The 2025-26 Wrap Up 🏀

The 2025–2026 Arizona girls' high school basketball season delivered storylines, breakout performances, and championship moments across the state. Programs across every division had their moment, and by the time the final buzzer sounded on the season, it was clear that girls' basketball in Arizona continues to trend upward, with both established programs and emerging talent making their mark.

The Joseph City Wildcats capped off an impressive run by winning the 1A State Championship for the second consecutive year, redeeming themselves after finishing runner-up in the two seasons prior to their first title. This stretch has become one of the better runs in recent 1A history. Joseph City was led by the Neill twins, Audrey and Amber, who set the tone for the Wildcats throughout the season with their leadership and playmaking ability.

In the 2A division, St. John’s and Fountain Hills met for the third time this season to decide the championship. With both teams familiar with one another, the title game had the feel of a rubber match between two well-coached squads that had battled all year. The final outcome was St. John's defeating Fountain Hills 41-36 to win its first state title since 2013-2014. In 3A, the Page Sand Devils continued to build a strong program tradition by winning their second state championship in three years, defeating the Window Rock Fighting Scouts. The two teams also met in the 2023–24 championship game, which Page won as well, and this year’s title matchup marked their third meeting of the season after splitting the first two contests.

In the Copper Division, Tuba City captured its first girls' state championship since 2002, defeating Snowflake in front of a crowd of more than 9,000. Leading the way was freshman sensation Layla Curtis, who entered high school with tremendous fanfare and lived up to those expectations. Curtis has been under a lot of pressure this season, from taking pictures with fans to signing autographs, but she has handled it with maturity and grace while delivering on the court. In 4A, Mesquite claimed its first title since the 2016–17 season behind head coach Candice Gonzales. The championship also featured one of the more heady plays you’ll see in a title game, as senior Averi Mehlberg showed tremendous awareness late by not picking up the ball and allowing the clock to expire, securing the victory for Mesquite. In 5A, the previous season had left a bitter taste in Kellis’ mouth after falling just short of the championship, but this year, they made sure the outcome would be different. Kellis captured the second state title in school history behind the leadership of seniors Luz Marian Santos Mas, Shanielle Mallory, Jeorgia Parks-Rodriquez, and sophomore sensation Nelly Walker, who helped guide the Cougars through a determined postseason run.

The Valley Vista Monsoon once again showed why they are considered one of the top programs in the state. Despite roster changes, transfers, and their senior leader, Deja Strong, missing part of the season with a torn meniscus, the Monsoon came together at the right time and defeated Gilbert Highland convincingly in the 6A championship game. The win marked Valley Vista’s seventh state championship in the past ten seasons, further cementing their reputation as one of Arizona’s most consistent programs. The Open Division featured several intriguing storylines, including the new kids on the block, the Campo Verde Coyotes, making noise, the Perry Pumas adjusting to a new head coach, and the two-time defending 5A champion Canyon View Jaguars looking to send their talented senior class out with another deep postseason run. The Gilbert Tigers, if healthy, also looked like a team that could have had something to say in the Open bracket. When everything played out, it was the Sandra Day O’Connor Eagles facing the defending champion Millennium Tigers in a championship matchup loaded with talent. The game had the feel of a heavyweight pay-per-view boxing match with high-level players on both sides of the court. Neither team could deliver the knockout punch, and it eventually came down to a handful of key plays late. The game required overtime to determine a winner, and in the end, Millennium outlasted O’Connor 58–52 to capture its sixth state championship in the last eight years and its second consecutive Open Division title.

Congratulations also go out to the AZ Compass Prep Dragons for winning the CAA National Division State Championship. The season featured plenty of individual highlights as well, including America Cazares breaking the Arizona high school career scoring record and a group of freshmen making early statements across the state, including Jaiyana Bogan-Jacobs, Kolbi Brooks, and TT Freeman, all of whom put the state on notice with their play. Two of the state’s top individual honors went to Sandra Day O’Connor’s Audrey Bhesania, who was named the Gatorade Arizona Girls Player of the Year, and Millennium’s Dashia Richardson, who earned MaxPreps Arizona High School Girls Basketball Player of the Year honors. Special shoutout to Arizona native Jerzy Robinson, who was also selected to play in the 2026 McDonald’s All-American Game, which will take place in Arizona for the first time ever at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale on March 31, 2026. Legendary Mesquite head coach Candice Gonzales will serve as the West squad's head coach. Gonzales, whose résumé includes more than 500 career wins and multiple state championships, becomes only the fourth coach from Arizona to lead a team in the prestigious event. With a number of talented prospects emerging at the younger levels and strong programs continuing to develop players across the state, the future of girls' high school basketball in Arizona

looks very bright. I’ll see everyone in club season. Until then ✌️