The Best Centers in the Classes of 2022, 2023 and 2024

Arizona has some outstanding centers in the classes of 2022, 2023, and 2024. Here’s a look at some of them. &nbsp; &nbsp; [player_tooltip player_id="36791" first="<strong>Kennedy</strong>" last="<strong>Basham</strong>"] is a six-foot-seven center who plays for PHH Prep in Phoenix. She also plays for her club team, Arizona Select. Kennedy is one of the nation’s top-recruited centers and ranked #3 in the Arizona Republic’s 50 top high school girls basketball players for 2021-2022. After her sophomore year at Pinnacle High School, she transferred last December to PHH Prep. While at Pinnacle, she averaged 17.6 points per game as a sophomore along with 9.9 rebounds and 4.6 blocks per game which were ranked second in the state. She led the Pioneers to their second consecutive 6A state semifinal before losing to state champion runner-up Chandler Hamilton. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <img class="size-medium wp-image-36915 alignright" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2019/04/Kennedy-Basham-1-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /> This past season Kennedy led PHH Prep to the first-ever national championship for girls basketball in the prestigious Grind Session. She spent most of the off-season modeling and adding muscle to her lithe physique. One scout commented that ..." she improved her outside spot-up shooting touch and ball-handling skills instead of relying on her post moves." She also has double-digit college scholarship offers although she has not made a commitment. Offers have come from Oregon, UCLA, Washington, Colorado, Kansas, Penn, Georgetown, Loyola-Marymount, Utah, and Vanderbilt. Another scout talked about Kennedy’s game. "She runs the court like a guard prospect - fluid and agile. Her impact on women’s basketball over time could lead this young lady to stardom throughout her basketball career and she is becoming a change agent among her peers. She also has excellent low post footwork for her age and a nice jump hook that is difficult to defend. She is patient in the low post and makes strong offensive moves in the paint or looks for cutters or the open player on the floor making her offense very efficient. Kennedy is also among the elite shot-blockers in America." &nbsp; [player_tooltip player_id="261400" first="<strong>Kiley</strong>" last="<span style="font-size: 1rem;"><strong>Miller</strong>"] is a six-foot-two center for the Centennial High School Coyotes in Peoria. She is a junior and class of 2023. She also plays for her club team, Arizona Select. The Coyotes finished with a disappointing 5-12 record last season and 4-6 in their conference. As a sophomore, Kiley averaged 16.6 points a game along with 16.2 rebounds and 3.2 blocks, As a freshman, she averaged 16.4 points, 17.9 rebounds, and shot 62% from the floor. In her debut as a freshman, she had a double-double - 34 points and 20 rebounds - while making 16 of 17 shots. Kiley emerged as the fourth leading scorer and best rebounder as a first-year player. She also won Player of the Game - as awarded by Max Preps - 16 times as a freshman.</span> "I would say the easiest part about coaching Kiley is her work ethic," said her former coach Prayer Branham. "She works hard. It’s very rare that I have to get on her about working hard. That’s honestly the ideal player you ask for. In the next five to ten years, Kiley is going to be a star. I truly believe she is going to play at the collegiate level." Now she has two more years to be ready to play at the next level. &nbsp; [player_tooltip player_id="208267" first="<strong>Achol</strong>" last="<strong>Magot</strong>"] is a six-foot-seven center who plays for Salpointe Catholic as well as her club team AZ Select Tucson. A transfer from Catalina Magnet, the Lancers went to the state championship game last March but lost to Seton Catholic, 70-62. SC returns a number of veteran players and has the talent to make another run for a championship in 2022. As a freshman, Ahol also played volleyball, recording 19 sets, 6 kills, and 9 blocks. Achol played in a number of spring and summer tournaments with AZ Select Tucson. One scout had this to say about her. "She provides (for Salpointe Catholic) the height and size they need in the paint. At six-seven, she is much taller than most of her competition." Now a junior, she continues to improve both on the offensive end and defensive end and brings with her a strong work ethic. &nbsp; <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="205662" first="Katelyn" last="Best"]</strong> is a six-foot-two center who plays for Northwest Christian High School as well as her grassroots team, the Arizona Rebels. As a freshman, she averaged 13.4 points per game, 6.1 rebounds, 2.0 blocks. and shot 55 % from the floor. Her team finished 6-9 last season and were 4-3 in their conference. As a member of the Southwest Stars, Katelyn helped her team beat the Zona Soldiers this summer, 44-37, in the Varsity Silver Title Game. This was a part of the AZGR Invitational. AZ Central commented on Katelyn’s game. "She has the potential to be the best center in the state before she graduates in 2024. She has solid control in her post moves, intimidate length as a shot-blocker, can hit the open mid-range jumper and an occasional three-point shot, and has decent stamina." &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;