Southern Arizona 5A Playoff Preview

The Arizona 5A Conference is going to be extremely competitive after the Open Division opening rounds shake everything out. I think the Open Division will consist mostly of 6A Conference teams this year as well as 4A Salpointe Catholic. There are 4 teams from Southern Arizona that I believe have a chance to go deep into the playoffs this year, starting with Pueblo.     The Pueblo Warriors are 16-1 heading into the opening rounds of the Open Division. If they do not advance in the Open, Pueblo has a good shot at a 5A State Title this year. They have been to the 4A State title game twice in the last few years and this could be the year that Head Coach Izzy Galindo and the Warriors finally bring home the crown. Their leader is Junior [player_tooltip player_id='607509' first='America' last='Cazares'], Pueblo's all-time scoring leader, and last year's 4A Kino Offensive Player of the Year. She is a prolific scorer that will be a nightmare to guard.   Catalina Foothills will also be heading to the 5A Conference Bracket in my opinion, and I believe they have a shot to win the whole thing as well. The Falcons are led by Senior [player_tooltip player_id='558901' first='Clara-Mae' last='Hager'], last year's 5A Southern Region Player of the Year. Head Coach Jake Martinez had his team in the Final 4 a couple years ago and also believes this could be the year the Falcons come home with the Trophy.     Flowing Wells has also been to the State Championship game twice in recent years but failed to win it all. This year's team is 14-3, but may not be deep enough to bring home a State Title. However, they have shown signs of being extremely good when they play poised and under control. They are led by [player_tooltip player_id='558904' first='Nevaeh' last='Urenda'], [player_tooltip player_id='1197262' first='Leila' last='Whitaker'] and Allison Verdugo..   The Nogales Lady Apaches have a great mixture of veterans and young players this season and they have showed some signs of greatness when they are hitting on all cylinders. That will be the key for this squad. Peaking at the right time. Head Coach YaYa Sanchez is going to get to a State Championship some day. If they want to get there this year, the Lady Apaches need to put together consecutive games when they are clicking and hitting their open shots. They are led by Senior Cecy Burruel and Freshman [player_tooltip player_id='1050010' first='Arlette' last='Munoz'].   Southern Arizona 5A Impact Players:    [player_tooltip player_id='607509' first='America' last='Cazares'] is one of the most prolific scorers in Arizona. She is deadly from the 3 point line but she is also efficient from mid-range and at the rim. She is big for a Combo Guard, and her length gives defenders problems. She is the type of player that if she gets on a roll, she can score 40 + points.     [player_tooltip player_id='1196458' first='Sara' last='Galindo'] is a solid point guard that can also play shooting guard. She is a very good 3 point shooter. Sara is Head Coach Izzy Galindo's daughter and she is like an extension of him on the court. She is an excellent defender and a nightmare in press situations.     [player_tooltip player_id='558901' first='Clara-Mae' last='Hager'] is the leader of the Falcons. She is a 4 year starter and has a ton of playoff experience. She is a versatile combo guard but is best when she is the play maker. She is a very good shooter and can score in bunches. She also is a tenacious defender. She will be playing College Basketball at Concordia College.     [player_tooltip player_id='608444' first='Mercy' last='Martinez'] is a critical part of the success that the Falcons have had the last several years. She is a solid rim protector and rebounder. She has a strong presence inside on offense and defense for the Falcons. She is versatile on offense in that she can score in the paint as well as hit mid range shots. She will be playing Volleyball at Adams State next year.     [player_tooltip player_id='558904' first='Nevaeh' last='Urenda'] is a prototype point guard. She is an excellent distributor and ball handler. She runs the show for the Cabelleros. She is a good shooter on all 3 levels. What stands out the most for me is her leadership. She has a high basketball IQ and is an extension of the coaching staff on the floor. She will be attending Pima College next year.     Allison Verdugo is a two-way forward that is having a breakout season for Flowing Wells. She is almost averaging a double double in points (9.5) and rebounds (8.5). She is very athletic for a forward and runs the floor well. She will be a highly recruited player if she continues to develop.     Cecy Burruel is the key player for the Lady Apaches. They need her to be on top of her game to advance in the playoffs. She is a great shooter but she also is excellent at creating shots off the dribble. She definitely can play on the next level.     [player_tooltip player_id='1050010' first='Arlette' last='Munoz'] is having a breakout year for the Lady Apaches. The Freshman is a terrific 3 way scorer. She is very poised for a Freshman especially in press situations. She is a good passer and good defender. She will play on the next level.

The Arizona 5A Conference is going to be extremely competitive after the Open Division opening rounds shake everything out. I think the Open Division will consist mostly of 6A Conference teams this year as well as 4A Salpointe Catholic. There are 4 teams from Southern Arizona that I believe have a chance to go deep into the playoffs this year, starting with Pueblo.