Unheralded Juniors in the Class of 2024

INTRODUCTION: There are many unheralded juniors in the class of 2024 that played below the radar but came on strong in the second half of last season. Here's a look at five of them.   [player_tooltip player_id='339083' first='Jaden' last='Atcitty'] - is a 5-5 junior small forward for Westwood High School and a member of the Navajo Tribe. In 21 games in 2022-23, she averaged 3.1 points and 2.6 rebounds. Over three years, playing in a total of 50 games, she averaged 2.5 points and 2.4 rebounds. Westwood lost to Valley Vista in last season's AIA state tournament, 65-50. One scout commented on her game: "She's blossomed into an all-around skilled player. She can shoot the ball, drive to the hoop with aggression, can lock you up on defense, also plays the small forward position, but rebounds, and plays tough defense on her opponent's power forward and center. She plays the game with a lot of intensity." Jaden also plays for her club team, the Lady Soldiers.   EVALUATION: Jaden's strong suit is getting her teammates involved in the Westwood offense. Her intense presence on defense makes all of her teammates better players. Come next fall, she will be a four-year player for the Westwood varsity. Her overall shooting and ability to drive the lane have improved considerably over the last year as has her leadership role with her team. She should be ready for an outstanding senior season in 2023-2024.   JAYLA MclIN - is a 5-11 junior combination guard from Mesquite High School. Mesquite lost to Pueblo in the AIA state semifinals last season. In 17 games, she averaged 4.5 points a game and 5.4 rebounds for the junior varsity. Jayla alternated between playing for the JV and then the varsity in both her sophomore and junior seasons. She was third on her team in blocked shots. In addition to playing for the Lady Wildcats, she also competes with her club team, Team Arizona. Her exposure to a number of AAU tournaments has helped solidify her fundamentals, both offensively and defensively.   EVALUATION: Jayla's development on both ends of the court is a work in progress. Both her shooting and defensive play have improved significantly in the last year. Her club team, Team Arizona, has given her the opportunity to improve her basketball skills. While she spent time with both the JV and varsity last season, Mesquite expects her to have a breakout year as a senior in 2023-24.   [player_tooltip player_id='605083' first='Ella' last='Wiltbank'] - is a 5-5 shooting guard for Pima High School. Her team lost to Phoenix Country Day in the 2A State Championship game, 54-43. Playing in Conference 2A, she averaged 7.8 points and 2.2 rebounds last season. In 67 career games spanning three seasons, Ella averaged 4.7 points and 1.6 rebounds. Her scoring average went from 2.9 to 7.8 between her sophomore and junior seasons. One scout commented: "She can pull up off the dribble, but is probably best as a standstill three-point shooter. Her shooting in the state semifinals gave Pima the needed separation vs. a good San Carlos team. She is also very aggressive to steal the ball on defense."   EVALUATION: Ella should be ready to come into her own as she starts her senior year at Pima later this summer. She more than tripled her scoring average from her sophomore to junior seasons. She has also become both a vocal leader for the Lady Roughriders and has shown great leadership skills both on and off the court. Both her overall shooting and team defense have improved considerably over the last two seasons.   [player_tooltip player_id='263401' first='Torah' last='Dial'] - is s 5-5 junior shooting guard for Dysart High School. Her graduating sister, Talia, is the most decorated girls basketball player in Dysart school history. Talia was selected as 4A Southwest Region Player of the Year. As a junior, Torah played in 25 games for the Lady Demons, averaging 13.2 points per game to go along with 6.0 rebounds and 5.4 steals. As a freshman, she averaged 5.3 ppg, and 6.2 ppg as a sophomore. In three years with the varsity, a total of 67 games, she averaged 8.6 ppg. She was selected by Max Preps on two occasions as Player of the Game (January 25, 2022 and February l, 2022). She is also on the volleyball team at Dysart.   EVALUATION: After playing in her older sister Talia's shadow, Torah is ready for a breakout senior season. She has improved her overall scoring numbers every year since she was a freshman. But Torah shines as a defender where she is among the leaders in the state in steals per game. Her presence, both offensively and defensively, makes all of her teammates better players.   [player_tooltip player_id='612931' first='Jazlyn' last='Nosie'] - is a 5-5 junior guard for Alchesay High School in Whitewater. For 2021-22, as a sophomore, she averaged 13.9 points per game to go along with 4.4 assists, 5.0 rebounds, and 3.0 steals. Her team beat Chinle in the 3A State Championship Game, 66-64. As a sophomore, she was selected by Max Preps as Player of the Game on 12/7/21. In 2022-23, she averaged 16.5 points per game, 4.7 rebounds, and 2.7 steals per game. The Lady Falcons beat Show Low in this past season's 3A Championship Game. Jazyln proved to be a clutch performer in the playoffs.   EVALUATION: Jazlyn has developed into both an outstanding scorer as well as distributor. The Lady Falcons won back-to-back state titles in 2022 and 2023. She averaged nearly 14 points a game as a sophomore and 16.5 as a junior. She plays well in transition and is the leader of Alchesay's fast break. She should be ready for a breakout senior season in 2023-24 as the Lady Falcons go for their third consecutive state title.

INTRODUCTION: There are many unheralded juniors in the class of 2024 that played below the radar but came on strong in the second half of last season. Here's a look at five of them.