The Best Senior Small Forwards in the Class of 2022
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Arizona prep girls have an outstanding array of senior small forwards and two are from the same high school – Valley Vista in Surprise. Here’s a look at some of them. Jennah Isai Jennah Isai 5'11" | SF Valley…
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Continue ReadingArizona prep girls have an outstanding array of senior small forwards and two are from the same high school – Valley Vista in Surprise. Here’s a look at some of them.
Jennah Isai Jennah Isai 5'11" | SF Valley Vista | 2022 State #39 Nation AZ is a six-foot small forward for Valley Vista High School in Surprise. She also plays for her club team, the Cal Stars. While she has had a number of full scholarship offers, she recently committed to the University of Oregon. The Monsoon have won the state championship four of the last five years and last March defeated Hamilton for the title, 49-41. She played in a limited number of games because of knee surgery, averaging 13.5 points per game along with 4.3 rebounds and 4.0 assists. Her father, Ben, coaches the boys’ team at Valley Vista.
Jennah played with her club team, the Cal Stars, throughout the summer as members of the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League. One scout commented on her game.” She is a strong, agile performer with a quick first-step attack. She also has a feathery touch in her mid-range game. She stretches the defense to the arc, battles on the glass, and handles and dishes in up-tempo.” Another scout had this to say about Jennah’s game. “She has a scorers mentality in the backcourt and handles and scores consistently in traffic. She rebounds well and delivers coast-to-coast.”
Kamariah Hawkins Kamariah Hawkins 5'11" | SF Yuma | 2022 State AZ is a six-foot small forward for Yuma High School who also plays with her grassroots team, GBL. The Lady Criminals finished a disappointing 5-13 last season and only 1-9 in their conference. She averaged 17.5 points per game along with 3.9 assists, 7.6 steals, and an incredible 19.8 rebounds per game. Kamariah had 30 rebounds in a game against Cibola and for 2021-2022, she is the leading returning rebounder in the state. This summer she transferred to the PHH Fire and will be playing a more national schedule.
Kamariah was chosen as Player of the Game a total of six times this past year by Max Preps. In a loss to Paradise Honors, her coaching staff had this to say about her performance. “The junior wing played both ends of the floor in a tough loss. She leads the team in all areas while competing against one of the state’s top teams.” Her staff also commented on the game against San. Luis. “She led the charge on the defensive side of the ball with 10 steals. This sparked the squad to their second win of the year. She finished with 27 points, 18 rebounds, and the 10 steals.” In addition to all that, she maintains a 3.7 weighted GPA.
Mikalea Cooper Mikalea Cooper 5'10" | SF Valley Vista | 2022 State AZ is a six-foot small forward who plays for Valley Vista High School in Surprise and with her grassroots team, West Coast Premiere. She averaged 10.5 points per game last season along with 6.2 rebounds and shot 52% from the floor. The Monsoon has won four state titles in the last five years under Rachel Matakas. They beat Hamilton, 49-41 for the state championship last March. In 44 games over three years with the varsity, Mikalea averaged 5.6 points per game. She was named to the All-West Valley First Team.
Here is a summary of her profile. “My parents are a big influence in my life. They push me to be my best and support me 100%. I was inactive but I asked my parents to sign me up for basketball. I grew to love the game and decided to stick with it. The sport has taught me good sportsmanship. I also have learned what it means to be committed to the game of basketball. I was also taught what it means to work together with my teammates in order to be successful. ”
Against Xavier College Prep earlier this year, Mikalea was named Player of the Game by Max Preps. The Monsoon coaching staff commented on her play. “She did a great job finishing around the rim. Her second effort gave the team multiple opportunities to score. Additionally, she did a good job on both offense and defense.” Now, a senior, she is ready for a breakout season.
Tianna Reeder Tianna Reeder 5'10" | SF Estrella Foothills | 2022 State AZ is a five-foot-ten small forward who plays for Estrella Foothills High School in Goodyear as well as her club team, AZ Magic. The Lady Wolves finished with a 13-3 record last season. In 71 games over three years, she averaged 11.2 points per game and 5.8 rebounds. During that time – December 2018 to February 2021 – she was selected as Player of the Game a total of 15 times by Max Preps. Tianna was also chosen as Southeast Region Co-defensive Player of the Year and made Second-Team All-Conference.
One scout had this to say about her game. “She is an all-around player that has a good vision of the court. Although the majority of her points came from the inside, she also was able to make 12 three-pointers last season.” After watching her play for the AZ Magic, another scout commented about her game. “She attacks the basket well, puts her head down, and draws fouls by seeking out contact. She was at her best when under control before getting into those downhill movements. She is a crafty player offensively that has a good all-around feel for the game. She is a two-way player in the purest form.” This senior is poised and ready to play at the next level.