Elite Girls 50: Counting down best Arizona high school girls basketball players in 2022-23

The Arizona high girls basketball season has plenty of players who've risen among the state's best since last season.

Some of them were on the 2021-22 The Republic's Elite 50 player rankings, and made major strides upward, and emerged after not being on it at all. Here is the list of the top 50 players in the state, based on personal observations, statistics, conversations with coaches and college scouts, and strength of schedule.

1. Shay Ijiwoye, Phoenix Desert Vista, G, Jr.

Ijiwoye is the state's most talented player and the player most recruited by high major schools. She's a 5-foot-6 point guard with strong upper body strength to initiate and accept contact on her penetration drives and rebounding, stellar ball-handling skills, cheetah-like speed in the open floor, solid jumpshooter and finisher in the paint, and great court vision to find open teammates. Ijiwoye averaged 18 points, 6.2 boards, and 4.3 assists last season for the now-defunct Arizona Elite Prep. This season, Ijiwoye is playing for the loaded Desert Vista squad (5-1) that has four of its starting five in the Elite 50 list. She was named to the prestigious La Jolla Country Day (San Diego, Cali.) Sweet 16 All-Tournament Team earlier this month.

2. Khamil Pierre, Gilbert Perry, F, Sr.

Vanderbilt commit who led Perry to oust three high-seeded 6A playoff teams Yuma Cibola, Mesa Westwood and Phoenix Xavier Prep en route to her school's first 6A championship appearance ever an 11-seed last season. Pierre's 6-foot-2 frame has a long wingspan to block shots and snatch steals in passing lanes, agility to can guard any position, thrives in transition taking the ball coast-to-coast, smart post moves, and great leaping ability. She averaged 21 points, 9.1 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 3.2 steals, and 1.4 blocks shots last season, and has led Perry to a 7-1 start this season, and hit her 1000th point in the Pumas' first game.

3. Miyah Verse, Glendale Mountain Ridge, F, Sr.

Georgia commit who's been the state's most athletic power forward since her freshman year. She has length at 6-foot-1, big muscles that are hard to box out on shots, smooth stroke on her outside shooting, a fast sprinter on the break, and impressive vertical leap. Like Ijiwoye, Verse played for Arizona Elite Prep last season, and is now at Mountain Ridge. Verse is a walking double-double who produced 13.5 points, 8.2 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 2.8 steals and 1.7 blocks last season, and is currently averaging 16 points, 11.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.0 blocks for the undefeated Mountain Ridge (6-0).

4. Elli Guiney, Goodyear Millennium, G/F, Jr.

Guiney has been the top player in Millennium's 5A championship dynasty (four straight titles) since she entered its program two years ago. She's a two-way guard who eschews flash for substance but is arguably the state's most skilled player next to Ijiwoye. Guiney possesses deep jumpshot range, can take any elite defender off the dribble to create her shots, and high defensive IQ. Last season, she averaged the Tiger's second-best 14.6 points behind current Arizona State freshman and The Republic's former All-Arizona selection Trayanna Crisp's 15 last season, shot 48%, added their team-high seven rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.4 steals per game. Guiney is averaging 12 points, team-high seven rebounds, two assists and a steal per game.

5. Jerzy Robinson, Desert Vista, G, Fr.

One of the best freshmen the state has had in a long time. Robinson has already received offers from Arizona, ASU, Ohio State, UCLA, Alabama, Georgetown, USC, and Texas A&M, and is destined to be in the conversation among the nation's best players before she graduates. She's currently the top scorer on Desert Vista (17.5), and has an imposing 6-foot-1 physique with broad shoulders, smooth midrange and 3-point shooting skills, intense rebounding prowess (10.3), quick hands (2.4 steals) and footwork to stop anyone from scoring. Robinson was also recently named to the La Jolla Country Day Sweet 16 All-Tournament Team.

6. Ashiian Hunter, Mesa, G, Sr.

Hunter is an undersized senior point guard at 5-foot-4, and has been underrecruited garnering offers from mostly local community colleges including Pima, Scottsdale, and Chandler-Gilbert. But she's an elite talent who's been among the state's top scorers whose produced over 25 points per game over the past two seasons. She's currently the state's best averaging 29.0 points per game on 50% shooting through the undefeated Mesa's first five games. Hunter has helped turn the Jackrabbits into a 6A playoff contender, and is a skilled passer, shooter, 3-point threat, elusive like a mouse when she plays off the ball, dangerous off the dribble and fearless when she attacks the rim.

7. Taliyah Henderson, Tucson Salpointe Catholic, G/F, So.

This 6-foot-1 wing emerged as a freshman to become the second-most talented player on Salpointe, which went 24-4 last season. Henderson helped lead the Lancers to their 4A title, and had 14 points and 16 rebounds in the championship game against Flagstaff. She's currently ranked ninth in the state scoring 18.9 on 53% shooting, 6.9 rebounds, and 2.2 assists as her team's leader in those categories. Henderson recently received an offer from ASU, and is bound to get more D-I offers soon.

8. Dominique Nesland, Phoenix Xavier College Prep, G, Jr.

Nesland is a 5-foot-10 point guard who's stepped up to become the highly touted Xavier Prep's top scorer while their best all-around player Sarah Nakamura Miller is preparing for a return from a knee injury this month. Nesland is an excellent playmaker and facilitator who handles the ball like a yo-yo, has greatly improved her shooting range, makes highlight-reel worthy passes, and is great in Xavier's space and pace offense. Plus, she is a pesky defender who disrupts many opponents. Nesland has a team-highs 18.2 points and 4.3 assists, 4.0 steals, and is hitting 49% of her field goals for the 6-0 Gators. She's gotten D-I offers from Army, Southern Utah, and Seattle to name a few.

9. Navine Mellon, Flowing Wells, F, Sr.

The Flowing Wells Caballeros lost in the past two consecutive 5A championships to Millennium last season, and Mellon was their best player. She's returned as the state's most versatile senior, averaging a double-double for the third straight season at 18.0 points, 14.3 rebounds, adding 3.7 assists and 3.3 steals. Mellon can drain 3s, plays bigger than her 5-foot-10 height, and has impeccable timing to outsmart her opponents when she's on defense.

10. Kiley Miller, Glendale Dream City Christian, F/C, Sr.

The 6-foot-3 Miller has been the state's one of most underrated players over the past three seasons, in which she's averaged a double-double. She hasn't received much recognition at the struggling Peoria Centennial her first two years, then Miller transferred to Phoenix Greenway as a junior. She averaged 19.8 points on a staggering 70% shooting, 14.8 rebounds, 3.9 blocks, 2.6 assists for Greenway, and led the Demons to a 17-6 record and 4A quarterfinal appearance last season. Miller is now at Dream City Christian, which has a formidable roster after its girls basketball prep program launched last year. She's producing a team-best 12.7 points, 10.7 rebounds and two blocks through their first seven games. Miller uses her wide body and soft hands well on both ends of the floor, runs fast, smooth release on her jumpshot, and can handle the rock well on the break.

11. Aiyanna Perkins, Tempe McClintock, G, So.

Perkins is incredibly smooth for an underclassman. Everything from her ball handling to body control to shooting form is beyond her age. The results are undeniable, as she averaged 22.9 points per game as a freshman and is up to 26.2 in the early stages of her sophomore year. Plus, she's now leading the state snatching 7.8 steals per contest.

12. Achol Magot, Southern Arizona Prep, C, Jr.

The state's top center who committed to Texas Tech on Oct. 1. Magot's game is still somewhat raw, but her 6-foot-7 height is any coach's dream to work with. She's made vast improvements throughout her high school career going from a one-dimensional rim protector to an imposing offensive threat with solid footwork on the block.

13. Reilly Clark, Tucson Catalina Foothills, G, Sr.

Clark matured as a junior, going from a volume scorer to a much more efficient one. She scored 17.3 points per game on 45% shooting and went from shooting 29% beyond the arc as a sophomore to 43% as a junior. Early in the 2022-23 season, she's taken another leap, averaging the state's fifth-best 24.0 points per game in Catalina Foothills' 8-1 start.

14. Aniyah Riddell, Phoenix Mountain Pointe, F, Jr.

To see Riddell's impact on Mountain Pointe, look no further than the Pride's record. Last year, they went 6-17 with Riddell playing club ball. This year, they're over .500 at 4-3 early on. Riddell is a powerful interior presence who can score at an elite level inside, wall up opposing bigs and collect rebounds with ease. She's also added a jump shot, with occasional 3-point range. She's the currently the state's third-best in rebounding (13.0

15. Sarah Nakamura Miller, Xavier Prep, G, Jr.

Miller tore her ACL back in May, but she's already nearing a return. When she does, it will be a major boon for a Xavier Prep team with Open Division title expectations. Miller averaged 20.4 points per game on 53% shooting as a sophomore and might be top 10 on this list if she were fully healthy. She's already received offers from San Diego, Fresno State, Memphis, LIU and Cal State Bakersfield.

16. Natalie Scherzer, Scottsdale Chaparral, G, Sr.

Scherzer is one of the best shooters in the state. On a Chaparral team that struggled last year (1-22), she managed 14.4 points per game — nearly half the team total. In the first three games this year, she's shooting 43% from deep and averaging 26.3 points per game, thanks in large part to a 42-point outburst against Phoenix Sierra Linda.

17. Dylan Swindle, Desert Vista, F, So.

It speaks to the ridiculous talent at Desert Vista that Swindle is arguably its No. 3 player now. Without Ijiwoye or Robinson last season, she led the way and averaged 16.3 points per game as a freshman. This year, Swindle is down to 9.0 points per game with a smaller share of the offense, but remains a critical piece who can score inside or out.

18. Mia Singstock, Phoenix Pinnacle, F, Jr.

Singstock is an impressive all-around player who can score with both hands, shoot and distribute. She led Pinnacle with 16.0 points per game last year and is averaging 19.4 points per game on 60% shooting and 48% from the perimeter this year for a 9-1 team that has legitimate championship aspirations.

20. Madelynn Muniz, Anthem Boulder Creek, G, Sr.

Boulder Creek got off to a 9-0 start this year before picking up two losses and with Muniz, it's easy to see why. The Idaho commit stands at sixth among the state's players averaging 24.4 points per game, with a smooth stroke hitting the current state-high 55 made from deep at a 42% clip.

21. Kaitlyn Elsholz, Phoenix Sandra Day O'Connor, G, Sr.

Elsholz has excellent handles, hops, and court vision for a 5-foot-11 wing. Her size comes into play in a big way on the defensive end, where she's adept at jumping passing lanes and can guard the one through four positions. Elsholz, who has an offer from Army, transferred to Sandra Day O'Connor last year after being one of Cactus Shadows' core players during her freshman and sophomore years when they were a 5A playoff contender, and sat out last year. She's been SDOC's top scorer averaging team-highs 13.3 points, shooting 66%, three steals, and 3.5 rebounds per game in the early going for O'Connor.

22. Jyah LoVett, Scottsdale Bella Vista Prep, G, Sr.

Dangerous with an assortment of great moves in halfcourt sets and in transition. LoVett can stop and pop off the dribble in midrange as well as from deep. She's Bella Vista's top player and one of the Grind Session's best this season at 16.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.6 steals, and 3.6 assists.

23. Michaela Lee, Deer Valley, C, Sr.

Lee is one of the most dominant interior forces in the state, especially on the defensive end. As a junior, she blocked 5.8 shots per game while averaging a double-double with 11.1 points and 11.4 rebounds a contest. Through Deer Valley's first four games, Lee's posting 14 points, 9.5 rebounds, 2.5 blocks, and 2.3 steals.

24. Destiny "Ky'She" Lunan, Bella Vista Prep, G, So.

Lunan was the second-most talented player as a freshman behind last year's top-ranked Elite 50 player and Oregon guard Jennah Isai, helped lead Valley Vista to their third straight 6A title. The smooth, left-handed, 5-foot-10 Lunan is at Bella Vista (5-0) this season complementing Lovett in the Bears backcourt as one of The Grind Session's top teams. Lunan's averaging 15 points and 3.6 steals.

25. Eanae Dagons, Desert Vista, G, Jr.

Dagons might be undersized, but she makes up for it with her quickness and court vision. She's also an excellent finisher inside, which enabled her to average 11.9 points per game as a sophomore.

26. Saniyah Craig, Chandler AZ Compass Prep, F, Sr.

One of the Grind Session's top scorers last season and returns as AZ Compass Prep's best player. She's a 6-foot-2 force on the glass, tough to stop from scoring, and always produces high numbers.

27. Olivia Owens, Phoenix Country Day, G/F, So.

Owens went from PHH Prep last season as one of its top scorers to Phoenix Country Day, which is off to a 7-0 start, and is already establishing herself as one of 2A's top players. She has length, explosive speed who knows how to create shots off the bounce and get to the paint, high IQ on defense, and possesses poise and maturity in her game beyond being a sophomore. Owens has been receiving D-1 offers since last year, and recently got two from UC-Santa Barbara and Hampton.

28. Bella Barrett, Millennium, F, Sr.

Barrett is playing high school ball for the first time this year and that's a huge boon for Millennium. The UCSB-commit is an excellent rebounder and can score inside and out. Like Guiney, Barrett is posting 12 points and contributing four rebounds and two assists per game.

29. Sienna Cherwinski, Xavier Prep, G, Sr.

Cherwinski is the third piece of the group that has Xavier Prep looking like one of the best teams in the state (7-0). The Sonoma State commit averaged 10.1 points per game last year and can create for Miller and Nesland, but she's at her best on the defensive end, having averaged at least 2.5 steals per game in each of the past three seasons. She's now putting up 9.2 points, 3.5 assists, and 2.7 steals per game.

30. Mackenzie Dunham, Sunrise Mountain, F, Sr.

Dunham was an absolute force last year as she helped lead Sunrise Mountain to the 5A semifinals and was named to the All-Arizona team. She averaging 15.3 points and 12.6 rebounds per game.

31. Meisha Caserio, Gilbert, G, Jr.

Caserio has been a solid scorer and point guard throughout her high school career, with a career average of 13.0 points per game and about four assists per game. She's the locomotive that drive everything Gilbert does, including their 5A semifinal runs over the past two seasons, and their move to 6A this year.

32. Morgan Escobedo, Pinnacle, G, Sr.

Singstock is Pinnacle's leading scorer, but Escobedo helps make everything go. She's currently averaging the state's second-most 5.4 assists, tied for its fifth-best 5.0 steals, and is grabbing 5.3 rebounds through 10 games this year and has excellent quickness that makes her a high-level perimeter defender.

33. Ysabel Puente, Dream City Christian, G, Jr.

Gritty, blue-collar style 5-foot-8 point guard who's got speed and toughness loving to contact in her penetration. Puente and Dunham helped lead Sunrise Mountain to the 5A semifinals last season in which they losing to Millennium. She's producing Dream City's second-highest 12.0 points, 5.3 rebounds, grabs one steal and leads in assists at four per game.

34. Hannah Young, Valley Vista, F, Sr.

Even on a Valley Vista team with bigger stars last year, Young averaged an impressive 6.0 rebounds per game. That's her biggest strength, but she's also a strong interior scorer who can shoot in the mid-range and defend opposing wings and bigs.

35. Heather Stedman, Pinnacle, G, So.

Early in her high school career, Stedman is following in the footsteps of her point guard sister Ally, who played at Pinnacle and PHH Prep before starring at Pepperdine. Stedman was impressive as a freshman, scoring 9.2 points per game, but she's taken a sophomore leap, averaging 15.4 points through eight games.

36. Olivia Arvallo, Surprise Valley Vista, G, Sr.

It's a transition year for Valley Vista, which lost Jennah Isai and Mikela to graduation and Destiny Lunan transfer to Bella Vista Academy. With those departures, Arvallo has stepped into the spotlight as their primary ball handler and scorer who matches strong perimeter shooting with craftiness inside.

37. Bria Medina, Salpointe Catholic, G, Sr.

Medina is a fast guard who can get to the basket and facilitate for others, notably Henderson. She helped lead the Lancers to the 4A state championship last year with her defense, racking up 4.0 steals per game. This year, she's averaging a career-high 11.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.3 steals through nine games.

38. Mackenzie Buckner, Laveen Betty Fairfax, G/F, So.

Buckner is among the state's top sophomores with the potential to rocket up this list over the next year. At 6-foot, she's a good rebounder, great defender (3.9 steals per game) interior scorer who averaged a double-double as a freshman, but she also has excellent vision for her size and can shoot the occasional three. Buckner is a bucket and fills out the stat sheet on both ends of the floor as Fairfax's leader in all most categories (16 points, 9.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.0 blocks, 54% shooting and the same from deep per game) on a surging Betty Fairfax team (9-1).

39. Katelyn Best, Phoenix Northwest Christian, C, Jr.

Best uses her 6-foot-2 frame to dominate the 3A competition. As a sophomore, she averaged 17.3 points and 11.1 rebounds, even on a struggling Northwest Christian team.

40. Alexa Simpson, Scottsdale Saguaro, G, So.

As a freshman, Simpson impressed, averaging 10.1 points and 7.9 rebounds per game. In the first nine games of this year, though, she's taken a major leap. She's averaging 24.4 points per game on 56% shooting and has made 7-of-19 threes.

41. Tatiana Harness, Gilbert Leading Edge Academy, G, Fr.

It hasn't taken long for Harness to dominate the 2A competition. In the first six games of her freshman season, she's averaging 23.5 points while using her quickness to control the defensive end with 6.3 steals per game.

42. Sierra Labuwi, Cave Creek Cactus Shadows, G, Sr.

Labuwi is a strong scorer who averaged 13.5 points per game as a junior and is sitting at 20.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 2.4 steals per game through their first eight games. She's committed to Wisconsin-River Falls.

43. Amelie Cartagena, Chandler Seton Catholic, G/F Sr.

Cartagena is a high basketball IQ player and an excellent 3-point shooter, having shot 37% from beyond the arc over the past two years. With Sasha Daniel graduated, Cartagena is possibly the most important piece for Seton Catholic's run at the inaugural Open title.

44. Morgan Evenson, Gilbert, G, Jr.

Evenson is a strong 3-point shooter who takes nearly all of her shots from deep, and witty in defensive rotations. She averaged 10.5 points per game as a sophomore, helping lead Gilbert to the 5A semifinals as a secondary creator in Gilbert's tandem with Caserio.

45. Ahdiyah Chee, Mesa Dobson, G, Jr.

Dobson has been one of the surprises of the young season (7-3), with big wins over Yuma Cibola and Seton Catholic. Chee has been a major part of that success, averaging a team-high 14.0 points per game and shoots 40% from the 3.

46. Shanielle Mallory, Glendale Raymond Kellis, G, Fr.

Mallory is only five games into her high school career, but she's off to an explosive start averaging 21.8 points and the state's fifth-best 5.2 assists a night.

47. Avery Graber, Phoenix Paradise Valley, C, Sr.

At 6-foot-1, Graber makes life miserable on the inside for anyone Paradise Valley plays against. She averaged a double-double in her first two seasons, then posted 11.6 points and 9.6 rebounds as a junior when Paradise Valley struggled at 5-14. Graber is currently scoring 14.1 points, adding 8.1 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.6 steals, and 1.1 blocks per game through the Lady Trojans' 5-2 start.

48. Fanta Sackor; Paradise Valley, G, Sr.

After returning from her torn ACL that sidelined her last season, Sackor is leading the way for Paradise Valley in the early going with 17.6 points per game — good for 21st in the state. She's also added an average of 6.4 rebounds, 4.3 steals and 1.9 assists.

49. Maureen Ulrich, Xavier Prep, G, Jr.

Like her abbreviated nickname, Ulrich creates "mo" problems as a defensive specialist and "mo" options in Xavier's vaunted offense averages 70 points per game. She's one of the state’s best rebounding guards playing bigger than her 5-foot-8 frame, solid set shooter, and has impeccable timing on reads for offensive and defensive plays to get herself and others open. Ulrich's posting Xavier's second-best 11.7 points, team-highs seven rebounds and four steals, and 1.9 assists.

50. Sage Begay, Flagstaff, G, Sr.

Begay played a huge part in Flagstaff's run to the 4A state championship game last year. She averaged 12.0 points per game on the season.

Honorable mentions: Sophia Morales, Seton Catholic, G, So.; Mia DiPuccio, Seton Catholic, G, So.; Cassandra Coolidge, Tucson Sahuaro, G, Jr.; Makaylei Snyder, Sandra Day O’Connor, G, Sr.; Gabriella Sanchez, Tucson, C, Sr., Amaya Washington, Dream City Christian, G, Sr.; Savanna Creal, Chandler Hamilton, G, Jr.; Breanna Sommers, Hamilton, F, Jr.; Caitlyn Benally, Seton Catholic, C, Jr.; Sage Henry, Perry, G, Lauren Crocker, Perry, C, Sr.; Jayla Cal, Perry, G, Sr.; Fr.; Izzy Majarucon, Glendale Deer Valley, G, Jr.; Leamsi Acuna, PHH Prep, G, Sr; Mia Amundsen, Millennium, G, Sr.; Steffy Cervantes, Avondale St. John Paul II Catholic, G, Sr.; Kayda Pierce, Millennium, F, Sr.; Hannah Beard, Millennium, G, Sr.; Sierra Bomhower, Yuma Cibola, G, Jr.; Rori Hoffmeyer, Cibola, G, Sr.; Hannah Williams, Salpointe Catholic, G, So.; Kaitlynn Beall, Dream City Christian, F, Sr.; Sophia Morales, Seton Catholic, G, Jr; Ava Pautz, Scottsdale Notre Dame Prep, G, Jr.; Aspen McClees, Gilbert, G/F, Fr.; Abby Dean, Boulder Creek, G, Jr.; Saniya Jones, Betty Fairfax, G, So.; Cecilia Cabrero, Millennium. G, Jr., Jasmine Olivar, Xavier Prep, G., Jr.; Michaela Fairwell, Desert Vista, G/F, So.; Adeang Ring, Bella Vista Prep, F/C, Jr.; Sophia Dormal, Laveen Cesar Chavez, G, So.

Have tips for us? Reach Scott at dana.scott@azcentral.com or at 480-486-4721. Follow his Twitter @iam_DanaScott. Mackie can be reached at theo.mackie@azcentral.com or on Twitter @theo_mackie.

Support local journalism. Start your online subscription today.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: The Republic's 2022-23 Arizona high school girls basketball player rankings