The boys basketball season starts Nov. 20. The Surprise Independent asked the local coaches for their outlook on the season.

ALA-WEST FOOTHILLS GUARDIANS

3A West Region
2023-24 Record: 10-14 overall, 6-6 region
Coach: James Deakyne (First season as ALA-West Foothills coach)
Top Returnees: W Iziic Morales, Jr., 5-11 (10.5 ppg, 4.4 rpg); PF Aiden Anaya, Jr., 6-5 (4.6 ppg, 1.1 rpg).
How many years have you coached basketball? I have been coaching basketball for nearly a decade.
What is your team’s best attribute entering this season? We play hard every play.
What will your team need to improve for the season to be a success? So long as we follow our game plan and play ALA basketball we’ll have great success.
Who are your team leaders? Our seniors Zach Ramos, Peyton Graves, and Johnny Garcia.
Who are newcomers to the varsity squad who could make an impact? Newcomers this season who will have a major impact are Malik Hubbard, Brendon Kurzawski and Johnny Garcia.
What needs to happen for your squad to reach the state tournament this season, or achieve the goals the team has set? Every game for us is a race to 100. If we can win that race we’re going to do very well.

DYSART DEMONS

4A Black Canyon Region
2023-24 Record: 24-5 overall, 10-0 region (Reached 4A quarterfinals)
Coach: Keegan Cook (10th season as Dysart coach)
Top Returnees: SF Lamar Anderson, Sr., 6-3 (12 ppg, 4.4 rpg 4.1 apg); G Caleb Williams, Sr., 6-2 (4.3 ppg, 3.7 rpg).
How many years have you coached basketball? This will be my 10th year at Dysart and 16 years overall.
What is your team’s best attribute entering this season? Our best attribute is our unselfish play. We look to share the ball and try and get the best shot for our team.
What will your team need to improve for the season to be a success? So long as we follow our game plan One of the things we will need to improve on is communication defensively.
Who are your team leaders? Lamar Anderson, Caleb Williams and Santiago Leyva-Fonseca are our leaders
Who are newcomers to the varsity squad who could make an impact? Santiago Leyva-Fonseca will be a big contributor as a junior for us. Senior Anthony Martinelli moved here from Italy and will be a big piece of our team this year.
What needs to happen for your squad to reach the state tournament this season, or achieve the goals the team has set? For us to be successful this year we will need to work hard to get better everyday. We will need to continue to put team the team first.

HIGHLAND PREP HONEY BADGERS

3A West Region
2023-24 Record: 16-11 overall, 8-2 region (first round of 2A playoffs)
Coach: Trent Hill (Fourth season as Highland Prep coach)
Top Returnee: F Paxton Clark Sr., 5-11 (5.3 ppg, 3 rpg).
How many years have you coached basketball? I have been coaching for 18 years now. I’ve coached at all levels except the pros. I’ve been blessed with the support of my family to be able to coach.

What is your team’s best attribute entering this season? We’ve had a lot of success in the years past and this young team is looking to make their own mark..
What will your team need to improve for the season to be a success? Our team is young, so game experience at the varsity level. Just understanding the pace of the game at that level. As the season goes on, we should improve in those areas.
Who are your team leaders? I’m waiting for someone to really step into that roll. We have a few guys that are trying to step into that role, but they have to become more disciplined and consistent.
Who are newcomers to the varsity squad who could make an impact? Paxton Clarke was thrown into the fire towards the end of the last season but still relatively new. Paxton is looking to have a great senior year. Terrance Byrd is a freshman who had a nice middle school career. Terrance has the tools but is still learning to utilize them at the next level on both ends of the court. Our squad is all new to varsity so it will be exciting to see who really wants it.
What needs to happen for your squad to reach the state tournament this season, or achieve the goals the team has set? They must learn to play hard at all times, be coachable, and play for the name on the front of the jersey and not the back.

Shadow Ridge junior Marshawn McCullum looks over the Willow Canyon defense during a Nov. 30, 2023 game at Willow Canyon. (Courtesy Ryan McGinley/Dysart Schools)

SHADOW RIDGE STALLIONS

6A West Valley Region
2023-24 Record: 12-14 overall, 4-6 region
Coach: Robert Bohon (10th year at Shadow Ridge)
Top Returnees: SG Marshawn McCullum, Sr., 6-1 (7.5 ppg, 4.4 rpg); PF Weston Eubanks, Sr., 6-2 (3.8 ppg, 3.9 rpg)
How many years have you coached basketball? 34 years of coaching, 10 years at Shadow Ridge.
What is your team’s best attribute entering this season? Team chemistry, group is a hard-working group that has played together for three years.
What will your team need to improve for the season to be a success? Execution, we have to be able to finish games and play the game correctly.
Who are your team leaders? MarShawn McCullum (senior), Xavier Draper (senior), Wes Eubanks (senior), Cam Linderman (senior)
Who are newcomers to the varsity squad who could make an impact? Jalen Harris (junior), Peyton Garcia (junior), Colton Planeta (junior)
What needs to happen for your squad to reach the state tournament this season, or achieve the goals the team has set? To get to state, the team has get better every day. Practice, classroom, games, everything has to improve and that will help your team achieve goals at the end of the season.

WILLOW CANYON WILDCATS

5A Northwest Region
2023-24 Record: 22-7 overall, 8-4 region (Reached 5A quarterfinals)
Coach: Joseph Colletti (8th season as Willow Canyon coach)
Top Returnees: PG Kaleel Kelly, Sr., 6-3 (16.4 ppg, 9.6 rpg 5.4 apg); SG Daniel Garza, Jr., 6-2 (5.1 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 3.5 apg).
How many years have you coached basketball? Nineteen years total, eighth as head coach at Willow Canyon.
What is your team’s best attribute entering this season? Fearlessness. This group is resilient, relentless and fearless.
What will your team need to improve for the season to be a success? Details determine destiny. The goal for these guys is to try to improve a little bit every day over the next few months.
Who are your team leaders? We expect every player to be a leader within our program.
Who are newcomers to the varsity squad who could make an impact? Maurice Carter II and Jaydon Hayes are two freshman who will make an impact every night. Garrison Bambolo, Braylen Gray, Levi Carter and Gabe Davis are all sophomores who will make an impact every night. Austin Cooper, Antwan Gilkey and Dom Del Mar are all juniors who will make an impact every night. Byron Lobmeyer and Tyler Gilbertson are both seniors who will make an impact every night.
What needs to happen for your squad to reach the state tournament this season, or achieve the goals the team has set? As much as we want to discuss the state tournament, we want to focus on reaching our potential. If we can commit to the process of daily development ... we will have a shot to reach our potential and with that come all the outcome goals anyone could want to discuss. We have a group of committed, consistent and purposeful players who want to see each other succeed.