Palo Verde Summer League Day One Standouts

I had the opportunity to check out the Palo Verde Summer League as we kick off the June high school season here in Arizona. A lot of new faces who are making a name for themselves and some vets who continue to show they're some of the best in Southern Arizona. Below are some standouts from day one.    Another dominant force in the paint for the Cougars. She has good speed and athleticism that allows her the ability to defend multiple positions. In this game she effectively guarded 1-5 with no problem. Handles the ball very well advancing in transition. An effective rebounder and second chance opportunity specialist. Layla impacted the game in all levels and will be a huge force this upcoming season.     Lilly defends the paint very well. Don't let her listed position fool you, she has the speed and skill to defend around the perimeter as well. A skilled dribbler who can get the ball at the perimeter, make a quick move and drive the lane finishing with the left hand off the glass for the and one play. Excellent shot blocker who was a big reason the Cougars were able to hold their opponent to just five total first half points. Strong pass deflector who also came up with many steals throughout the game.     Carlon is going to make a name for herself really quickly in what is looking to be a pretty good 2030 class in Southern Arizona. She stood out with her defensive IQ. Good ability to make high level reads and act on them. Very disciplined. Kept opposing guards from advancing and even blocked a couple shots in the paint. Leads the offense with confidence and can make plays. Strong passer and moves effectively. Looking forward to seeing more of Carlon and the Nogales Apaches this summer.     Polanco is very quick and can handle the ball very well. Moves around the court with purpose, Cuts hard and scores quickly off the pass. Has a good mid range jump shot she can score off of. Showed the ability to knock down the three ball. A very strong first showing for the incoming freshman on the varsity level. Played with a lot of composure and confidence. Defended well coming up with a couple steals. Polanco could very well find herself contributing strong minutes in the varsity rotation should she continue to play the way she did.     Levelle was very impressive in my first viewing of her. She was impressive right off the bat with her ability to dribble through pressure and was unphased by the double team from her opponents. Levelle showed off good ability to shoot the three ball. A skilled and confident ball handler. Can consistently get to the paint and makes accurate passes through traffic. Can score well through contact. Expect to read more about Levelle this upcoming season.     Wexler showed out as she always does. Within the first three minutes of the game she already had multiple steals, rebounds, assists and points. She is a player I feel can go out and contribute now at the college level. Shes one of the top overall prospects in Southern Arizona. She can effectively play 1-4 with her speed, size and skill. Can shoot the ball very well from deep. She impacts the game at a very high level. Expect her recruitment to make strides this summer.     The reigning 6A South Defensive Player of the Year picked up right where she left off. Dominating the boards, scoring at will in the paint you name it. One of the few players you can almost guarantee will finish with a double double in any game. Very skilled footwork and handle when she drives the lane. Disciplined shot blocker who can hold down the post or get out and defend on the perimeter. Expect some big things from Safo this summer and upcoming season.

I had the opportunity to check out the Palo Verde Summer League as we kick off the June high school season here in Arizona. A lot of new faces who are making a name for themselves and some vets who continue to show they're some of the best in Southern Arizona. Below are some standouts from day one.