Under the Radar: Arizona 6A Desert Valley Region
With the 2021-2022 high school basketball season closing in, let’s take a little bit of time to look back on the last season and some of the elite players that may have fallen a little Under the Radar in the…
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Continue ReadingWith the 2021-2022 high school basketball season closing in, let’s take a little bit of time to look back on the last season and some of the elite players that may have fallen a little Under the Radar in the state of Arizona Class AAAAAA Desert Valley region.
Abby Dean – Sophomore – 5’6″ – Boulder Creek High School
As a freshman last season, Abby stood out above the rest with her ability to knock down the deep three-ball and get scrappy on defense. She averaged 9.8 points per game and 2.9 rebounds per game followed by 2.5 assists per game and 1.4 steals per game. The five-foot-six combo guard is not shy when it comes to shooting the ball and will make the opposing team pay if she gets hot. Almost half of her 154 total points scored for the season came from her 26 three-pointers so it is safe to say Dean will be one of the top shooters in the Desert Valley region this year.
Joslyn Baumgartner – Junior – 5’6″ – Boulder Creek High School
Joslyn was another top underclassman last season for the Boulder Creek Lady Jaguars that came in and drew attention right off of the bat. The five-foot-six sophomore came out last year and averaged 9.0 points per game, 4.1 rebounds per game and, 1.9 steals per game to help lead her team to an overall winning record of 9-8 for the 2020-2021 basketball season. She was awarded the MaxPreps Player of the Game award for her outstanding performance against Shadow Ridge late in January. Baumgartner finished the game with 14 points, 3 steals, 2 rebounds and, 2 assists. After having two seasons playing up on varsity under her belt, Joslyn will be ready to lead the Lady Jags to a great year.
Mak Snyder Mak Snyder 5'7" | SG Sandra Day | 2023 State AZ – Junior – 5’5″ – Sandra Day O’Connor High School
Snyder is a five-foot-five incoming junior this season for the Sandra Day O’Connor Lady Eagles where she has played point guard the past two years. Her stats over the years have really shown her growth since the first time she stepped on the court in 2019. Last season, Mak averaged 7.8 points per game, 4.1 rebounds per game and, 2.6 assists per game. She is an all-around unselfish player that will share the ball when necessary but does not hesitate to take an open shot. In a tough loss early in the year against Hamilton, Snyder had 21 points (3 three-pointers – 50%), 4-4 from the free-throw line, and shot 57% inside. Not only did she help her team by scoring, but that night she also brought down 11 rebounds, 4 of them coming on the offensive end of the floor. There is a bright future in store for #15.
Hannah Uhlenhop Hannah Uhlenhop 5'10" | PG Mountain Ridge | 2023 State AZ – Junior – Mountain Ridge High School
After playing up on the varsity level since her freshman season, Hannah will be starting her junior year for the Mountain Ridge Lady Mountain Lions in the next few upcoming weeks. She averaged 7.3 points per game, 2.4 rebounds per game and, 2.5 assists per game to help her team to an overall record of 6-8 for the 2020-2021 basketball season. In a big win late in the year against Boulder Creek, Uhlenhop had 12 points, 6 defensive boards, 3 assists, and 3 steals to add to a 52-32 upset. It is important for Hannah to use the knowledge and experience that she has gotten over the past couple of years and apply it to this upcoming season.
Kylie Dennis – Senior – 5’10″ – Mountain Ridge High School
This multi-sport athlete will be starting her senior season of basketball at the high school level here in the upcoming weeks so let’s take a look back at her success last year. Five-foot-ten Dennis managed to average 8.2 points per game, 6.6 rebounds per game and, 1.5 steals per game in the 2020-2021 basketball season. She had a double-double in a big game early in the year against Pinnacle where she scored 11 points and brought down 12 rebounds (9 defensive, 3 offensive) with no turnovers. During that game, Kylie also managed to use her quick hands and feet to get two steals. With this upperclassman leadership, I think that the Lady Mountain Lions should finish off this season with a few more wins than the last.