New Faces on the Scene for the Class of 2023

INTRODUCTION: Many seniors came on strong during the second half of the 2022-23 season. Here's a look at five of them.   [player_tooltip player_id='261445' first='Kamaria' last='James'] - is a 5-5 senior guard who plays for both Chandler High School as well as her club team, the Lady Soldiers. One scout had this to say about Kamaria: "She is a true leader both on and off the court. She is a versatile guard with a fast first step. She is a clutch player who is not afraid to go to the paint for a nice Euro or assist a teammate with a good, no-look pass." She runs the fast break well and her quick hands make her a demon on defense. Another scout had this to say: "Playing in the 6A Premier League, Kamaria has been a three-year varsity starter. She made a ton of progress in the summer of 2021 playing for her club team, the Lady Soldiers."   EVALUATION: Kamaria played both on the JV and varsity as a freshman and then became a three-year starter for the varsity. She developed strong leadership skills for the Lady Wolves as an upperclassman. Her overall game - both offensively and defensively - has improved every year of high school. She's both a clutch shooter and deadly defender, having led her team in steals combining quick hands and quick feet.   [player_tooltip player_id='261448' first='Fanta' last='Sackor'] - is a 5-7 senior shooting guard who plays for Paradise Valley High School. Over 27 games last season, she averaged 16.3 points per game to go along with 5.5 rebounds and 4.3 steals. She had six steals in a game last season against Kellis High School and seven fast breaks vs. Casa Grand Union. As a sophomore, she averaged 13.4 points and 5.0 rebounds. For her last two seasons, she was selected by Max Preps as Player of the Game a total of six different times. In the holiday Lady Badger Tournament, she put up 28 points and then 25 in Paradise Valley's first and second-round wins. Fanta plays in the 5A Northeast Valley Conference.   EVALUATION: Fanta is a 5-7 senior guard/forward who has an outstanding basketball IQ. While averaging over 16 points per game, her strong suit is her ball-handling and play-making skills. In one game this season she had seven fast breaks and, in another game, had six steals. Defensively, she is aggressive and possesses great anticipation. She has improved every year of her high school career.   [player_tooltip player_id='208258' first='Diya' last='Venkat'] - is a 5-7 senior shooting guard for Sandra Day O'Connor High School as well as her club team, the Arizona Rebels. In 25 games this past season, she averaged 3.1 points per game along with 1.4 rebounds for the Lady Eagles. Diya averaged 3.5 points per game as a junior. Her high school lost to Gilbert in the AIA state tournament, 51-50. She has a 4.61 weighted GPA and is a member of the Sports360AZ All-Academic Girls Basketball Teams (4A-6A).   EVALUATION: Diya is a three-year varsity player that has improved her overall game every season since she was a freshman at O'Connor High School. She also gained valuable experience playing for her club team, the Arizona Rebels, during the spring and summer months. She competed in a number of nationwide tournaments. As a result, her ball-handling and shooting skills as well as her overall defense have gotten vastly better.   [player_tooltip player_id='208265' first='CeCe' last='Cabrero'] - is a 5-8 senior guard for both Millennium High School and her club team, AZ Select. Millennium lost in this past year's State Championship Game to Desert Vista High School, 63-37. This past year, CeCe averaged 6.2 points per game along with 2.5 rebounds per contest. The Tigers finished the season with an overall 20-9 record but were undefeated in their region (12-0). She had five three-pointers in a game earlier in the year against La Joga Community. In three years on the varsity, a total of 69 games, she averaged 4.5 points and 2.4 rebounds. She was selected to the 5A Desert West First-Team All-Region.   EVALUATION: CeCe is an outstanding perimeter shooter as well as from beyond the arc. In one game last season she hit five three-pointers against La Joga Community. Her ball-handling skills have improved dramatically since her first year of high school. She is also a tireless defender and usually guards their opponent's top scorer. She is also a leader both on and off the court for the Lady Tigers.   [player_tooltip player_id='550696' first='AJ' last='Bonapart']E - is a 5-6 senior guard for Sahuaro High School. Saguaro lost in the state semifinals to Pueblo, 57-50. AJ played in 31 games this season, averaging 16.0 ppg to go along with 5.1 rebounds and 3.7 steals. In a career total of 79 games, she averaged 13.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 3.2 steals for the Cougars. Both her scoring and steals totals increased each season from her sophomore to senior seasons. In late January of 2023, AJ went over 1,000 career points. She achieved the feat in a lopsided win over Canyon del Oro. She accomplished the goal in just three seasons. Over the holiday season, Saguaro won the Estrella Foothills Tournament and went 3-1 at the SoCal Prep Classic. She averaged 19 points a game over the two events.   EVALUATION: You can describe AJ's game as consistent. In three years she scored over 1,000 career points, averaging 15.5 as a junior and 16.0 as a senior. Her shooting, ball-handling skills, and leadership have all gotten better for her every year of high school. She is also a relentless defender and led the Cougars in steals this past season. AJ should be playing at the next level in 2023-24.

INTRODUCTION: Many seniors came on strong during the second half of the 2022-23 season. Here's a look at five of them.