2A Final Four Standouts

The 2A Final Four took place on February 26th at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Phoenix. In the first semifinal St John's defeated Arizona Lutheran Academy 48-34. In the second semifinal, Fountain Hills pulled off a tough win over San Carlos. Fountain Hills will face St. John's for the 2A title on Saturday, February 28th. Here, I take a look at a few of the standouts from these contests    The athletic sophomore passed the eye test immediately. She has a real burst off the bounce and is comfortable getting downhill. Alyvia showed a soft, controlled floater in the paint when the helper rotated. Defensively, her hands were active all night (5 steals)—deflections, disruptions, turning defense into transition.     Wendt came out on fire from deep, stretching the floor early. But what stood out more were the little things — extra rotations, timely rebounds, smart cuts. She was a big senior presence. She kept her team steady when momentum swung.     The freshman plays with poise beyond her years. She has a strong feel for the game and an understanding of space. She has soft hands and a soft touch around the rim, especially on quick catches in traffic. She doesn't rush the action and has a high long-term ceiling once she adds strength.     Caylee was aggressive and flipped the game in the third quarter. Back-to-back threes shifted momentum. Even in foul trouble, she stayed engaged defensively, jumping passing lanes and making plays. Tough, confident senior guard.     Kynzi was productive and active on the block. She finished through contact and battled defensively. What makes her intriguing is the confidence stepping out to the perimeter — comfortable knocking down the mid-range and beyond. She finished with 12 points and 13 rebounds.     Kylee is one of the better passers in the state, regardless of position. Sees cutters before they're open and delivers on time. She drew fouls consistently and lived at the free-throw line. She was a physical presence inside with playmaking touch, which is a rare combination. Juan finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds.     Her five steals tell you a lot. Saedee displayed good anticipation and very good hands defensively. She handled pressure well and didn't get sped up. She was a competitor through and through — refused to let her team fold and helped them get past San Carlos. She finished with 15 points and 6 steals     Taleigha is a quick, active lead guard who changed the tempo in the second half. Her shot-making sparked the comeback, but it was her energy that fueled it. She pushed the pace, attacked gaps, and made defenders uncomfortable. She finished with a game-high 22 points.

The 2A Final Four took place on February 26th at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Phoenix. In the first semifinal St John's defeated Arizona Lutheran Academy 48-34. In the second semifinal, Fountain Hills pulled off a tough win over San Carlos. Fountain Hills will face St. John's for the 2A title on Saturday, February 28th.

Here, I take a look at a few of the standouts from these contests