Arizona 5A Standouts in Late November

As the 2021-2022, high school basketball season gets underway, Prep Girls Hoops will follow along documenting each of the top performers throughout the entirety of the year. We will first focus on the players in the Class AAAAA in Arizona and see who stood out above the rest over the holiday week. <strong>Maren Woffinden - Senior - 5’10" - Higley High School </strong> Team Captain, Maren Woffinden is a five-foot-ten senior for the Higley Lady Knights that has been an outstanding force for her team throughout her high school days. This season, she has started out strong by averaging 14.0 points per game, 11.3 rebounds per game and, 2.0 steals per game. In just three games so far this season, Maren finished with a double-double in two out of the three. In her first game against Greenway High School, #30 had an impressive 16 points and 16 rebounds (5 offensive, 11 defensive). She also put up 20 points a couple of days later in a win over West Point High School where she also brought down 12 rebounds (5 offensive, 12 defensive). This powerful senior will be one to watch for throughout the 2021-2022 basketball season. <strong>Aiyanna Perkins - Freshman - McClintock High School</strong> In my opinion, Perkins is not only one of the top freshmen in the Arizona AAAAA but one of the top players in the entire state. In her first few games as a Lady Charger, Aiyanna is already averaging 24.2 points per game and 8.0 steals per game followed by 5.6 rebounds per game and 3.4 assists per game. It is no secret that Perkins knows the game of basketball and is full of poise when she steps onto the court. This is a rare trait to come by in such a young player. Keep this name in your head over the next couple of years because you will be hearing it a lot. <strong>Tianna Knighton - Sophomore - 5'7" - Arcadia High School </strong> In just eight games into the 2021-2022 high school basketball season, five-foot-seven sophomore, Tianna Knighton has already made a name for herself. The young guard is already averaging 18.1 points per game followed by 5.6 rebounds per game and 3.9 steals per game. Knighton is starting off her second year in high school with 149 points at the beginning of December. This is a tough feat for any player, especially a youngster like Tianna, but she has risen to the occasion and is not taking no for an answer. There is no doubt in my mind that she will be one of the top players in the Class AAAAA over the next couple of years. <strong>Ariyanna Sorensen - Senior - 5'8" - Cienega High School </strong> Another outstanding senior captain that stood out above the rest during tournament play in late November is five-foot-eight Ariyanna Sorensen. Sorensen has averaged 14.7 points per game, 5.7 rebounds per game, and 4.3 steals per game in the early start of the season. The small forward/shooting guard combo athlete helped lead her team to a 2-1 record to start off the year after beating a couple of tough opponents. In an eight-point win over a talented Mountain View team, Ariyanna scored 24 points to help secure the W. This four-year experienced varsity veteran will be a big point of emphasis for the Lady Bobcats this season. <strong>Samantha Sebastiani - Junior - 5’7" - Horizon High School </strong> Sebastiani is a five-foot-seven junior that plays small forward and shooting guard for the Horizon Lady Huskies. Samantha has played up on varsity since her freshman season and I believe that she will have an IQ advantage over some of the other players that she will run into over the course of the 2021-2022 high school basketball season in the AAAAA division. So far, #20 is averaging 10.4 points per game and 7.5 rebounds per game in the first few games of the season. She also is averaging 2.5 assists per game and 2.1 steals per game, as well. Samantha is a well-rounded athlete that is not afraid to get scrappy.