Saguaro Holiday Classic: Newcomers
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On Friday December 15th I attended the Saguaro Holiday Classic in Scottsdale. It had a nice blend of 8 schools of two West Side teams with Verrado/Apollo, three in Scottsdale with SCA/Sagu/Horizon, two East Valley with Maricopa/Gilbert Christian and one…
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Continue ReadingOn Friday December 15th I attended the Saguaro Holiday Classic in Scottsdale. It had a nice blend of 8 schools of two West Side teams with Verrado/Apollo, three in Scottsdale with SCA/Sagu/Horizon, two East Valley with Maricopa/Gilbert Christian and one out of state team with New Trier/IL.
Here were the standouts from the four games I viewed.
We start off with the Newcomers:
Elijah White Elijah White 6'2" | PG Apollo | 2026 State AZ Apollo (Pictured)
A long point guard gets downhill and reads the play. He is quick in the passing lanes to collect steals in bunches. He can catch and shoot from the three and cuts to the basket for some easy points. He knows how to change speeds and hesitates well. He rebounds well with his size for position.
Gavin Hart Gavin Hart 6'0" | PG Horizon | 2024 State AZ Horizon
A pure point guard with skill. He is a true dimer with pocket passes, slip passes and plays with good pace to his game. He can rise up and shoot the three and from mid-range.
Dimitri Nibbs Dimitri Nibbs 6'2" | SG Maricopa | 2024 State AZ Maricopa
An athletic defensive guard is a fun watch. He collected a few steals that led to dunks on the break. He has a good handle and can euro step to the basket. He is very athletic to block shots off the glass and springs up quickly off the ground to grab boards.
Quynnton Weatherspoon Quynnton Weatherspoon 6'2" | SF Saguaro | 2024 State AZ Saguaro
A tough wing who will defend. He runs the court and has surprising athleticism and speed to out race the opposing teams and can play above or near the rim on the break. He is very athletic to rebound in and out of his area. He scores most of his points in transition.
Jorden Etheridge Jorden Etheridge 5'8" | PG Verrado | 2027 State AZ Verrado
An undersized point guard already starts for the West Valley team. He is fast in the open court and pushes it. He is a true PG to find teammates. He gives hard ball fakes and will burst by. He can turn the corner on many defenders with his speed and a tight handle.
Amari Fletcher Amari Fletcher 6'4" | SF Verrado | 2025 State AZ Verrado
A long and lean wing forward. He rebounds well and can push it up the court. He can catch and shoot from the three point line and will block some shots with his length.
Gabriel Gustafson Gabriel Gustafson 5'10" | PG Verrado | 2025 State AZ Verrado
A lefty sharp shooter can catch and shoot from the three plus slither into the lane and get passed his defenders. He is active in the passing lanes to collect steals and is a very good passer who works well off the pick and roll game.
Trae Kaye Trae Kaye 5'10" | CG Saguaro | 2025 State AZ Saguaro
The specialist of the team gets the ball out of his hands quickly. He will rattle in triples one by one when left open. He is undersized but has a stronger frame to handle contact. He makes smart decisions with the ball and is a sneaky good passer.
Mikey Shepston Mikey Shepston 6'2" | SG Saguaro | 2027 State AZ Saguaro
A freshman scoring guard rebounds the ball really well with a strong frame and build. He loves rising up from mid-range and can score it inside. He block shots inside and competes.