few years.