Pinnacle basketball, led by Ashton Reese, coming together in Visit Mesa Challenge
Phoenix Pinnacle is without two players who figure greatly in its plan. But for now the Pioneers are in good hands with Ashton Reese.
The 6-foot-6 senior guard had 24 points, making 4 of 8 3-pointers, leading Pinnacle past Gilbert Higley 92-77 win Monday morning over Gilbert Higley on the first day of the Visit Mesa Basketball Challenge at Mountain View High School.
"The team together is working hard every day in practice," Reese said. "I'm holding the team accountable as a leader. I think we're going to have a good season this year."
It took a half for Pinnacle (6-0) to break away from Higley (2-4), which stayed in it behind guards Yarell Greer (16 points) and Noah Gloor (15 points, two steals).
When football players Duce Robinson and Myles Libman begin playing, this could be Pinnacle's best team since 2019, when Nicco Mannion led the Pioneers to a second straight 6A state title They're expected to play in early January. They led Pinnacle to the 6A football final as their top two receivers. Libman played in an All-American game on Saturday. Robinson will be playing in the Under Armour All-American Game in January.
Both are getting over football aches and pains.
"They'll add more leadership," Reese said. "They'll build the team up together."
Braylon Johnson, brother of Suns player Cameron Johnson, had 13 points for Pinnacle, making 4 of 7 shots and 1 of 2 3s, He also had 10 rebounds.
Bryce Ford added 16 points and Devan Smith 13 for Pinnacle.
"Duce already said, 'I'll rebound, play defense,' " coach Charlie Wilde said. "He can score, too. But he doesn't need to. They share the ball, they play hard."
Ford and Reese have been in Wilde's system for three seasons. They're two of the hardest working players in the program.
"They do the right things," Wilde said.
Pinnacle's schedule will get tough, not just in this four-day showcase in Mesa, but next week in a tournament in Calfornia, before playing top-ranked Gilbert Perry and No. 2 in the first week of January when they play top-ranked Gilbert Perry and second-ranked Peoria Liberty.
In other games Monday:
-ThunderRidge, the defending Colorado champion, defeated Tucson Salpointe Catholic 78-59, as Adrew Crawford led four players in double figures with 22 points. Canyon Torres had 14 points to lead Salpointe.
- Phoenix Brophy Prep beat Brooklyn Collegiate 67-48. Braeden Speed had 15 points and four assists and Arman Madi added 13 points, eight rebounds and six assists for Brophy. Ayden Madi had 10 points and two steals.
-Olympia (Washington) edged Scottsdale Notre Dame Prep 54-53. Mason Juergens and Parker Gerrits each had 15 points for Olympia. Anthony Batson Jr., had 14 points and Brennan Peterson and Bryce Quinet each had 13 for Notre Dame.
-Perry got 22 points from Cody Williams and another double-double from Koa Peat en route to a 69-40 rout of Snow Canyon. Peat, a 6-8 sophomore, had 14 points and 11 rebounds and three assists.
-Host Mountain View lost to Corner Canyon, Utah 77-53. Brigg Wolfe had 18 points and six assists for the Toros.
-At Red Mountain, Campo Verde beat Patrick Henry out of California 57-39, as Ty McDowell scored 21 points.
-Defending 4A champion Gilbert Mesquite got 22 points from CohenJ Gonzales and beat Maricopa 62-44.
-At Westwood, Chaparral defeated Scottsdale Rancho Solano Prep 71-53 as Matthew Green had 18 points and Sean Akin scored 14, making 4 of 6 3-pointers.
-Jai Anthonie Bearden had 29 points and 11 rebounds, leading Phoenix Sunnyslope to a 59-22 rout of host Westwood. Freshman Rider Portela added 11 points.
-Peoria beat Oak Hills 82-57, behind Andrew Camacho's 34 points, hitting 6 of 15 3-pointers.
To suggest human-interest story ideas and other news, reach Obert at richard.obert@arizonarepublic.com or 602-316-8827. Follow him on Twitter @azc_obert
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Pinnacle basketball coming together in Visit Mesa Challenge
