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Double teamed by Desert Vista freshman guard Dylan Swindle (#10) and sophomore forward Madison Brown (#12), Valley Vista senior wing Jennah Isai leaps to pass to cutting junior forward Hannah Young during the Monsoon's 59-34 win in a 6A girls basketball semifinal Feb. 24 in Surprise. [Courtesy Elliott Glick/For West Valley Preps]
Player of the year
Jennah Isai – The Monsoon have a second straight different, consensus Gatorade Arizona Player of the Year. After missing most of the 2021 season following knee surgery, Isai wowed the state with her healthiest season and fullest display of her all around skills. She finished her career averaging 24.9 points, 7.9 rebounds, 4.5 steals, 3 assists and 2.2 blocks per game. The Oregon-bound prodigy broke out on the national stage too, thanks to her performance at the Nike Tournament of Champions. Her play leading the Monsoon to its third straight 6A state title earned her an invite to the Jordan Brand Classic, April 15 at Hope Academy in Chicago, with other top seniors in the country
Runner-up
Trayanna Crisp – For three of her four years, she has been one of the few Arizona guards that could give Isai a game. They squared off for a final time Jan. 4 and Crisp’s defense made the game a struggle for Isai until Crisp fouled out with three minutes left. Isai scored six of the Monsoon’s final eight points with Crisp out and it is no coincidence. These guards had almost parallel careers — the next big things as freshmen, part of star duos on state champions as sophomores, and then barely there as juniors. Crisp left for PHH Prep’s national team as a junior but decided to come back and injected joy into Millennium’s drive for a four-peat. She also lead the Tigers in scoring (15 ppg), assists (3 apg), steals (2.6 spg). The showdowns with Isai should continue as Crisp moves on to ASU.
Second runner-up
Talia Dial – Like Crisp, she returned to the West Valley scene after a year at PHH Prep and its traveling national team. Like Isai she was an explosive scorer, edging her out for Arizona’s points crown with 25.5 ppg. She could also fill up a stat sheet with 8.6 rebounds, 2.7 assists and two steals per contest. What Dial lacked in comparison to her classmates was a running mate. As she returned to Dysart High, sophomore phenom Jocelyn Chavez was heading out for Valley Vista. Dial averaged exactly half of the Demons 51 points per game, showcasing an array of skills and shots from all over the court that were nearly as diverse as Isai’s. She carried Dysart to a 4A play-in game and near win.
Mountain Ridge girls basketball coach Jaime Carreon talks to his team during a break in the action of the Mountain Lions' four-overtime home game against rival O'Connor Jan. 20. Carreon is the runner up for West Valley Preps coach of the year. [Twitter]
Coach of the year
Amy Almazan, Deer Valley – Rachel Matakas could win this award every year, so maybe in the future we name it in honor of the Valley Vista coach. She led the Monsoon to their fifth state title despite missing the first month or so of games after a heart procedure. But this time we are awarding the coach whose team outperformed its preseason prognostications. Almazan’s Skyhawks finished the regular season 24-2 and earned the top seed in 4A despite heavy losses from the 2021 quarterfinalists. Almazan took over the team midway through that season after former coach MJ Walker was let go. With a young roster full of players tied to Walker’s club, it appeared this program on a rise might fall apart. And four players transferred out, including guards Mirella Funari and Izzy Majarucon to national prep teams. Yet Deer Valley continued its upward trajectory. The playoff loss to No. 9 Shadow Mountain makes more sense when Rivero’s injury is considered. The Skyhawks played the playoffs without their leader in scoring, assists and steals — and a guard averaging nearly eight boards a game
Runner-up
Jaime Carreon, Mountain Ridge – Kevin Thomas’ second straight title in his only two seasons at Millennium coauld have merited a return to this spot. Jen Tolle has built Sunrise Mountain into a top program in Arizona. But this was a breakout year for Mountain Ridge girls basketball and its coach. The program hovered around .500 in Carreon’s first three years, before exploding for a 23-4 season this year. Carreon did hit his own unique way. He continues to start a different lineup every game, ensuring the entire roster plays at least some critical minutes. This team lacked a star but relied on six girls scoring between 5.4 and 11.1 points a game. Most rare in this era, he ushered this turnaround in with a roster almost exclusively of local kids.
Second runner-up
Nate Jackson, Paradise Honors – This was a banner year for coaches in their first full year. Newcomers RaShawn Calvert (Peoria) and John Williams (Shadow Ridge) lifted their programs to play-in games after long droughts. Veteran Willow Canyon coach Brandon Scholtz nearly was the second runner up for the second straight year for another 5A playoff appearance and near upset of top seed Flowing Wells in Tucson. But Jackson acquitted himself well in his first full season in charge. Like Almazan he took over after an in season coaching change in 2021, though Parish Tatum was let go just before the playoffs. Jackson led the Panthers to a surprising sixth seed in 4A, powered by veteran forwards and the blur-fast backcourt of Williams and Van Dyke.