FIVE UNHERALDED FORWARDS FOR 2024

Introduction: Arizona girls' high school basketball continues to improve every season. In 2022-2023, there are a number of unheralded junior players at small or power forward. Here's a look at five of them:     [player_tooltip player_id='263400' first='NAYELI' last='NIDEZ-ACUNA'] - is a 5-8 junior small forward who plays for the Sunnyside High School Lady Devils. As a sophomore last winter, in a game against Cienega High School, she had a double-double. In her first two years at Sunnyside, she has been selected as Player of the Game on ten different occasions by Max Preps. Against Mica Mountain, Nayeli had 16 points and 19 rebounds and, as a freshman, had 17 points and 17 rebounds in a game against Rincon High School. In 40 games over a two-year span, she is averaging 10.9 points and 10.1 rebounds. She improved her scoring average from 7.1 as a freshman to 13.7 as a sophomore. One scout commented on her game after her freshman season. "The long and powerful forward finished her first season at the next level, recording four double-double finishes. She will be a name to remember. Get on early to watch the progression of her game throughout her time in high school."   EVALUATION: In four games as a sophomore, Nayeli had double-doubles and continues to improve on both offense and defense. She is considered a double-double machine. She is also a fierce defender and steal-maker. She should have outstanding junior and senior seasons.     [player_tooltip player_id='263398' first='TAMI' last='BALOGUN'] - is a 5-9 junior power forward who plays for Agua Fria High School in the 5A Desert West Division. For the Lady Owls, Tami averaged 8.4 points per game and 8.8 rebounds per contest. One scout had this to say about her. "Even though the team, as a whole, may not have executed the way that they had hoped, Tami was a solid, strong force for the Lady Owls in each and every game. She finished her first year with 135 points and 141 rebounds against some pretty talented teams. There is a lot more to come from this one over the next few years, mark my words." Playing for Head Coach Sam Polvino, Tami made the Sports 360 AZ All-Academic Girls Basketball Team with a 4.00 unweighted GPA. She was selected as Agua Fria's Athlete of the Season for winter   EVALUATION: Tami was a consistently steady player game in, game out in 2022. She has size, quickness, and touch around the rim. She is also very athletic with a high basketball IQ. She should come into her own during the 2022-2023 season.     ELIANA SOANES - is a 5-10 junior small forward who plays for Head Coach David Williams at Desert Vista High School. She also plays for her club team, Arizona Elite. In profiling her first year at DVHS, one scout said "she is an outstanding shot blocker and rebounder." In her freshman year, the team was limited to 17 games because of the Covid virus. Limited to playing in just 11 games, Eliana averaged just 1.1 points per game and 2.6 rebounds per game. In March of 2021, Desert Vista lost to Westwood in the AIA state tournament, 5Chandler High School in March 2021. As a freshman, she played in 15 junior varsity games as well. Her coach had this to say about her: "Eliana is still learning how to use her size to her advantage. She is already a strong defender and rebounder. As she gets more size, she has the potential to be a threat on both ends of the court."   EVALUATION: Eliana has progressed steadily as both a shot blocker and rebounder. She needs to work on her offensive game including both shooting and ball-handling. With practice, she has the potential to be a major threat at both ends of the court.   [player_tooltip player_id='205685' first='OLIVIA' last='HOLUB'] - is a 5-9 junior power forward for both Deer Valley High School in Glendale and her grassroots team, TWE Elite. Before transferring to DVHS, Olivia played for the Shadow Ridge High School stallions in surprise. As a sophomore there, she averaged 5.8 points per game and 3.8 rebounds. Shadow ridge lost to Chandler High School in the AIA State Tournament, that season, 55-44. The team went 15-12 overall but Olivia played in only eight varsity games. In two full seasons, she played in 22 games for Shadow Ridge, averaging 4.5 points per game. Playing in the 6A Southwest Region, Olivia will be playing both her junior and senior seasons with the Deer Valley Skyhawks.   EVALUATION: Olivia has great court awareness and plays a strong team defense. She needs to work on her jump shot but has been improving steadily. She is an outstanding hustler on defense and normally plays one-on-one with her opponent's top scorer.     [player_tooltip player_id='205679' first='Sarah' last='Hurley'] is a 5-7 junior small forward for Scottsdale Prep Academy as well as the Arizona Rebels, her grassroots team. In 2020-2021, as a freshman, Sarah averaged 8.0 points per game along with 4.1 rebounds and 3.3 assists. Her team finished 9-9 overall and 5-7 in conference play. Scottsdale Prep lost in March 2021 to Pima High School in the AIA State Tournament. She had a career-high 19 points to go along with 12 assists in a win over North Pointe Prep. As a sophomore, Sarah hit four three-pointers in games against Glendale Prep and Northland Prep. She also had a double-double vs. Parker High School. She plays for Spartan Head Coach Taray Allen-Lisbon. Last winter she came into her own and ran the Scottsdale Prep offense. One scout commented on her game: " She has an outstanding work ethic, is a team leader both on and off the court, and continues to improve on both offense and defense." She has a weighted GPA of 4.83 and made the Sports 360 AZ All-Academic Girls Basketball Team. Sarah has had an unofficial visit to the University of Buffalo. There will certainly be more to come during her junior and senior seasons.   EVALUATION: As a sophomore, Sarah hit four three-pointers in two different games. She is an outstanding offensive player who gets all of her teammates involved. She now runs the SPA offense and is considered to be a natural leader, both on and off the court.

Introduction: Arizona girls' high school basketball continues to improve every season. In 2022-2023, there are a number of unheralded junior players at small or power forward. Here's a look at five of them: