We saw some more basketball this year before the AIA starts with Section-7 in the summer plus viewed some of the teams play in fall ball.
Like 6A, 5A may be wide open with more then 5 teams that can win it all. It is a very balanced group of teams at the top along with some depth.
The 5A Conference is a very deep pool like it has been the last 5 years or so.
The theme for the top 5A teams this year is senior top players. Every top ranked team has at least one.
There are 44 schools in 5A with 24 teams getting into the playoffs.
Here are my top 10 preseason team rankings for the 2021-2022 season plus four other schools and two sleeper teams.
The 5A Preseason Top 10
No. 1 Centennial--Coach Randy Lavender has a strong starting-5 led by one of the top seniors in the AIA with 2022 6'0 CG Jake Lifgren. Alongside Lifgren will be 2022's 6'0 PG Abe Rangel & 6'0 G Trenten Lavender. Plus 2023 6'3 SG Emery Young & 2024 6'3 F Gage Galbreath.
Off the bench will be 2023 6'5 C Dallan Lilly, 2023 6'1 F Andrew Lopez and 2024 6'2 F Keyan Murphy.
No. 2 Gilbert--Coach Jay Caserio also has a top senior guard in 5A with 2022 6'1 SG Nikko Pentelute. A DEEP senior group of guards are around him with 2022 5'10 PG Elijah Johnson, 6'1 PG Trey Hollis, 6'1 PG Landon LaMancusa, 6'4 W Shade Kerr & 5'10 SG Tyler Lubash. Plus senior big man 2022 6'5 PF Reed Shuey.
Their wildcards on their team are their non seniors with 2023 6'1 SG KJ Perry and 2024's 6'0 PG Isaiah Bronson & 6'2 SF Jaelen Green
No. 3 McClintock--Coach Sam Dentz has two very underrated seniors in 2022 6'1 CG PJ Volz and 6'4 PF Jaylen Wesley with a top junior in 2023 6'4 SF EJ Scroggins plus 2023 5'9 PG Davion Butler.
These four will do a lot for them.
They also have a couple bigs who will contribute with 2022 6'6 C Desean Strong and 2024 6'6 C Gabriel Emerson plus three guards with 2023's 6'1 Jacoby Brown, 6'1 Shakur Davis & 2022 6'3 Javier Bermudez.
No. 4 Ironwood--Coach Jordan Augustine is another coach with the pleasure of coaching arguably the top senior forward in 5A with 2022 6'8 F Ringo Aguek. Alongside him will be 2023 6'3 G Adonis Thomas, 2022 6'1 CG DeOtis Nunn Jr plus forwards are 2023 6'5 Jordan Kuac and 2023 6'4 PF Julius Williams.
Off the bench will be 2024 6'0 SG Noah Gifft, 2023 5'10 PG Leonard Romayor, 2023 6'0 SG Jordan Jones and 2024 6'5 F Nathan Wanjohi.
No. 5 Millennium--Coach Ty Amundsen has one of the youngest teams in the state but are super talented led by 2024's 5'10 PG Gabe Pickens, 6'2 SG Christian Holly, 6'4 PF Donovan Franks, 6'0 CG Trey Curry and 2025's 5'11 G Quincy Everson, 6'4 PF Kingston Tosi, 5'7 G Justin Amundson and 5'6 PG Damian Castro. They have one senior starter with 6'3 SG Reggie Orr and they also got back the talented junior in 6'8 F Isaac Hymes.
Their two other seniors who may contribute with 2022 6'0 Lawren Mitchell and 2022 6'3 F Demarco Thomas.
No. 6 Apollo--Coach Jacob Marin also has a top-notch guard with 2022 6'0 PG Ahamed Mohamed. Other starters will be 2023's 6'2 CG Lashy Perez & 6'0 CG Bobby Holcomb. These 3 will score most of the points for the team along with 2022 6'0 SF Joshon Person.and 2022 5'9 PG Nolan Parker.
Off the bench will be 2022's 6'4 PF Elijah Payne, 6'3 F Corey Weathersby & 2024 6'5 C David Mullayev.
No. 7 Desert Mountain--Coach Mark Schumaker has yet another top senior with 2022 6'3 CG Easton Reagan. He is around a good older group with 2022 6'5 PF William Dubuc. They have a tough 2023 group with 5'11 PG Ryan Ginsberg, 5'11 CG Anthony Parise, 5'11 CG Vincent Parise. 6'5 PF Keller Thompson plus 2022's 6'1 SG Jacob Herbert and 5'10 PG Parker Kendall.
No. 8 Campo Verde--They are led by a budding star in 2023 6'0 PG Isaiah Kai.
Next to him you have 2023 5'10 Justin Garcia, 2024 6'0 Cohen Ferguson, 2023 6'2 F Ty McDowell plus 2023 6'5 PF Cole Ahern, 2022 6'3 PF Cole Pace, 2023 6'0 G Josh Campbell, 2023 5'9 PG Nate Gomez and two newcomers with 2022 6'6 Blake Montague and 2024 6'5 Carter Montague.
No. 9 Casteel--Coach Aaron Windler has a POY candidate in 2022 6'6 PF Carson Ledbetter. They also have 2022's CG 5'11 Preston Grako, 2023 6'1 G Nate Ko, 2024 6'3 W Aidan Schmidt, 2024 5'10 PG David Franks, and 2022 5'11 PG David Church. They also have a budding PF with 6'7 2023 Caden Zurek and stud 2024 football CB/PG JJ Newcombe.
No. 10 Higley--Coach Ken Drake has an up and coming team led by 2023's 5'10 PG Yarell Greer, 6'6 PF Jordan Irving, 6'1 G Dallen Nelson and 5'10 G Tristan Walters. Plus 2022's 6'2 SG Kameron Bender, 60 SG Deveraux Roberts and 6'3 F Javory Weatherspoon. And one young buck with 2024 6'6 PF Jaeyvn Yancey.
4 other schools of note with top players plus 2 sleeper teams
Catalina Foothills--2022 6'2 CG Dylan Hadley, 2023 6'5 SF Jackson Bader, 2022 6'1 PG Quincy Geary, 2022 6'4 W Josh Sochan and 2023 6'0 G JJ Salkowski.
Horizon--2022's 6'3 SF Croix Sweeney, 6'3 SG Cameron Coraggio, 6'0 CG Josh Rodgers, 2023 6'2 CG Jack Brackmann & 2024 6'4 PF Craig Rodgers.
Buena--2022's 6'3 SG Cooper Jones, 6'1 SG Jake Smith and 6'0 CG Wyatt Gordon.
Sunrise Mountain--2023 6'5 SF Carter Gittens, 2022 6'0 CG Rafe Canale and CG 6'1 Marcus Jones plus 2023's 6'6 F Dalton Graham, 6'3 F Brandon Ackert & 6'2 SF Patrick Weyrauch.
Sleeper teams:
North Canyon--2022 6'5 PF Cameron Stokes, 2023 6'3 G King Turner & 2024's 6'2 CG Makhi Golston & 6'0 SG Kent Barnes.
Carl Hayden--2024 SG Kendre Pride, 2023 SF Adrien Armstrong , 2023 5'9 PG DJ Williams, 2022 PF Jordan Talbert & 2024 G Santino Esquivel
5A Player of the Year Candidates
6'8 Sr F Ringo Aguek--Ironwood
6'8 Jr PF Isaac Hymes--Millennium
6'0 Jr PG Isaiah Kai--Campo Verde
6'6 Sr PF Carson Ledbetter--Casteel
6'0 Sr CG Jake Lifgren--Centennial
6'0 Sr PG Ahamed Mohamed--Apollo
6'1 Sr SG Nikko Pentelute--Gilbert
6'3 Sr CG Easton Reagan--Desert Mountain
6'2 Sr PG Pike Tancil--Willow Canyon
6'4 Sr PF Jaylen Wesley--McClintock
5A Breakout Player of the Year Candidates
6'8 Sr F Ringo Aguek--Ironwood
5'9 Jr PG Demarion Anderson--Agua Fria
6'6 Jr PF Zaveion Bineyard--Verrado
6'2 Jr CG Jack Brackmann--Horizon
6'3 Sr SG Evan Clayton--Arcadia
6'5 Jr SF Carter Gittens--Sunrise Mountain
5'10 Jr PG Yarell Greer--Higley
6'0 Jr PG Bobby Holcomb--Apollo
6'2 So SG Kendre Pride--Carl Hayden
6'4 Sr W Jared Sochman--Catalina Foothills
6'5 Sr PF Cameron Stokes--North Canyon
6'3 Jr G Adonis Thomas--Ironwood
6'1 Sr CG PJ Volz--McClintock
5A Defensive Player of the Year Candidates
6'8 Sr F Ringo Aguek--Ironwood
5'10 Jr PG Yarell Greer--Higley
6'2 Sr CG Dylan Hadley--Catalina Foothills
6'0 Jr PG Isaiah Kai--Campo Verde
6'0 Sr PG Ahamed Mohamed--Apollo
6'2 Jr SG KJ Perry--Gilbert
5'10 So PG Gabe Pickens--Millennium
6'5 Sr PF Cameron Stokes--North Canyon
6'3 Jr SG Emery Young--Centennial
5A Underclassman of the Year Candidates
6'6 So F Jai Anthoni Bearden---Kellis
6'0 So CG Cohen Ferguson--Campo Verde
5'10 So PG David Franks--Casteel
6'2 So CG Makhi Golston--North Canyon
5'10 So PG Gabe Pickens--Millennium
6'1 Fr CG DeNali McNeal--Canyon View
6'2 So SG Kendre Pride--Carl Hayden
6'4 So PF Craig Rodgers--Horizon
6'4 So SF Noah Suwunmi--Paradise Valley
6'3 So SF Deavion Tillman--Washington
5A Region Predictions
Region-1 (Central)
1. North Canyon
2. Willow Canyon
3. Washington
4. Independence
5. Glendale
6. West Point
Region-2 (Desert West)
1. Millennium
2. Agua Fria
3. Canyon View
4. Verrado
5. La Joya
6. Lake Havasu
Region-3 (Northwest)
1. Centennial
2. Ironwood
3. Apollo
4. Sunrise Mountain
5. Kellis
6. Gila Ridge
Region-4 (Northeast Valley)
1. McClintock
2. Desert Mountain
3. Horizon
4. Arcadia
5. Paradise Valley
6. Cactus Shadows
Region-5 (Metro)
1. Carl Hayden
2. Central
3. Camelback
4. Sierra Linda
5. Fairfax
6. Metro Tech
Region-6 (San Tan)
1. Gilbert
2. Campo Verde
3. Casteel
4. Higley
5. Williams Field
Region-7 (Sonoran)
1. Catalina Foothills
2. Mountain View Marana
3. Marana
4. Ironwood Ridge
5. Flowing Wells
6. Casa Grande
Region-8 (Southern)
1. Buena
2. Nogales
3. Sunnyside
4. Desert View
5. Cienega
My 24 Projected Playoff Teams
1. Centennial
2. Gilbert
3. McClintock
4. Ironwood
5. Millennium
6. Apollo
7. Desert Mountain
8. Campo Verde
9. Casteel
10. Higley
11. North Canyon
12. Carl Hayden
13. Catalina Foothills
14. Horizon
15. Buena
16. Sunrise Mountain
Eight Teams Who Might Make Conference Play-in Games
17. Kellis
18. Willow Canyon
19. Agua Fria
20. Arcadia
21. Nogales
22. Canyon View
23. Gila Ridge
24. Mountain View Marana
Five 5A Teams That Could Be Spoilers
1. Marana
2. Verrado
3. Paradise Valley
4. Washington
5. Cactus Shadows
