By Jacob Seliga
Lead Writer
For the final time this regular season, welcome back to the Seliga 16.
In case you missed the announcement last week, this is the penultimate edition of the rankings as the final edition will come following the state championships in March.
We’ve reached the final three days of the regular season and both the playoff races as well as the region championship races are coming down to the wire.
Here are the current region championships waiting to be clinched:
Boys
6A Central: Millennium (6-1) & Sunnyslope (6-1) Both have one game remaining, the highest ranked team will clinch the title. Unless one team wins and the other loses
6A East Valley: Red Mountain (8-0) Clinches with a victory over Mesa on 2/11. Mesa (7-1), Needs a win over Red Mountain to trigger the highest ranking tiebreaker.
6A Desert Southwest: Cibola (5-0) Clinches with a victory over Gila Ridge on 2/13. Gila Ridge (3-1) needs to win each of its final two games to trigger the ranking tiebreaker
6A Fiesta: Highland (7-1) & Higley (7-1) Both have two games remaining. If either team goes 2-0 and the other goes 1-1 or 1-1 and 0-2, the team that finishes with more wins clinches the title. If both finish with the same record, the highest ranked team clinches the title.
6A South: Tucson (5-0) Clinches with a victory over Marana on 2/11. Marana (4-1) needs a victory over Tucson to trigger the ranking tiebreaker.
5A Central Valley: Washington (7-1) & La Joya (7-1) both have two games remaining with a matchup against one another. If Washington or La Joya goes 2-0, they’d clinch the region title. If one team loses a game prior to their matchup but wins the matchup, the ranking tiebreaker would trigger.
5A Metro: Central (11-1) & Carl Hayden (10-1), the AIA listed Central’s first matchup vs Fairfax as a freedom game as opposed to region and so the record above is what it will be when updated. If Carl Hayden wins, the ranking tiebreaker kicks in.
5A Northwest Valley: Willow Canyon (9-0) clinches the region with a victory over Ironwood on 2/13. Ironwood (7-1) has to win each of its final two games to trigger the ranking tiebreaker.
5A Southern: Cienega (8-0) clinches the region if they win their final two games or Buena (7-1) loses once. If Buena wins each of its final two games, the ranking tiebreaker kicks in.
4A Black Canyon: Dysart (9-0) clinches the region with a win over Cortez (7-1). Cortez needs to win each of its final two games to trigger the ranking tiebreaker.
4A Skyline: Paradise Honors (8-1) clinches region with win over Greenway (7-2). Greenway with a win triggers the ranking tiebreaker.
4A Kino: Sahuaro (6-1) & Salpointe (6-1) Both have one game remaining, the highest ranked team will clinch the title. Unless one team wins and the other loses.
4A East Sky: ALA Gilbert North (8-1) clinches region title with win over Combs. ALA Queen Creek (7-2) triggers the ranking tiebreaker with a victory over Crismon and a loss by ALA Gilbert North.
4A Desert Sky: (DISCLAIMER, This is the most chaotic region title remaining)
St Mary’s (7-2) will clinch the region title with a win over Saguaro coupled with a loss by Cactus Shadows (6-2) in either of its final two games.
Cactus Shadows (6-2) will clinch the region title with a victory in each of its final two games coupled with a loss by St Mary’s to Saguaro.
Saguaro (5-3) triggers the ranking tiebreaker with a victory in each of its final two games.
The Three-Way Tiebreaker would be Saguaro (7-3), Cactus Shadows (7-3), St Mary’s (7-3), winner would be the highest ranked team.
The Two-Way Tiebreaker(s) would be Saguaro (7-3) & St Mary’s/Cactus Shadows (7-3) OR Cactus Shadows & St Mary’s 8-2.
Girls
6A Central: Millennium (6-1) clinches the region with a victory over Xavier Prep (5-2).
Sunnyslope (5-2) triggers the ranking tiebreaker with a victory over Desert Vista coupled with a Xavier Prep victory over Millennium.
Xavier Prep (5-2) triggers the tiebreaker with a win over Millennium
The Three-Way Tiebreaker would be Millennium (6-2), Xavier Prep (6-2), Sunnyslope (6-2), winner would be the highest ranked team.
There’s no way to reach a two-way tiebreaker.
6A Desert Valley: O’Connor (6-1) clinches region with a victory over Mountain Ridge coupled with a loss by Pinnacle (5-1) in either of its final two games.
Pinnacle (5-1) clinches the region by winning both of its final two games coupled with a loss by O’Connor. If both teams win out, the ranking tiebreaker would kick in.
6A East Valley: Mountain View (7-1) clinches the region with a win over Dobson and Mesa (7-1)
Mesa clinches the region with a win over Mountain View and Red Mountain (6-2)
Red Mountain triggers the three-way tiebreaker by winning both of its final two games coupled with a loss by Mountain View to Dobson.
The Three-Way Tiebreaker would be Mountain View (8-2), Mesa (8-2), Red Mountain (8-2)
The Two-Way Tiebreaker(s) would be Red Mountain (8-2) & Mountain View (8-2) OR Mesa (8-2) & Mountain View (8-2)
6A South: Sunnyside (4-1) triggers the ranking tiebreaker with Rincon/University (5-1) with a victory over Tucson on 2/13. If Tucson wins, Rincon/University clinches the region title.
6A Premier: Hamilton (6-1) & Perry (6-1) each have one game left, if either team was to lose its final game with the other winning, the winning team would clinch the region title. If both finish 7-1, the ranking tiebreaker kicks in.
6A Metro: Cesar Chavez (6-0) wins the region by winning both of its final two games or if South Mountain (6-1) loses prior to their matchup on 2/13.
South Mountain wins the region if Chavez loses both of its final two games. If South Mountain beats Chavez and Chavez beats Camelback, the ranking tiebreaker kicks in.
6A Fiesta: Gilbert (8-0) clinches the region with a win in either of its final two games.
Williams Field (6-2) triggers the ranking tiebreaker by winning both of its final two games coupled with Gilbert losing both of its final two games.
Higley (6-2) triggers the tiebreaker by winning both of its final two games coupled with Gilbert losing both of its final two games.
There’s no possibility of a Three-Way tiebreaker, the Two-Way Tiebreakers both include Gilbert (8-2) with Williams Field OR Higley (8-2)
Every region championship in the 5A conference is still up for grabs.
Only five regions in 4A have a region champion (Estrella Foothills: West Valley, Salpointe: Kino, Flagstaff: Grand Canyon, Douglas: Gila, Eastmark: East Sky)
DISCLAIMER: The lists below will be updated every week accordingly based on multiple factors that include my personal viewing of these teams, their wins and losses on any given week, and other varying factors.
The way my power rankings fall goes like this: On a neutral court today I believe the team I have ranked ahead of you would beat you.
EX: Perry would beat Millennium who I believe would beat Sunnyslope, etc…
I’ve observed many games both in person and via NFHS and feel that my pulse on the current state of high school basketball is one of the best in the state.
Players and Teams eligible for these lists are in the big school conferences (4A, 5A, 6A)
Girls
Salpointe (23-4) (LW: 1)
Millennium (18-6) (LW: 2)
Mesquite (24-1) (LW: 4)
Pinnacle (19-5) (LW: 6)
Sunnyslope (17-8) (LW: 9)
Xavier Prep (18-7) (LW: 3)
O’Connor (15-8) (LW: 5)
Gilbert (18-6) (LW: 7)
Valley Vista (16-7) (LW: 10)
Kellis (22-2) (LW: 11)
Desert Vista (11-12) (LW: 10)
Sunrise Mountain (21-3) (LW: 12)
Perry (13-11) (LW: 16)
Hamilton (14-11) (LW: 13)
Canyon View (17-5) (LW: 14)
Campo Verde (20-5) (LW: 15)
Bubble: Sunnyside (23-2), Cesar Chavez (19-6), Williams Field (19-4)
Games to watch
Thursday: Sunrise Mountain at Kellis
Player of the year finalists
Destiny Lunan, Sr, Millennium
Norah Moo, Sr, Pinnacle
Navae Guidry, Sr, Mesquite
Sidney Anderson, Sr, Salpointe
Addison Wiemann, Jr, Sunrise Mountain
Aspen McClees, Jr, Gilbert
Shanielle Mallory, Jr, Kellis
Maggie Luba, Jr, Sunnyslope
Noelle Guiamatsia, Jr, Xavier Prep
Cherri Hatter, Fr, Desert Vista
Coach of the year finalists
Candice Gonzales, Mesquite
Joe Luevano, Salpointe
Savannah Bix, Gilbert
Shanelle Balark, Kellis
Erica Farnsworth, Pinnacle
Jennifer Gillom, Xavier Prep
Maurice Scott, Campo Verde
Nate Jackson, Paradise Honors
Andrew Curtis, Perry
Boys
Perry (21-2) (LW: 1)
Millennium (15-7) (LW: 2)
Sunnyslope (16-8) (LW: 4)
Boulder Creek (19-5) (LW: 6)
O’Connor (16-8) (LW: 3)
Basha (18-6) (LW: 6)
Liberty (15-8) (LW: 7)
Canyon View (21-1) (LW: 8)
Willow Canyon (22-2) (LW: 9)
Ironwood (17-6) (LW: 10)
Central (24-2) (LW: 11)
Prescott (18-5) (LW: 12)
Brophy Prep (14-9) (LW: 13)
Higley (18-5) (LW: 14)
West Point (19-3) (LW: 15)
Red Mountain (18-5) (LW: UR)
Bubble: Highland (14-9), Mesa (18-5), Deer Valley (19-4), Casteel (14-9)
Player of the year finalists
Koa Peat, Sr, Perry
Uriah Tenette, Sr, Prescott
Michael Simcoe, Sr, O’Connor
James Steward III, Sr, Marcos de Niza
Kingston Tosi, Sr, Millennium
DeNali McNeal, Sr, Canyon View
Cameron Holmes, Jr, Millennium
Mason Magee, Jr, Basha
Jakyi Miles, Fr, Mesa
Mo Carter II, Fr, Willow Canyon
Defensive Player of the Year finalists
NoNo Brown, Sr, Perry
Quincy Kirk, Sr, Canyon View
James Steward III, Sr, Marcos de Niza
Koa Peat, Sr, Perry
Maurice Brown, Sr, Moon Valley
Kaleel Kelly, Sr, Willow Canyon
Kingston Tosi, Sr, Millennium
Cameron Holmes, Jr, Millennium
Mason Magee, Jr, Basha
Rico Blassingame, Jr, Tolleson
Colton Watson, Jr, O’Connor
Coach of the year finalists
Mark Wood, Liberty
Justin Collard, Boulder Creek
Joe Colletti, Willow Canyon
Cain Atkinson, Paradise Honors
Brad Quinet, Notre Dame Prep
Jordan Augustine, Ironwood
Jed Dunn, Deer Valley
Kenneth Drake, Higley
Ryan Nelson, West Point
Chris Lemon, Red Mountain
Games of the week
Tuesday: Liberty at Boulder Creek
Thursday: Willow Canyon at Ironwood
Player Spotlight: Jaiden Thompson, Sr, Mountain Ridge
The final player spotlight of the 2024-25 season takes us to the Northwest Valley and to a senior that has his team battling for a chance at the postseason.
Jaiden Thompson has taken a step forward in each of his three years as a member of the Mountain Ridge program and turned heads during the Summer as the Mountain Lions played at Section 7.
His play throughout the season has been crucial to the turnaround the program has experienced as the Mountain Lions have improved in the win column every year throughout his time at the school.
This season, Thompson is averaging 17.7 points, 3.8 assists, and 2 steals per game.
The best single game performance for Thompson came against Cesar Chavez where he poured in 27 points, 9 steals, and 7 assists. He later followed that up with a 35 point outburst in a 70-63 victory over Sunrise Mountain.
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