Border League Preview: AZ match-ups to watch

<p>This weekend is the <strong>Border League</strong> at various gyms in the Gilbert district. There are around 80 schools from all over the West Coast plus some others not from our region. The schools will be named mostly as club teams since some states are not allowed to enter as their HS team. </p> <p>Highland and Gilbert are hosting the three top brackets with the West Coast Division and Top Flight Invite Division at Highland HS and the Arizona Division at Gilbert HS. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>The <strong>Top Flight Invite</strong> has 8 teams from around the country with: Minnehaha (MN), Lake Norman Christian (NC), Bishop Gorman (NV), Coronado (NV), IMG Academy (FL), Prolific Prep (CA), Mater Dei (CA) and local school Sunnyslope.</p> <p>The <strong>West Coast Division</strong> has 8 teams with: AZ Compass Prep, Desert Valley Prep (NV), Dream City Christian (AZ), Eduprize (AZ), Hillcrest Prep (AZ), Renaissance Academy (CA), Southern California Academy and Trinity International Prep (NV).  </p> <p>The <strong>Arizona Division</strong> has 16 teams with: Brophy Prep (AZ), Catalina Foothills (AZ), Smoky Hill (CO), Desert Vista (AZ), Desert Pines (NV), Highland (AZ), Gilbert (AZ), Corona Centennial (CA), Calvary Christian (FL), Modesto Christian (CA), Mountain Pointe (AZ), St. Mary’s (AZ), Torrey Pines (CA), Archbishop Riordian (CA), Campolindo (CA) and American Fork (UT).     </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Friday night match-ups will be:</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="703797" first="Carson" last="Basham"]<strong> (Sunnyslope)</strong> vs Moussa Diabate <strong>(IMG Academy</strong>). Size vs size. Basham has the strength/skill and Diabate has the athleticism. </p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="703810" first="Bailon" last="Black"] <strong>(Ironwood)</strong> vs Aidan Mahaney <strong>(Campollindo)</strong>. Senior PG committed to Northern Colorado vs the junior pure PG. Intriguing match-up.</p> <p>Milos Uzan <strong>(Desert Pines</strong>) vs <strong>Gilbert</strong> HS guards of [player_tooltip player_id="703847" first="Tampa" last="Scott"], [player_tooltip player_id="827033" first="Nikko" last="Pentelute"], [player_tooltip player_id="1038142" first="Trey" last="Hollis"] and [player_tooltip player_id="1054334" first="Eli" last="Johnson"]. The long 6'3 junior Nevada PG will be going vs a slew of talented Gilbert guards. </p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="590836" first="Justus" last="Jackson"] <strong>(Eduprize)</strong> vs [player_tooltip player_id="811095" first="Jayden" last="Nunn"] and [player_tooltip player_id="993007" first="Tyler" last="Simon"] <strong>(Dream City)</strong> plus [player_tooltip player_id="703808" first="Duke" last="Brennan"] <strong>(Eduprize)</strong> vs [player_tooltip player_id="930932" first="Arthur" last="Kaluma"] <strong>(Dream City)</strong>. 3 top-20 players going at it with the PG position and the big physical Brennan vs the high flyer Kaluma. </p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="827020" first="Trey" last="Phillips"] and [player_tooltip player_id="826996" first="Patrick" last="Chew"] (<strong>Brophy Prep)</strong> vs Saint Mary’s commit Chris Howell and Otto Landrum (<strong>Torrey Pines)</strong>. The long defensive Phillips vs 6’8 junior Landrum and 6'6 senior SF <strong>Saint Mary’s</strong> commit Howell vs defensive minded and tough Chew. Great match-ups here! </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Saturday night matchu-ps:</p> <p><strong>Hillcrest Prep</strong> vs <strong>AZ Compass Prep</strong>. The entire game is worth the price of admission. [player_tooltip player_id="930930" first="Mike" last="Foster"], [player_tooltip player_id="1012733" first="Brandon" last="Weston"], twins Amen and Ausar Thompson, [player_tooltip player_id="918959" first="Jamiya" last="Neal"], [player_tooltip player_id="703792" first="Tyrone" last="Washington"], [player_tooltip player_id="775540" first="Alden" last="Applewhite"] and [player_tooltip player_id="809671" first="Isaiah" last="Broady"] to name some of the fun players to watch. 6 of the top-10 2021 players in the local class. Hard to beat. </p> <p>Khaman Maker (<strong>Desert Valley Prep)</strong> vs [player_tooltip player_id="703808" first="Duke" last="Brennan"] <strong>(Eduprize).</strong> The biggest player in the event in 7’0+ Maker vs the physical rugged Brennan.  </p>