January concluded with a busy week in Arizona girls’ high school basketball, full of explosive scoring outputs and heroic performances in big games. Here are the top players of the week in the state:
Trinity Alfaro, Surprise Highland Prep: Alfaro scored 27 points in a win over Tucson San Miguel and 20 in a win over Phoenix Christian. Her minutes were limited by an illness in a rematch with Phoenix Christian three days later, but still managed to contribute 10 points and five steals as Highland Prep fell, 33-30.
America Cazares, Tucson Pueblo: It’s been a somewhat rocky season for Pueblo after reaching the heights of the 4A championship game last winter. Cazares, though, has done her part. This week, she scored 25 in a blowout loss to Tucson Salpointe Catholic, 31 in a win over Tucson Cholla and 26 in a win over Tucson Canyon del Oro.
Naylissa Charles, Coolidge: It’s now six straight wins for Coolidge, which is up to No. 6 in the AIA’s 3A rankings. Charles led the way on Tuesday in a rivalry win over Florence, dropping a career-high 30.
Eanae Dagons, Phoenix Desert Vista: Dagons scored 17 points in Desert Vista’s impressive, 68-59, win over Gilbert, but it was on the defensive end where her efforts stood out most. She finished the night with eight steals.
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Bri’Ann Felix, Glendale Copper Canyon: Felix’s dominant season continued in a 3-0 week for Copper Canyon, which is right on the fringe of 5A playoff qualification. She averaged 28 points, 11.3 rebounds and 6.3 steals.
Navae Guidry, Gilbert Mesquite: Guidry stepped up over the past week with a handful of Mesquite’s top players out due to a self-imposed suspension. In a win over Phoenix Arcadia on Monday, she hit the 1,000-point mark for her career. That came just four days after she had a game-high 16 in Mesquite’s crucial, 40-37, win over Chandler Seton Catholic. If this team falls out of the Open, they’re the favorites to win the 4A crown. Guidry is a major reason why.
Elli Guiney, Goodyear Millennium: Millennium has had no shortage of thrilling games this year. The latest example came on Friday, when the Tigers escaped Waddell Canyon View with a triple-overtime win. Guiney led the way with 30 points and eight boards in the contest.
Clara-Mae Hrouch, Tucson Catalina Foothills: Hrouch is averaging 21.9 points in Catalina Foothills’ seven-game win streak. She also has at least four assists in each of her last five games, helping the Falcons tick. After a tricky start to the year, they’re now 15-9.
Tianna Knighton, Phoenix Arcadia: Knighton scored at least 34 points in each of Arcadia’s three games this week. It hasn’t been an easy season for the Titans but that hasn’t stopped Knighton. She’s the state’s second-highest scorer at 27.4 points per game.
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Michelle Kogbara, Peoria: Kogbara was a double-double machine this week, averaging 20 points and 15.6 rebounds in three games. The standout performance came in a 36-32 win over Avondale Agua Fria, when she finished with 23 points, 16 rebounds, three assists and three steals.
Maggie Luba, Phoenix Sunnyslope: This week brought two of the biggest games of the year for Sunnyslope: Phoenix Sandra Day O’Connor and Phoenix Pinnacle. Luba stepped up big in both, scoring 13 to lead the Vikings to an upset win over O’Connor and 25 in a narrow loss to Pinnacle.
Ava Pautz, Notre Dame Prep: Notre Dame Prep’s recent dominance has been such that its starters haven’t had to play the fourth quarter in weeks — even on Tuesday, in a seemingly tricky matchup against Gilbert Higley. Despite that limited floor time, Pautz is averaging 17.8 points, 7.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists over her last fout.
Aviana Scharfenberger, Coconino: Scharfenberger was the star on Tuesday in one of the biggest games of the 4A season, when she scored 20 points to lead Coconino past Prescott, 59-55. The win established them as one of the top teams in northern Arizona.
Amber Shorten, Phoenix Central: Lia Sims might be Central’s biggest star, but Shorten stepped up in support this week. In a win over Phoenix Metro Tech on Wednesday, she recorded her first triple-double, with 10 points, 10 rebounds and 14 assists.
Nemo Sidhu, Goodyear Estrella Foothills: Sidhu continued her impressive freshman season against Glendale Deer Valley, hitting a new career-high with 29 points.
Dylan Swindle, Phoenix Desert Vista: Along with Dagons, Swindle was key in Desert Vista’s win over Gilbert. She led the Thunder with 19 points in that contest, and went 4 of 8 from beyond the arc.
Alaysia White, Coolidge: White put together an obscene stat line in Coolidge’s blowout win over Globe. She finished with 32 points, 20 rebounds and 14 steals, and is now averaging 19.8 points and 13.6 rebounds per game on the year.
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