The Best in the Class of 2026 at Arizona’s Expo 250
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INTRODUCTION: There were over 180 participants in last Saturday’s Expo 250 held in Gilbert. Also, there were three outstanding freshmen among all the competitors. Here’s a profile of the three for the class of 2026. Brooke Nowak Brooke Nowak 5'11"…
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Continue ReadingINTRODUCTION: There were over 180 participants in last Saturday’s Expo 250 held in Gilbert. Also, there were three outstanding freshmen among all the competitors. Here’s a profile of the three for the class of 2026.
Brooke Nowak Brooke Nowak 5'11" | CG Notre Dame Preparatory | 2026 State AZ – is a 5-8 freshman point guard at Notre Dame Prep. She improved her overall game this past spring and summer, playing for the Arizona Elite 15U. She played with her AAU team at the Girls Rise Championship, GUAA Session 2, and the Select Events Championship. At Expo 250 she showed she has an outstanding motor, drives the lane well, and finishes at the rim. Defensively, she is a tireless defender and plays good team defense. Brooke also has good court awareness, is a natural rebounder, and keeps all the other players on her team involved in the flow of the offense. The most important thing, though, is that she will continue to grow and improve her game each season.
Tysyn Johnson Tysyn Johnson 5'1" | PG Valley Vista | 2026 State AZ – is a 4-8 freshman at Valley Vista High School. One scout talked about her development over the last year. “This player can go. She is early in her development but you can already see she will be a player when it counts. She has solid court awareness and is a good transition player. Look for her to make some strides in the next 12 months.” She already has. At Expo 250 over this past weekend, she showed confidence and was comfortable in her offensive game which included good ball-handling skills and a nice mid-range jump shot. She played well in transition throughout the tournament and her comfort level grew throughout the afternoon. Tysyn is also a solid defender and will continue to grow as the season moves forward.
Averi Mehlberg Averi Mehlberg 5'9" | SG Chandler | 2026 State AZ is a 5-8 freshman who plays for Chandler High School as well as her club team, Arizona Elite 15U. At a 7th and 8th grade tournament last season, she hit on seven three-point shots to rally her team to three straight wins. At Expo 250, she showed both her impressive mid-range jumper and clutch shooting from beyond the arc. She has a high basketball IQ and is a high-percentage shooter. She is schooled very well fundamentally and plays well under pressure, keeping her composure. Defensively, she is a gritty defender. With each practice and game, her confidence grows. Averi has the potential to be a big-name player in a few years. She should also help Chandler make a run in the 2023 state tournament.