Preview
Starting June 16th, 17 of the top girls basketball programs in Arizona as well as Coronado high school from Nevada will compete at State Farm Stadium in the annual Section 7 basketball tournament. The tournament provides a unique opportunity to showcase the talented girl basketball players from different parts of the state.
With the AIA considering adopting an “open division” playoff bracket for basketball as they currently do for football, the tournament provides fans, media, and teams alike the ability to preview potential playoff matchups. The open division bracket takes the top teams from the 4A, 5A, and 6A conference, therefore matchups such as 4A Salpointe Catholic vs 6A Perry and 4A Flowing Wells vs 5A Sunrise Mountain may not be just Summer tournament games.
Of the 17 Arizona programs, three conference champions and five of the six conferences are represented as well as the runner ups from both the 5A and 6A conference. Sixteen of the 17 teams competing played in the 2021-22 postseason.
Team List
Names that are capitalized are my preseason conference player of the year candidates.
(6A) Boulder Creek, 2021-22 record: 12-15 *play-in* top returning players: Joslyn Baumgartner (2023) 8.7 points per game, 4.7 rebounds per game, Natalie Coffer (2023) 5.4 points per game, 3.5 rebounds per game
(6A) Cibola, 2021-22 record: 22-4, top returning players: Sierra Bomhower (2024) 13.1 points per game, 3.2 steals per game, Rori Hoffmeyer (2023) 9.7 points per game, 9.7 rebounds per game
(6A) Desert Vista, 2021-22 record: 25-5 *semifinalist*, top returning players: DYLAN SWINDLE (2025) 16.3 points per game, 2.0 steals per game, EANAE DAGONS (2024) 11.9 points per game, 1.7 steals per game
(5A) Fairfax, 2021-22 record: 19-3 *round of 16* top returning players: Saniya Jones (2025) 17.5 points per game, 2.0 rebounds per game, MACKENZIE BUCKNER (2025) 8.5 points per game, 13 rebounds per game
(4A) Flowing Wells, 2021-22 record: 29-2 *5A runner-up*, top returning players: Leamsi Acuña (2023) 12.4 points per game, 5.8 assists points per game, NAVINE MALLON (2023) 16 points per game, 10.9 rebounds per game
(6A) Hamilton, 2021-22 record: 19-8 *quarterfinalist*, top returning players: Savanna Creal (2024) 12.4 points per game, 4 rebounds per game, Siajonet Burley (2023) 5.8 points per game, 2.6 steals per game
(6A) Mesa, 2021-22 record: 20-8 *round of 16*, top returning players: ASHIIAN HUNTER (2023) 20.3 points per game, 5 rebounds per game, Micayla Silas (2023) 8.4 points per game, 2.5 assists per game
(4A) Mesquite, 2021-22 record: 18-7 *round of 16*, top returning players: Mya Way (2023) 12.5 points per game, 3.2 assists per game, Vanessa Sepulveda (2024) 11.4 points per game, 4.5 rebounds per game
(5A) Millennium, 2021-22 record: 21-9 *5A Champions*, top returning players: ELLI GUINEY (2024) 14.7 points per game, 7 rebounds per game, Kayda Pierce (2023) 6.2 points per game, 4.2 rebounds per game
(1A) Mohave Accelerated, 2021-22 record: 9-8, top returning players: BRONTE GEE (2024) 10.8 points per game, 13.3 rebounds per game, Kyleigh Eldridge (2023) 7.6 points per game, 7.1 rebounds per game
(6A) Perry, 2021-22 record: 22-10 *runner-up*, top returning players: KHAMIL PIERRE (2023) 21 points per game, 9.1 rebounds per game, Jayla Cal (2023) 8.5 points per game, 2.3 steals per game
(2A) Phoenix Country Day, 2021-22 record: 22-5 *round of 16*, top returning players: NARA KAIBARA (2023) 19.6 points per game, 3.6 assists per game, JADYNN JONES (2023) 10.3 points per game, 8.2 rebounds per game
(6A) Pinnacle, 2021-22 record: 21-9 *quarterfinalist*, top returning players: Mia Singstock (2024) 16 points per game, 4.9 rebounds per game, Heather Stedman (2025) 9.2 points per game, 6.5 rebounds per game
(4A) Salpointe Catholic, 2021-22 record: 24-4 *4A Champions*, top returning players: TALIYAH HENDERSON (2025) 11.5 points per game, 5.4 rebounds per game, Hannah Williams (2025) 5.9 points per game, 5.4 rebounds per game
(5A) Sunrise Mountain, 2021-22 record: 24-3 *semifinalist*, top returning players: MACKENZIE DUNHAM (2023) 15.3 points per game, 12.6 rebounds per game, MACKENZIE NIELSEN (2023) 14 points per game, 2.8 rebounds per game
(6A) Valley Vista, 2021-22 record: 25-5 *6A Champion*, top returning players: DESTINY “ky” LUNAN (2025) 12.5 points per game, 3.5 steals per game, Olivia Arvallo (2023) 11 points per game, 3.1 assists per game
(6A) Xavier Prep, 2021-22 record: 19-6 *semifinalist*, top returning players: SARAH MILLER
(2024) 20.4 points per game, 5.1 rebounds per game, Dominique Nesland (2024) 13.8 points per game, 3.2 steals per game
Game Schedule (Games that are capitalized are top games in play)
Thursday, 16th
4:30 PM:
Xavier College Prep vs Pinnacle
SUNRISE MOUNTAIN VS DESERT VISTA
Salpointe Catholic vs Hamilton
5:40 PM:
Valley Vista vs Flowing Wells
Millennium vs Cibola
MESA VS BETTY FAIRFAX
PERRY VS CORONADO (NV)
8 PM:
Valley Vista vs Desert Vista
MILLENNIUM VS SALPOINTE CATHOLIC
Mesquite vs Mohave Accelerated
Boulder Creek vs Betty Fairfax
PERRY VS PINNACLE
Sunrise Mountain vs Flowing Wells
Xavier College Prep vs Mesa
Cibola vs Phoenix Country Day
Hamilton vs Coronado (NV)
Friday, 17th
8:30 AM:
Mesa vs Sunrise Mountain
MESQUITE VS FLOWING WELLS
Hamilton vs Boulder Creek
VALLEY VISTA VS XAVIER COLLEGE PREP
Coronado (NV) vs Mohave Accelerated
Salpointe Catholic vs Cibola
Betty Fairfax vs Millennium
Perry vs Phoenix Country Day
Desert Vista vs Pinnacle
10:50 AM:
Phoenix Country Day vs Mohave Accelerated
MILLENNIUM VS DESERT VISTA
PERRY VS SALPOINTE CATHOLIC
Sunrise Mountain vs Hamilton
Mesa vs Flowing Wells
Pinnacle vs Cibola
Xavier College Prep vs Coronado (NV)
Saturday, 18th (Games at Raymond S. Kellis High School)
11:30 AM:
Mesquite vs Boulder Creek
Valley Vista vs Betty Fairfax
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