Ari Phillips isn’t the #1 player that people have been speaking about the past few seasons for Johnston but she has been more important to than overall success than most might recognize. Phillips has been versatile within her years on the Varsity floor. She has been able to move around the outside at the Guard positions and continue to produce at a noticeable rate on both offense and defense with whatever is going on around her. Not a lot of hoopsters could make those settle changes and still see success but that’s what makes Phillips a special type of prospect.

Ari Phillips Ari Phillips 5'10" | CG/PG Johnston | 2027 State IA had some games this weekend where she just couldn’t miss. She was hitting anything and everything she was putting up on the offensive end and that’s not saying she was taking bad shots. She was just simply unconscious, getting everything to fall and that’s a legendary feeling to have. There are certain players out there that have some of these moments every year in one form or another. Phillips is a skilled enough hooper that this does not surprise me one bit. She is their guard who needs to lead the 17U group this Spring so she will have to have showings of dominance and this weekend was a great example of what she is really capable of.

The goal for Ari Phillips Ari Phillips 5'10" | CG/PG Johnston | 2027 State IA is to play PG at the next level. She doesn’t care where it’s at or with whom. All she wants is to be on a competitive team and play her natural position, which is something I think most of us can understand. Phillips was KEY last Winter to Johnston’s success and there was more of that this Winter as well. Phillips started for a group that never lost a game throughout and each night she looked the part as a high-level guard. Now that ND commit – Jenica Lewis Jenica Lewis 5'10" | PG Johnston | 2026 State #22 Nation IA will be graduating it’ll be interesting to see Phillips move over to the 1 position. She has proven over the past few years on the road that she can lead a team with the ball in her possession as PG #1 so it’ll be nice to see her get back to those routes as we move into the Spring.

The ability that Ari Phillips Ari Phillips 5'10" | CG/PG Johnston | 2027 State IA has to get to her spots on the offensive side of the ball always shocks me a little bit. It’s eye-opening. In any situation or spacing, Phillips can get into open space for a clean look at the basket. Sometimes it’s off the dribble, sometimes it’s off the cut, sometimes it’s off of her team’s action on offense but no matter which it is, it’s usually for an open look down-hill. We saw the time and time again in this contest. It wasn’t just in the first half but throughout the entire game. She was finding spots in the middle of the defense off of her movement and her teammates were hitting her with assists for open layup looks. Phillips is going to be a vital key to her team’s chances of winning this 5A title. She is going to be dared to step up in the Championship game as well, no matter who they have to play so it’s going to be important to see how she responds to that.

The leading assisting prospect from this group this weekend was 2027 – Ari Phillips Ari Phillips 5'10" | CG/PG Johnston | 2027 State IA . Phillips finished things off with five assists to her fellow teammates. Not only did she lead the Dragons in assists in total, she also recorded zero turnovers in the process. She kept her defenders on skates, getting into the teeth of the defense at Will. She also did a great job of pushing the tempo off of rebounds down the floor. This kept the defense off-guard, allowing the Dragons to do whatever they wanted. This is exactly what you want out of your skilled guards. You want someone you can trust, that won’t turn over the ball down the stretch. The reality of this situation is that this group has multiple players that they can trust at this position to do some productive work without error. It just depends on who wants to show up and be dominant that specific contest. This was a good showing yet again for the Dragons. Now they will work off of this momentum as they continue to press on.

Ari Phillips Ari Phillips 5'10" | CG/PG Johnston | 2027 State IA needed a good game following her team’s Dowling Catholic Matchup last week for a few different reasons. In that DC game, the strategy again was for DC to let Phillips shoot from the outside and she was hesitant. We saw this same situation last year in the 5A State Title game and Ari made easy work of it but this time around she looked nervous and uncertain. Phillips made up for this showing with a huge contest yesterday against Wayzata High School (MN). Phillips ended with a team-high 22 points (7/10), including going 1-2 from three, with a few rebounds and a few assists. The reality is that Phillips could play at a few different Division-levels once she gets to college. She just needs to find her fit and she should thrive because she can hoop. She is one of the best prospects that this state has to offer at this time so she just needs to keep working.

Ari Phillips Ari Phillips 5'10" | CG/PG Johnston | 2027 State IA has been impactful for Johnston High School once again to kick off this Winter. Phillips, the 5’10 CG, possesses one small D1 offer at this time but don’t let that trick you. Philips is a college level prospect. She makes big plays whenever she is looked to do so and she has a crafty bag overall on both sides of the floor but she knows when to keep it simple. She isn’t against getting to the bucket for a simple finish or making the easy pass for her teammates when those opportunities present themselves. Within a good system and with other talented individuals around her, Phillips looks the part. She just needs to find the right fit at the next level and the rest could be history. For now, she hold onto #4 for the moment.

Ari Phillips Ari Phillips 5'10" | CG/PG Johnston | 2027 State IA is going to be able to answer a lot of questions that recruiters might have this Winter season with the Johnston Dragons. The Dragons are coming off of back2back undefeated seasons but this time around, they will need to rely on their Elite Guard play. Phillips will be next to Kinnetz and Lewis, looking to control tempo and the outcome of each contest ultimately. Phillips is a consistent contributor when she is confident. She was the focal point in the 5A State Title contest last Winter, helping her team seal the deal in the second half to bring home a Championship. To follow that up can be difficult but it’s do-able when you consider who we are talking about.

If you know about Ari Phillips Ari Phillips 5'10" | CG/PG Johnston | 2027 State IA , you know that she is coming off of a successful AAU season with her Battlers Program. Phillips is an obvious creator and facilitator of the basketball. She has proven on the biggest stage in Iowa that she can also turn into her team’s main scoring option when opponents try to game plan against her weaknesses. I guess the easiest way to say it is that Phillips is a gamer. This past weekend this was someone who made a difference with her energy and organization. She made big plays down the floor in transition, while also showing that she can move off of the ball to produce as a cutter as well. At the college level, this could be PG #1 with a talented roster. That’s for sure.

This is going to be a big July for a lot of ballers out there. Someone who should really show out for her Battlers Team at this time is Ari Phillips Ari Phillips 5'10" | CG/PG Johnston | 2027 State IA . Phillips doesn’t have a Division-1 offer just yet but I think it’s on the way. From her play-making ability, how she moves on the floor as a leader, and what the future could hold – she is high end prospect for this Class in Iowa. She showed out big time in the State Tournament to secure a 5A Title this Winter and she is hungry to show that domination again come next Live Viewing Period. Phillips has been someone consistent all Spring long and I expect nothing less over the next few weeks.