AIA 4A Boy’s Basketball Rankings

<p>The first rankings have been put online and there are some shocking and not so shocking developments happening in the AZ high school basketball season. We will take a look at the top 10 4A rankings and discuss those top teams, while also predicting how the season will play out.</p> <p>1. Salpointe Catholic 6-0</p> <p>2. Shadow Mountain 8-1</p> <p>3. Deer Valley 7-0</p> <p>4. Buckeye Union 8-1</p> <p>5. Amphi 7-0</p> <p>6. Peoria 7-1</p> <p>7. Seton Catholic Prep 6-2</p> <p>8. Estrella Foothills 4-2</p> <p>9. Moon Valley 5-2</p> <p>10. Palo Verde Magnet 7-1</p> <p><strong>Salpointe Catholic:</strong></p> <p>Salpointe Catholic is sitting in the 1st seed and it's shocking, yet not shocking at the same time. Shocking because we have gotten used to Shadow Mountain dominance. Not shocking because Salpointe has some real big time players in <strong>Evan Nelson</strong> and <strong>Majok Deng</strong>. They had last year's state championship in the bag until a huge fourth quarter comeback. Look for them to try to avenge that heartbreaking loss. </p> <p><strong>Buckeye Union:</strong></p> <p>This is a very scary team because they are a scoring threat capable of exploding at any second. <strong>Tay Boothman</strong> and <strong>Otis Frazier</strong> are scoring machines and it is very hard to stop them when they get hot. They also get a very notable transfer back very soon which should add to their already talented roster.</p> <p><strong>Shadow Mountain:</strong></p> <p>It is odd seeing Shadow Mountain in anything but the number one spot, but the season is early and their one loss came to Pinnacle and it was a buzzer beater. It would be unwise to doubt Shadow Mountain, they are still the clear favorite to win the 4A State Championship, especially since they still have<strong> Jaelen House</strong> and <strong>Jovan Blacksher</strong>, any team with these two guys on their roster is going to be pretty good. </p> <p><strong>Deer Valley:</strong></p> <p>They're a new player in the 4A world but boy are they making their presence felt. They are an extremely well coached team and are making waves in the 4A world. Look for them to be a serious contender for state, if anyone in 4A can beat Shadow Mountain, I think Deer Valley and Salpointe are your best bets. </p>