Verrado at Canyon View: Varsity Standouts

On Monday, January 23rd I attended the 5A match-up of the Verrado Vipers visiting the Canyon View Jaquars.

The Jaguars jumped out to a huge lead and never looked back. It was 27-11 at halftime and they blew it open in the 3rd. They ended up winning 61-38 with a very balanced attack.

Here were the varsity standouts

Cohen Aldridge Cohen Aldridge 6'2" | SF Canyon View | 2023 State AZ Canyon View

A point forward type was the initiator of the offense on this night. He has advanced court vision and sees plays happening quickly. He can hit the catch three and is a better ball handler than I realized. He shows toughness to board inside and plays on the perimeter as well.

AJ Harris AJ Harris 6'4" | SF Canyon View | 2026 State AZ Canyon View

A long armed wing forward moves fluidly up the court. He is very good on the glass and will score on offensive rebound put backs. He can hit the catch three plus he can handle the ball from the arc and rip thru and score in traffic with his dominant right hand. He made a couple difficult catches in traffic and he will hustle for loose balls. 

DeNali McNeal DeNali McNeal 6'2" | CG Canyon View | 2025 State AZ Canyon View

A talented scoring combo guard. He has a quick burst with a smooth handle slithering in traffic to the cup and will make contested shots in traffic. He will give hard ball fake and get to the basket in very few strides. He can hit the three off the catch with a quick release and good range. He has long arms to collect steals and when he is rolling, they will be harder to beat in the playoffs.

Damian Castro Damian Castro 5'10" | PG Canyon View | 2025 State AZ Canyon View 

A point guard with a knack for scoring but he can pass with either hand and has grown maybe two inches. The first thing that stands out is his burst. He gets into the triple threat and then usually becomes a driver using his speed. He is quick to collect steals and will dive on the floor for a 50/50 ball. He has improved since last year.

Conner Aldridge Conner Aldridge 6'4" | SF Canyon View | 2023 State AZ Canyon View (Pictured)

A skilled face-up forward showed off his full arsenal in this game. He has an easy stroke to the three point line and can hit from mid-range. He can dribble with his left or right hand and his euro move is tight. He is a smart passer and he can put the ball on the deck a little. He will block shots in his area and play physical inside the paint.  

Adam Hubbard Adam Hubbard 6'3" | CG Canyon View | 2025 State AZ Canyon View 

A long armed soph started getting more playing time after his transfer. He can shoot it from the three point line and he bothers his opponents in the passing lanes. He is a quick second jumper to get on the glass and score on put backs. As the season wears on, he may play more minutes. 

Matthew Sarzoza PF 6’4 2023 Canyon View

A strong power forward is the team’s garbage man. He grabs an unusual amount of rebounds and he is tough, fearless and physical.  He will run through a wall to help his team make a play. He had an amazing 15 rebounds and he can block shots in his area. 

Zaveion Bineyard Zaveion Bineyard 6'7" | PF Verrado | 2023 State AZ Verrado

One of the top natural scorers in the AIA. He is a true three level scorer with hook shots in the post, crossovers into runners, pull-up off the dribble from the three, floaters and has a euro game plus good open court speed to beat his defender down the court. He shows nice body control in the air and is a quick second jumper. He is also a sneaky good passer.  Defensively he has unusually long arms to rebound out of his area and will close out to shooters. He will block shots at a high rate and gobble up rebounds. He had a smooth 27 points and was steady all game.

Samson Chabala Samson Chabala 5'10" | PG Verrado | 2024 State AZ Verrado 

A scoring lead guard can catch and shoot from the three point line given space and time. He is athletic to score inside on tip ins and will throw some nice passes for assists to teammates. He can improve his shot selection moving forward, but he should be their team leader next year. 

Eric Carillo C 6’5 2023 Verrado

A tough and physical rebound chaser who plays with a big time motor. He does not look to score the ball often but will score on put backs and can get to the free throw line. Most of the time he rebounds and kicks it to his guards.