The girls basketball season started Nov. 19. The Goodyear/Litchfield Independent and Surprise Independent asked the local coaches for their outlook on the season.

ALA-WEST FOOTHILLS GUARDIANS

3A West Region

2024-25 Record: 17-8 overall, 10-1 region (3A first round)

Coach: Cara Hill (fourth season as ALA-West Foothills coach)

Top Returnee: G Addyson McFarland, Jr., (7.2 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 4 spg); F Chloe Oler, Jr., 6.2 ppg, 4.9 rpg).

How many years have you coached basketball? Seven years

What is your team’s best attribute entering this season? Work ethic and accountability

What will your team need to improve for the season to be a success? Constant grit and strong defensive mindset xecution and player/team development.

Who are your team leaders? Addyson McFarland, Abbie Zerbe, Chloe Oler and AJ Blundon.

Who are newcomers to the varsity squad who could make an impact? Lyla Hernandez, Maddy Caines and Natalie Cerny.

What needs to happen for your squad to reach the state tournament this season, or achieve the goals the team has set? To reach the state tournament and accomplish our goals, our team must bring consistent effort, discipline, and unselfish play every day. We need to communicate, trust the game plan, and hold ourselves and each other accountable. Most importantly, we must stay mentally tough and believe in who we are as a team.

CANYON VIEW JAGUARS

5A Desert West Region

2024-25 Record: 24-8 overall, 12-0 region (5A state champs)

Coach: Desirae Carranza (seventh season as Canyon View coach)

Top Returnee: F Jaila Flowers, Sr., (14.3 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 2.3 spg); G Aa;iyah Rogers, Sr., 12.7 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 4.5 spg).

How many years have you coached basketball? 17 years

What is your team’s best attribute entering this season? We will be returning five seniors who began the program together and have played in the last 3 state championship games.

What will your team need to improve for the season to be a success? We have been working to improve defensively.

Who are your team leaders? Seniors Bernadette Carranza and Aaliyah Rogers.

Who are newcomers to the varsity squad who could make an impact? Estrella senior transfer Chanel Yelowman and freshman Annalycia Sandavol .

What needs to happen for your squad to reach the state tournament this season, or achieve the goals the team has set? We need to work hard in practice and continue to improve.  We are looking forward to having all of our tri and dual athletes back in the gym with us in preparation for upcoming tournaments and season.

DESERT EDGE SCORPIONS

5A Desert West Region

2024-25 Record: 5-21 overall, 2-10 region

Coach: Heidi Behnke (20th season as Desert Edge coach)

Top Returnee: G/F Aniyah Benn, Sr., (5 ppg, 3 rpg); G Zuri Williams, Sr., (2.7 ppg).

How many years have you coached basketball? This is my 20th season as head coach at Desert Edge High School.

What is your team’s best attribute entering this season? Our team embraces a growth mindset, striving to improve each day.

What will your team need to improve for the season to be a success? We will need to improve our decision-making and confidence.

Who are your team leaders? Seniors Aniyah Benn and Julissa Ortiz-Reyes.

Who are newcomers to the varsity squad who could make an impact? Sophomore Jashayla Martin.

What needs to happen for your squad to reach the state tournament this season, or achieve the goals the team has set? We will need to develop an identity that matches our team culture and performance goals.

DYSART DEMONS

4A Black Canyon Region

2024-25 Record: 15-11 overall, 9-1 region (did not make playoffs)

Coach: Francisco Villa (first season as Dysart coach)

Top Returnee: G Yen Doan, Sr., 5-0 (7 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 3.2 apg); F/C Katie Stewart, Sr., 6-0 (5.7 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 2.2 spg).

How many years have you coached basketball? 31 years total. I have coached at CSU-Monterey Bay women in California for two years, Arizona Christian women with Odell Berry for two years, Merced Junior College Women for three years in California, and the rest in high school boys and girls varsity here and in California.

What is your team’s best attribute entering this season? Being coachable and team defense, I am a defensive-minded coach with an emphasis on fundamentals.

What will your team need to improve for the season to be a success? Our season is already a success. The young ladies are coming out and working hard every day. It is my coaching staff’s and my job to teach them the fun-da-mentals of the game and how important it is to communicate on the court and how important it is to box out.

Who are your team leaders? PG Yen Doan senior, SG Lisa Plata senior, and junior wing Kaleigh Cloud. 

Who are newcomers to the varsity squad who could make an impact? Valley Vista junior transfer Kaleigh Cloud, who sat out all of last year, and freshman Otylia Cwik will make an impact on both the defensive and offensive sides of the ball.

What needs to happen for your squad to reach the state tournament this season, or achieve the goals the team has set? Our motto is play hard, play smart, play together. If we can do all of these every game, then we will reach our goals and be successful. 

ESTRELLA FOOTHILLS WOLVES

4A West Valley Region

2024-25 Record: 34-15 overall, 10-0 region (4A semifinals)

Coach: Noel Hatchel (fourth season as Estrella Foothills coach)

Top Returnee: G Nemo Sidhu, Jr., 5-5 (16.9 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 2.6 spg); G Citali Pichardo, Soph., 5-5 (3.2 ppg, 2 spg).

How many years have you coached basketball? 33 years total, four in girls basketball.

What is your team’s best attribute entering this season? Togetherness. They absolutely love being around each other. This has created a positive atmosphere and we gel really well on the floor.

What will your team need to improve for the season to be a success? Maturity. we are incredibly young (four frosh, 3 soph, 2 juniors, 2 seniors), and our maturity level is a work in progress

Who are your team leaders? Tristin Foafoa (senior) and Nemo Sidhu (junior guard)

Who are newcomers to the varsity squad who could make an impact? Braylee Brown (freshman PG), Teej Sidhu (freshman SG), Tristin Foafoa (senior Post)

What needs to happen for your squad to reach the state tournament this season, or achieve the goals the team has set? We need to rebound better. Lost one of the states best-ever rebounders and need to fill that gap quickly. Communicate better on the defense. With a young talented team, our communication needs to improve on the defensive end. We get lost on against teams that move in space.