Arizona

3 Arizona boys basketball seniors who could star at college level

Published

2 months ago

January 18, 2026

Press Room

3 Arizona boys basketball seniors who could star at college level

Arizona high school basketball is gaining national recognition with multiple teams ranked in the top 10.
Three standout seniors are expected to make an immediate impact in college basketball next season.
Cameron Williams, a 7-foot center signed with Duke, is noted for his shot-blocking and developing offense.

Arizona has elevated itself nationally in boys’ high school basketball like never before.

Last year, Gilbert Perry finished ranked No. 4 in the nation, behind current Arizona freshman Koa Peat. This year, both Phoenix Sunnylope (No. 4) and Goodyear Millennium (No. 10) are ranked among the nation’s top 10 teams by MaxPreps.

More college coaches are taking a serious look at Arizona high school basketball talent. And this year’s 2026 class has its fair share of future college players. The Arizona Republic takes a look at three seniors who could make immediate splashes next college basketball season as freshmen. They are in the midst of their final season of high school basketball, so catch them while you can.

Cameron Williams, Phoenix St. Mary’s

The 7-footer is a shot-blocking phenom and the No. 2 overall prospect in the ESPN Next for the 2026 class. He signed with Duke in November, one of the nation’s top college programs, after also considering Arizona and Texas. And he’s only scratched the surface of his potential.

He’s considered a later bloomer, whose star only began to glisten on a national scale last summer when he separated himself at the NBPA Top 100 Camp, where he averaged 12.8 points and six rebounds.

Williams has always been a great rim protector, but his offense has blossomed in the last year under coach Damin Lopez at St. Mary’s. He’s developed a more consistent 3-point shot. He runs the court well. He was clutch at the end in a recent 67-66 win over Phoenix Brophy Prep, nailing two late 3s, blocking a shot, making a steal and hitting two free throws with two seconds left to win it.

“We’re super proud of him. Cam is not making small steps. Cam is making jumps,” Lopez said. “That’s why he’s been so successful on the national level. He’s learning the game at a high rate. He’s still going to make some mistakes. But overall he’s getting better.”

Here’s where to find Williams’ next five games. All times MST:

Jan. 19 vs. No. 1 nationally ranked Paul VI (Virginia), 11 a.m., at the Hoophall Classic in Springfield, Massachusetts (on ESPN2); Jan. 23 at Santa Ana (California) Mater Dei, 5 p.m.; Jan. 27, at home against Tempe Marcos de Niza, 7 p.m.; Jan. 30 at Gilbert Mesquite, 7 p.m.; Feb. 3, at home against Scottsdale Saguaro, 7 p.m.

Cameron Holmes, Goodyear Millennium

The 6-foot-6 guard signed with top-ranked Arizona. He’s a complete player, a dynamo at both ends of the court, who took the Tigers to the Open state championship game his sophomore season, a loss to Perry and Peat, who won four state titles in his Perry career.

Holmes, one of the more athletic players in the state, a great leaper, has stayed loyal to Millennium, even after the Tigers said goodbye to coach Ty Amundsen, who left last summer to be an assistant at Arizona State. Holmes avoided the prep school scene — where basketball-focused schools play national schedules — and has developed into the No. 38-ranked player in the nation in the 2026 class by ESPN.

He’s a scorer from all three levels. He hyper-extended his knee on his way to a dunk against Georgia-power Wheeler late in the Hoophall West semifinal game of the traditional bracket. Losing Holmes hurt the Tigers’ chances of beating Wheeler and getting a chance to play Phoenix Sunnyslope in the final. But those two teams will see each other twice in the second half of the season.

First-year coach Rich Thornton said that Holmes could have played in Millennium’s 11-point win over Phoenix Desert Vista last week, but he held him out as a precaution. Holmes returned Jan. 17 in the Hoophall Classic in Massachusetts with a game against Christ the King out of New York.

Holmes is the brother of former Dayton star DaRon Holmes II, who was a first-round NBA draft pick of the Suns in 2024. The Suns traded his draft rights to the Denver Nuggets. Cameron is a different style of player than DaRon. He’s not as tall, but has the same kind of hops, plays a bigger role on the perimeter and, like his older brother, gets after it defensively.

Here’s where to find Holmes’ next five games, all times MST:

Jan. 21, at Sunnyslope, 7 p.m.; Jan. 27, at Brophy Prep, 7 p.m.; Jan. 30, at Phoenix Desert Vista, 7 p.m.; Feb. 10, at home against Sunnyslope, 7 p.m.; Feb. 12, at home against Brophy Prep, 7 p.m.

Rider Portela, Sunnyslope

The 6-foot-6 Portela has signed with Colorado. One of the best defenders in the state, he’s been a big part of his dad, Ray Portela’s, Sunnyslope teams since his freshman year, helping the Vikings to two Open Division state final appearances, both losses to Perry. His long arms and ability to stay in front of his man frustrate opposing players.

An ultimate team player, Portela doesn’t need to be the main scorer for a team that has jumped in the national rankings since winning two major holiday tournaments from No. 38 to No. 4 by MaxPreps. He’s the ultimate team guy.

Juniors Delton Prescott and 6-foot-11 Darius Wabbington have been the team’s top two scorers this season. That’s OK with Portela, because they’re winning and playing cohesively. It might be Ray Portela’s most complete team and it starts with Rider’s leadership and defensive prowess.

It’s easy to find Portela on the court, because he’s the guy nearly inside the jersey of the man he’s covering. He’s diving for loose balls, making steals and leading breaks with dunks. He can fill it up from beyond the arc, too.

Portela is confident he can fill into his tall frame at Colorado, which, he feels, will be great for his development. Defense will get him on the court faster than most at a high major, and there might not be a better defender in the state. Learning from his dad will be beneficial at the next level.

Always wanting to challenge himself, Portela feels Colorado will do that. He’s looking forward to escaping the 100-degree summer days in Phoenix and seeing his game take off in Boulder.

Here’s where to find Portela’s next five games, all times MST:

Jan. 21, at home against Millennium, 7 p.m.; Jan. 27, at Desert Vista, 7 p.m.; Feb. 3, at home, against Tempe Corona del Sol, 7 p.m.; Feb. 6, at Brophy Prep, 7 p.m.; Feb. 10, at Millennium, 7 p.m.

Richard Obert has been covering high school sports since the 1980s for The Arizona Republic. Catch the best high school sports coverage in the state. Sign up for Azcentral Preps Now. And be sure to subscribe to our daily sports newsletters so you don’t miss a thing. To suggest human-interest story ideas and other news, reach Obert at richard.obert@arizonarepublic.com or 602-316-8827. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter:@azc_obert

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Arizona

3 men sentenced in Arizona for multi-million dollar scam against Amazon

Published

6 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

3 men sentenced in Arizona for multi-million dollar scam against Amazon

PHOENIX (AZFamily) — Three Valley men have been sentenced for their roles in what prosecutors described as a “sophisticated fraud scheme” against an online shopping giant.

In a news release, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said Mughith Faisal, 29, of Glendale, was sentenced on Feb. 5 to 18 months in prison. His brother, Basheer Faisal, 28, of Glendale, was also recently ordered to spend 18 months in prison.

The feds said a third defendant in the case, Abdullah Alwan, 28, of Surprise, was sentenced to six months in prison after the trio pleaded guilty to wire fraud.

Prosecutors said the three were also each ordered to pay $1.5 million in restitution to Amazon.

According to federal officials, Alwan worked in Amazon’s logistics division and left the company in 2021 when he reportedly used his knowledge to manipulate rates for transportation deliveries assigned to Amazon’s third-party carriers.

The feds said Basheer and Mughith Faisal used “Blue Line Transport” to knowingly get to increased transport rates that Alwan would then input into Amazon’s system, ripping them off out of $4.5 million.

The FBI’s Phoenix Division helped in the investigation, which was then prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona.

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Arizona

Arizona Lottery Mega Millions, Pick 3 results for March 3, 2026

Published

18 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

Arizona Lottery Mega Millions, Pick 3 results for March 3, 2026

The Arizona Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at Tuesday, March 3, 2026 results for each game:

Winning Mega Millions numbers

07-21-53-54-62, Mega Ball: 16

Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 3 numbers

2-0-8

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Fantasy 5 numbers

02-05-18-27-41

Check Fantasy 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Triple Twist numbers

11-14-17-19-23-24

Check Triple Twist payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news and results

What time is the Powerball drawing?

Powerball drawings are at 7:59 p.m. Arizona time on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.

How much is a Powerball lottery ticket today?

In Arizona, Powerball tickets cost $2 per game, according to the Arizona Lottery.

How to play the Powerball

To play, select five numbers from 1 to 69 for the white balls, then select one number from 1 to 26 for the red Powerball.

You can choose your lucky numbers on a play slip or let the lottery terminal randomly pick your numbers.

To win, match one of the 9 Ways to Win:

5 white balls + 1 red Powerball = Grand prize.
5 white balls = $1 million.
4 white balls + 1 red Powerball = $50,000.
4 white balls = $100.
3 white balls + 1 red Powerball = $100.
3 white balls = $7.
2 white balls + 1 red Powerball = $7.
1 white ball + 1 red Powerball = $4.
1 red Powerball = $4.

There’s a chance to have your winnings increased two, three, four, five and 10 times through the Power Play for an additional $1 per play. Players can multiply non-jackpot wins up to 10 times when the jackpot is $150 million or less.

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

All Arizona Lottery retailers will redeem prizes up to $100 and may redeem winnings up to $599. For prizes over $599, winners can submit winning tickets through the mail or in person at Arizona Lottery offices. By mail, send a winner claim form, winning lottery ticket and a copy of a government-issued ID to P.O. Box 2913, Phoenix, AZ 85062.

To submit in person, sign the back of your ticket, fill out a winner claim form and deliver the form, along with the ticket and government-issued ID to any of these locations:

Phoenix Arizona Lottery Office: 4740 E. University Drive, Phoenix, AZ 85034, 480-921-4400. Hours: 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, closed holidays. This office can cash prizes of any amount.

Tucson Arizona Lottery Office: 2955 E. Grant Road, Tucson, AZ 85716, 520-628-5107. Hours: 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, closed holidays. This office can cash prizes of any amount.

Phoenix Sky Harbor Lottery Office: Terminal 4 Baggage Claim, 3400 E. Sky Harbor Blvd., Phoenix, AZ 85034, 480-921-4424. Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Sunday, closed holidays. This office can cash prizes up to $49,999.

Kingman Arizona Lottery Office: Inside Walmart, 3396 Stockton Hill Road, Kingman, AZ 86409, 928-753-8808. Hours: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, closed holidays. This office can cash prizes up to $49,999.

Check previous winning numbers and payouts at https://www.arizonalottery.com/.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by an Arizona Republic editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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Arizona

Autopsies show Arizona teens were both shot in the head while camping

Published

1 day ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

Autopsies show Arizona teens were both shot in the head while camping

Two teenagers were fatally shot while camping northeast of Phoenix in May 2025.
Both Evan Clark, 17, and Pandora Kjolsrud, 18, were shot in the head, autopsy reports said.
A 31-year-old man was arrested and indicted on two counts of first-degree murder in connection with the deaths.

A 17-year-old boy who was fatally shot while camping with a female classmate northeast of Phoenix died from gunshot wounds to the head, according to the first page of his autopsy report.

Evan Clark, 17, and Pandora Kjolsrud, 18, were camping just off State Route 87 near Mount Ord when the two were shot and killed. Investigators discovered their bodies, which had been moved into nearby brush to conceal them, on May 26, 2025.

The first page of Clark’s autopsy report, which The Arizona Republic obtained March 3, found that his death was a homicide with multiple gunshot wounds to the head. The first page of Kjolsrud’s autopsy report also ruled her death a homicide with her cause of death being gunshot wounds to the head and upper body.

Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office detectives ultimately arrested Thomas Brown, 31, of Chandler on Oct. 2, 2025, in connection with their deaths. Brown was indicted on two counts of first-degree murder and remained in jail on a $2 million cash-only bond.

Detectives found Brown’s DNA on gloves inside Clark’s SUV that had Kjolsrud’s blood on them as well, the Sheriff’s Office said.

Partial autopsy reports made available following legal fight

While The Republic has obtained the first pages of both Clark’s and Kjolsrud’s autopsy reports, the remaining pages appeared to remain sealed as of March 3 since Simone Kjolsrud, Pandora’s mother, petitioned to have the autopsy reports sealed or redacted. Simone Kjolsrud argued that various details about her daughter and aspects of her personal life, potentially included in such documents, should remain private and outweigh the public’s right to know.

A Sept. 25, 2025, motion that sought to block the report’s release argued the report could contain information law enforcement hasn’t yet shared and could impair the ongoing criminal investigation.

“Simone Kjolsrud fears that, if released, her daughter’s Medical Examiner’s Report may end up on the internet or be broadcast on the news, which would undoubtedly cause additional trauma and even jeopardize her constitutional right to justice in this case,” the motion stated.

Kjolsrud asked that Clark’s autopsy be sealed as well, arguing that it would likely contain details similar to her daughter’s.

Matthew Kelley, an attorney representing The Republic and other Arizona media outlets, previously objected to the autopsies being sealed and asked that the temporary protective order be vacated.

“To be sure, these killings are particularly traumatic for a surviving family member,” Kelley wrote in his objection. “But the pain felt by a family member cannot override the public’s right to inspect public records reflecting the performance of law enforcement and other public agencies entrusted with investigating such crimes. A veil of secrecy only raises unnecessary speculation about such public performance.”

It was not immediately clear whether Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Geoffrey Fish, who initially ordered the autopsies remain sealed as he reviewed their contents, would unseal additional pages in their entirety or with redactions.

Reach the reporter Perry Vandell at perry.vandell@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-2474. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @PerryVandell.

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