Five outstanding centers now ready for their junior season

Introduction - The Arizona junior class has many gifted and athletic power forwards and centers. The five depicted below are interchangeable at both positions. All five are being recruited by Division I coaches and scouts.   [player_tooltip player_id='205643' first='Aniyah' last='Riddell'] - is a six-foot-one junior power forward and center who plays for Mountain Pointe High School as well as her grassroots team, Arizona Elite. As a freshman (2020-2021) she played in 15 games, averaging 14.7 points per game and 12.5 rebounds. From January 26 to March 5, Aniyah was awarded Player of the Game a total of 10 times by Max Preps. She had a number of double-doubles during that stretch - against Perry, 14 and 13, against Corona del Sol, 28 and 13, and against Desert Ridge, 18 and 18. She also played an extensive club schedule with Arizona Elite 17U. She is also a defensive specialist and will often guard her opponent's best player. She should come into her own in 2022-2023.   EVALUATION - at 6-1, she can play both power forward and center. She averaged a double-double as a freshman and is considered an outstanding rebounder at both ends of the court. Telling it all is the fact that she was selected as Player of the Game a total of ten different times as a freshman. Aniyah is also a tremendous defender and will certainly be playing at the next level.     [player_tooltip player_id='205662' first='Katelyn' last='Best'] - is a 6-2 junior center for Northwest Christian High School as well as the Arizona Rebels, her club team. As a sophomore last season, she averaged 17.3 points per game as well as 11.4 rebounds and 4.3 blocks. Her team finished with an overall 10-12 record. The Crusaders lost in last winter's AIA State Tournament to Eastmark, 43-38. Katelyn has played in 36 games for Northwest Christian over her first two years. As a freshman, she averaged 13.4 points per game, 6.1 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks per game. She also shot over 50% from the field both years. She is a bonafide Division I prospect with a 4.40 GPA. One scout commented on her game: " This young lady is set to explode onto the recruiting scene. The 6-2 forward/center can score from anywhere on the floor and is highly skilled around the basket. She is an elite scorer and tremendous defender and rebounder." Scholarship offers should be coming in soon.   EVALUATION - an outstanding scorer, she averaged a double-double as a sophomore to go along with over four blocks per game. Katelyn helps get all of her teammates involved in the offense and is, without a doubt, a major Division I prospect. She is also a ferocious defender and rebounder and should be ready for a breakout junior year. She is also a natural leader both on and off the court.     BELINDA GRACIAS - Iis a 5-11 power forward/center who plays for Yuma High School as well as her grassroots team, GBL Cobra Venom. Yuma was only 6-16 overall in 2022. As a sophomore Belinda averaged 11.8 points per game as well as 13.5 rebounds a game and 3.0 blocks. She was selected as Max Preps Player of the Game this past winter in the game against Youngker in which her coaching staff said: "she controlled the boards of both ends of the court." She was selected as Player of the Game another seven different times in 2021-2022. Belinda has played a total of 37 games over two seasons and her scoring, rebounding and blocks all improved from her freshman to sophomore year. One scout had this to say about her game. "Although the Yuma Lady Criminals as a whole faced a challenging season, Belinda was always there to pick up the pieces. She plays with a certain toughness and grit that a lot of older, more experienced players do not even possess. She is a high energy competitor with natural leadership ability."   EVALUATION:: as a sophomore, Belinda averaged a double-double - 11.8 points and 13.5 rebounds per contest. She is an outstanding rebounder at both ends of the court and equally effective as a defender. All three categories - scoring, rebounding, and blocks - improved dramatically from her first year to her second. As a sophomore Belinda hit 49% of her shots from the field. She should be ready for a breakout junior year.     [player_tooltip player_id='205663' first='Alicia' last='Ibarra'] - is a 5-11 junior power forward/center for Red Mountain High School in Mesa. She also plays for NWT, her club team. The Lady Lions compete in the 6A East Valley Region. As a freshman (2020-2021) Alicia averaged 4.4 points a game and 3.7 rebounds. She is ranked as the 27th best player in Arizona in the class of 2024. Since middle school, Alicia has improved - both offensively and defensively while playing for RMHS Head Coach Alex Munoz. As a junior high player in 2020, Alicia was a member of the NWT club team that won the title of Junior High School Champions with three straight wins. As a freshman, she had four three-pointers in a game against Tucson High School and four steals each in two different games, against both Desert Ridge as well as Mesa High School. As a sophomore, she averaged 5.3 points and 3.0 rebounds a game. Her older sister, Alexis, is also a member of the Lady Lions.   EVALUATION: since middle school, year by year, Alicia has improved her overall game. Her shooting and ball-handling skills need work, but, on defense, she is considered a 'steals' machine. With quick hands and great court awareness, defense is her specialty. Alicia has an outstanding basketball IQ, has improved her game in both the fast break and transition, and should be ready for a great junior year.     [player_tooltip player_id='205673' first='Breanna' last='Sommers']: - is a 5-11 junior power forward/center who plays for the Hamilton High school Huskies in Chandler. She is also a member of Arizona Elite 16U, her grassroots team. Her GPA is 4.64. As a freshman, she became a starter halfway through the season and into the state playoffs. She only started playing club basketball while in the eighth grade but played extensively with Arizona Elite during this past spring and summer. In 2022, she had six steals against Columbine and four steals against Corona del Sol. Last winter her high school team finished with an overall record of 18-8 and 5-3 in their conference. As a sophomore, she averaged 7.2 points per game and 3.0 rebounds. Hamilton lost to Desert Vista, 60-43 in last season's AIA State Tournament. As a freshman, Breanna averaged 4.6 points and 3.8 rebounds. She was selected as a member of the Honorable Mention team by the Arizona Republic's pre-season top fifty players for this year.   EVALUATION: although relatively new to club basketball having started to play a few years ago, Breanna is a natural leader both on and off the court. Over the last few years, she has improved both her shooting and ball-handling skills as well as individual and team defense. She is an aggressive defensive player, having stolen the ball six times in one game and four times each in two other contests. She is definitely ready for her junior season.

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Five outstanding centers now ready for their junior season

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