Top Playmakers in the Class of 2022
As we continue this series that will feature valuable skill sets from the class of 2022 (incoming seniors) around the state of Arizona, it’s important to note that playmaking can come in a variety of ways. This article will focus…
Access all of Prep Girls Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingAs we continue this series that will feature valuable skill sets from the class of 2022 (incoming seniors) around the state of Arizona, it’s important to note that playmaking can come in a variety of ways. This article will focus more on guards and initiators and exclude bigs entirely to compartmentalize categories for a future piece that will focus on playmaking forwards and bigs.
Counting the raw totals for assists per game alone isn’t always the best way to go about it, as factoring in the amount of usage and role can also come into play. The main thing evaluators look for in playmakers is the ability to display sound decision-making, starting with the assist-to-turnover ratio.
Limiting the turnovers is a major key towards a successful offense, although at times turnovers can be necessary if making high-risk, high-reward passes on the move so you have to balance it in both directions.
Here are the top playmakers and/or decision-makers in the class of 2022 in Arizona.
Mackenzie Shivers Mackenzie Shivers 5'7" | CG Mesa | 2022 State AZ (Mesa, PG/SG)
Shivers provided a balanced offensive attack on a large volume of both scoring and distributing. She averaged 5.6 assists per game, leading all juniors in the state of Arizona. Doing this over the scale of 18 games shows it was no fluke in a shortened season for many. Mackenzie boasted an impressive AST/TO ratio of 1.58, near the top of the leaderboards. Look for the 5’4″ guard to have a monstrous senior season for the Jackrabbits and solidify herself as a top 10 player in the state, maybe higher.
Mat’tanaya Vital (Amphiteather, GC)
Vital finished second in the entire state in assists per game at 5.5 with a 1.24 assist to turnover ratio. Vital’s Panthers were only scheduled to play in 13 games, but she sure made the most out of every one of them, stuffing the stat sheet across multiple levels. The assists per game and turnover ratio were not only strong as mentioned above, but her 15.1 points, 4.9 rebounds, 5.8 steals, and 1.8 blocks per game pop off the page. Keep an eye out for the 5’4″ guard out in Tucson next season.
Trayanna Crisp Trayanna Crisp 5'7" | CG PHH Prep | 2022 State AZCrisp is currently ranked 3rd in the state of Arizona behind a pair of sensations in Jennah Isai Jennah Isai 5'11" | SF Valley Vista | 2022 State #39 Nation AZ and Kennedy Basham Kennedy Basham 6'7" | C Pinnacle | 2022 State #16 Nation AZ , and poised for a huge senior season. While the stats may not entirely pop off the page (3.0 assists per game) she is an excellent playmaker and makes smart, quick decisions within the flow of her team’s offense. The low turnovers and ability to balance scoring with distributing make her an easy pick to make the cut.
Makayla Ramirez (Willow Canyon, G)
Ramirez has one of the most interesting stat lines across the state, as she posted 6.8 points, 5.3 assists, 5.6 rebounds, and 5.3 steals per game. That is quite the stat-stuffing across the board, as she displayed her well-rounded game throughout her junior season. The 5’6″ guard has playmaking acumen and the basketball IQ to be among the leaders in assists per game during her upcoming senior season.
Jaida Brooks Jaida Brooks 5'7" | CG PHH Prep | 2022 State AZBrooks is another terrific playmaker in the class of 22′ here in Arizona. She boasts the ability to balance her scoring attack and the ability to get others involved at the right time. That combination is what gets you minutes at the next level, and is a major factor why Brooks is ranked as the 4th best player in her class.
Talia Estrada (Leading Edge Academy, G)
Talia was also featured in the “7 Shooters to watch in the Class of 2022” piece last month, so it’s obvious the 5’3″ guard is quite the talent across multiple categories. Estrada averaged 5.1 assists per game, and while her AST/TO ratio was slightly positive, the next step in her game will be to improve on cutting down the turnovers. The playmaking and shooting combination is intriguing from the incoming senior.
Aubrie Sherwood (Pima, G)
Sherwood is a multi-sport athlete that put up a complete stat line in her junior season for the Pima Roughriders. She averaged 11.1 PPG, 4.0 APG, 5.4 RPG, and 3.4 SPG in 17 games played. Aubrie also posted quite an efficient assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.89, among the best for juniors averaging at least 4.0 assists per game or more.