Becky Burke and her staff pulled in a top 20 class in 2026, the first full recruiting cycle since she took over Arizona women’s basketball. Things aren’t slowing down in 2027 with Burke’s highest-ranked commit, Brieana Brown, announcing her commitment on Friday afternoon.

The 6-foot wing from Francis Parker High School is rated as a 4-star recruit and ranked No. 38 in ESPN’s 2027 rankings. Burke’s previous top-ranked recruit was freshman Arynn Finley, who was No. 53 in the 2026 class.

As for the consensus on Brown, there really isn’t one in the current rankings landscape. Rivals (on3.com) does not rank her at all. 247sports doesn’t, either, although both Rivals and 247 keep their women’s recruiting lists at about 50-60 players. Prospects Nation has her at No. 47 overall and the No. 16 forward, while Prep Girls Hoops has her ranked 75th in the country.

Whatever the rankings say, her play will tell the tale and she’s already writing that story. She and her younger sister Jordan helped Francis Parker secure a 23-8 season and a San Diego Section Open Division title in 2025-26. The team was ranked No. 21 in the MaxPreps “too early” top 25 for the 2026-27 season.

The elder Brown sister was good for 16.5 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.7 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game in 23 games last season. Over her three-year run at Francis Parker, she has averaged 15.4 ppg, 10.6 rpg, 1.8 apg, 1.4 spg, and 0.8 bpg in 73 games played.

On the club circuit, Brown plays for Adidas 3SSB 17U champions Seven Days.

In addition to Arizona, Brown had offers from Ohio State, Northwestern, Colorado, Wisconsin, California, Arizona State, and a number of others. She joins several recruits who either have visited Arizona or will in the coming month or so. That group includes 6-2 forward Ashley Krieger (No. 98 ESPN), combo guard Giaunni Rogers, and 6-1 forward Dasia Scott (No. 63 ESPN).

Brown is Arizona’s first 2027 commit. The group can sign in November.

The commercial spaceflight company plans to launch its Falcon 9 rocket on another mission to deliver Starlink satellites to Earth orbit.

Get ready for the next West Coast rocket launch, Arizona.

PHOENIX — The City of Phoenix has retained lawyers as it considers how to fight proposed Colorado River cuts that Mayor Kate Gallego says could disproportionately impact Arizona.

“The City of Phoenix, like the State of Arizona, has retained lawyers who might be able to help us fight for your water,” Gallego told ABC15.

A city spokesperson confirmed that the law firm Phoenix retained for Colorado River water issues is Culp & Kelly, LLP.

The Phoenix City Council met in executive session Thursday to receive legal advice and discuss the city’s options following the release of the federal government’s final environmental impact statement for post-2026 Colorado River operations.

Gallego said the private meeting allowed council members to discuss both legal and regulatory strategies. However, the city has not announced plans to file a lawsuit.

“We want to understand how we can best influence this process,” Gallego said. “We work very hard to keep your water bills low, and so we’re trying to see what can we do to reverse this very difficult decision from our federal government.”

The federal framework lays out options for managing the drought-stricken Colorado River after the current operating rules expire. A more detailed record of decision will come later and determine how future water reductions are implemented.

Gallego said Phoenix and other Arizona communities understand that the shrinking river requires difficult cuts. Her objection is how those reductions could be divided among the seven basin states.

“It is deeply disappointing that the federal government set up a framework where they can’t cut the Upper Basin,” Gallego said. “And yet disproportionately the cuts will come to Arizona.”

The Upper Basin includes Colorado, Wyoming, Utah and New Mexico. The Lower Basin includes Arizona, California and Nevada.

Gallego called on the entire basin to share the burden of the river’s declining supply.

“The residents of Phoenix did not cause the drought, and we should not have to get through it alone,” she said.

What Colorado River cuts could mean for Phoenix

Colorado River water currently provides about 40% of Phoenix’s supply. Gallego said it is also among the city’s cleanest and most cost-effective water sources.

Phoenix could pursue replacement supplies if its Colorado River allocation is reduced, but Gallego warned those alternatives could cost significantly more.

She pointed to desalinated ocean water as one potential option. San Diego County already receives desalinated water produced along the California coast, though moving that type of water to Arizona would require agreements and infrastructure.

“Think about it: how much more desalinated water that would have to come from California would cost versus Colorado River water?” Gallego said. “So, it’s a really difficult pill to swallow.”

The mayor emphasized that Phoenix residents should not expect an immediate disruption to their water service. The city has spent years preparing for a drier future by investing in water recycling, conservation programs, underground storage and a network of wells.

Phoenix also receives water from the Salt and Verde rivers, which together make up the city’s largest water source and are separate from the Colorado River system.

“We are prepared,” Gallego said. “Don’t worry about turning on your faucet tonight or this year. We are working very hard to prepare for a drought, but we do need to think about the cost impacts of what the federal government is doing.”

Those costs could eventually affect customers’ water bills. Gallego said electricity, treatment chemicals and other expenses are already becoming more expensive, and replacing relatively affordable Colorado River water would add another financial challenge.

What it means for future growth

Gallego said the potential cuts do not mean Phoenix must stop growing.

The city requires new development to help pay for the additional water it will need. Developers building new subdivisions, for example, pay impact fees that can help Phoenix secure new supplies through water purchases or partnerships with tribal communities.

But the mayor acknowledged that developing those supplies will likely become more expensive.

“New development would pay a fee that would help us go out and secure that water,” Gallego said. “But our residents need to understand because of the federal government’s decision that new supply will cost more.”

Gallego said Phoenix will continue participating in the federal process while evaluating its legal options. She also urged the Upper Basin states and the federal government to return to the negotiating table.

“We can come to a good solution if we all come to this table and act in good faith,” Gallego said. “I would love to see the federal government play a larger role in getting everyone to the table to take on some of these cuts.”

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.