Every week, we like to drop Roundtable discussions from the Arizona Varsity staff on some of the hottest and most debated topics in Arizona High School Sports. To join the discussion, jump into our Subscriber TeamAZV or Blue Chips forums! You can also track this year's new hires in our 2025 Coaching Carousel Thread.
Today's Topic?
Which Head Basketball Coach are you most intrigued by in their first year at a new school, and why?
Justin Collard (Perry), Kendall Aldridge (Hamilton) and Cameron Johnson (Desert Edge)- Gregg Rosenberg
I’m fascinated actually about the Boulder Creek coach (Justin Collard) going to Perry and following in the legend Sam Duane Jr’s footsteps!
Obviously they lost six of their top-7 players (could be all 7 if Bruce Branch III moves on), so we’ll see what transfers come in. Plus, how will Collard do forming his own elite culture like he did at BC? I honestly don’t think there will be as much pressure as people think since public perception is they lost a full squad to graduation.
Two newcomers I’m intrigued by are Kendall Aldridge at Hamilton and Cameron Johnson at Desert Edge for different reasons.
Kendall Aldridge was a Division-2 coach, and is trying to help the school with the biggest population in AZ stay relevant (they make playoffs every year).
Cameron Johnson is also coming from the college ranks, but taking over a team that has not done well recently. What does building the Scorpions up look like? Can he turn around the program quickly?
You can follow Gregg Rosenberg on Twitter/X at @GreggRosenberg1
Justin Collard (Perry) -Zach Alvira
Some might call this the easy cop-out answer, which is totally fine because it probably is, but my choice is Justin Collard, the former Boulder Creek coach.
Collard makes the trip over to Gilbert to coach the Perry Pumas, and he's taking over for Sam Duane, who arguably had one of the best four year runs in the history of Arizona high school basketball… and I think he did that actually twice (Corona del Sol).
Justin Collard comes in and loses a lot- no Koa Peat, no DeAndre Harrison, you loseNoNo Brown... but you do keep Bruce Branch III, who is a star player for the Pumas (who Cody Cameron claims he he discovered)
How can Justin Collard's style of coaching come uphold the program's new standard, especially at a school where they're winning in every sport- volleyball, baseball, plus the football program is on the rise, this is a school that is making a case to be the top athletic destination in the east valley- and they had that in mind when they hired Collard. I'll be trying to see what he's able to do, but I'm also confident that he's gonna be just fine.
You can follow Zach Alvira on Twitter/X at @ZachAlvira
Justin Collard (Perry), and Cameron Johnson (Desert Edge) - Jacob Seliga
The two coaching moves I'm the most excited for are Cameron Johnson coming back to the high school coaching scene and taking at Desert Edge, and Justin Collard making the move from Boulder Creek to Perry.
In terms of Johnson, I really do believe he has what it takes to turn Desert Edge into a quality 5A contending program. He is proven throughout his time as the associate head coach at South Mountain Community College, and going back to his time when he was an assistant at Desert Edge, plus when he was a head coach at Tolleson, it's clear that he knows how to develop kids, plus create those relationships and build a program up.
I know that he is bringing along his incoming freshman son, who may be one of the best guards in the 2029 class. I know that the talent that's already there can be maximized with a couple of all-region players he could get Desert Edge to the postseason immediately.
In terms of Collard- Justin has been one of the best coaches this state has had. He turned Boulder Creek from a program that nobody really thought about in terms of boys basketball to a team that is an Open contender. He maximized his talent.
He's done more with less, and kids stayed at home in Anthem when previously they would leave for Brophy, O'Connor, Notre Dame Prep or Pinnacle. For him to get the talent pool that Perry has, and to get all the resources that of school like that, he is gonna just knock it out of the park. I don't think Perry loses a beat with him as head coach. I know that Sam Duane, who he's taking over for, thinks highly of him. Collard is so well-respected throughout the community, and he is personally one of my favorite coaches in the state.
You can follow Jacob Seliga on Twitter/X at @Jacob_Seliga
Zach Hettel (Centennial) -Ralph Amsden
This is an easy one for me. Zach Hettel was a 2A semifinalist at Paradise Honors. Oh, and a 3A semifinalist. And of course you can't forget that he took PH to the 4A championship. Eight consecutive playoff trips across three divisions, and after a year off, Hettel is ready to take over a Centennial program that has gone two years without a wining record in region play, and has to deal with Ironwood year in and year out.
