Top performers from holiday tournaments in Arizona girls high school basketball; vote in poll

A look at who stood out during the holiday period of the Arizona high school girls basketball season (players are nominated by their coaches and listed in alphabetical order): You can vote in our Twitter poll below for top overall performer from nominees:

Leamsi Acuna, Tucson Flowing Wells, G, Jr.

Flowing Wells moved to 15-1 last week with four wins at the Flowing Wells Holiday Shootout. Over the course of the tournament, Acuna had 27 assists to just six turnovers while also scoring 15.3 points per game.

Eanae Dagons, Phoenix Desert Vista, G, So.

In a 3-1 week for Desert Vista at the Nike Tournament of Champions Southwest, Dagons averaged 15.6 points and 6.0 assists per game.

Sasha Daniel, Chandler Seton Catholic, G, Sr.

Daniel is arguably the state’s best defender, but at the Tournament of Champions, she shone on both ends. In the Sentinels’ 3-1 week, she averaged 15.3 points per game.

Kelsey Ericksen, Surprise Shadow Ridge, G, Sr.

Shadow Ridge is off to a 9-6 start and Ericksen is leading the way. She’s scoring 12.3 points per game and posted her second-highest total of the year with a 21-point outburst in last week’s 49-47 loss to Fort Defiance Window Rock.

Nicole Evenson, Gilbert, G/F, Sr.

After winning its first game of the Tournament of Champions, Gilbert dropped its next three. That slide, though, didn’t impact Evenson, who averaged 15.8 points per game on 51.5% 3-point shooting over the course of the tournament.

Avery Graber, Phoenix Paradise Valley, F/C, Jr.

In consecutive wins over Scottsdale Cha and Mesa Desert Ridge, Graber combined for 35 points and 26 rebounds to help get the Trojans on track after a 1-6 start.

Elli Guiney, Goodyear Millennium, G, So.

While Trayanna Crisp — The Republic’s No. 3 player in the state — struggled for Millennium at the Tournament of Champions, Guiney stepped up in a big way. Over the four games, she was the picture of consistency, scoring 15, 21, 18 and 16 points and eventually leading the Tigers to a win over Phoenix Xavier Prep in their final game after three losses.

Taylor Hitchcock, Vail Cienega, F, So.

Over the course of three straight wins to open Cienega’s holiday slate, Hitchcock averaged 13.0 points per game. On the season, the sophomore is second in scoring for the 9-3 Bobcats.

Ashiian Hunter, Mesa, G, Jr.

At the Tournament of Champions, Hunter kept up her streak of scoring in double figures in all 13 of her games this season. On the year, she’s averaging an impressive 18.6 points per game for the 10-4 Jackrabbits.

Jennah Isai, Surprise Valley Vista, G/F, Sr.

Valley Vista is the state’s best team and Isai is the state’s best player. In the Monsoon’s two wins at the Tournament of Champions, the Oregon-bound star averaged 34.0 points and 11.2 rebounds per game.

Taylor Jacobs, Waddell Canyon View, F, Sr.

Jacobs was named the MVP of the Bullhead City Shootout as Canyon View stayed undefeated. She had 22 points in the semi-finals and 12 in the championship game.

Nyese Jones, Mesa Westwood, G, Sr.

Westwood was among the state’s busier schools over the holidays, playing eight games across the Tournament of Champions and Flowing Wells Holiday Shootout. In those eight games — including six wins — Jones averaged 16.4 points, 5.2 assists and 4.1 rebounds per game.

Sydney Lomeli-Capen, Flowing Wells, C, Jr.

Lomeli-Capen — one of the state’s best rebounders — grabbed 52 boards in the Caballeros’ 4-0 week. She also scored 9.3 points per game, establishing her presence on the low block as she has all season.

Navine Mallon, Flowing Wells, G/F, Jr.

Mallon, though, was Flowing Wells’ top scorer. She averaged 18.3 in the Flowing Wells shootout and put 25 on Westwood in the championship game.

Sarah Miller, Phoenix Xavier Prep, G, So.

Xavier Prep struggled to a winless week at the Tournament of Champions but Miller kept her impressive season chugging along. She averaged 19.0 points per game and has been one of the state’s best players all season.

Khamil Pierre, Gilbert Perry, G/F, Jr.

After a 9-0 start, Perry went just 1-3 at the Tournament of Champions. Pierre, though, averaged 26 points and 10 rebounds per game, continuing her impressive season and making a case that she was ranked too low at No. 23 in The Republic’s preseason list of the state’s top 50 players.

Ariyanna Sorensen, Cienega, G/F, Sr.

As Cienega’s senior star, Sorensen is averaging 13.4 points per game — up from 7.0 a year ago. She hasn’t scored under 10 in a game since Dec. 10.

Dylan Swindle, Desert Vista, G, Fr.

Swindle led the Thunder in scoring at the Tournament of Champions, scoring 16.3 points per game. She’s been among the most impressive freshmen in the state this season.

Miquedah Taliman, Page, G, Sr.

Page snapped an uncharacteristic three-game losing streak just before Christmas, beating Fort Defiance Window Rock, 51-49, in its only game of the holiday period. Taliman was critical in that effort, scoring 32 points, including the game-winning layup as time expired.

Theo Mackie covers Arizona high school sports and Phoenix Rising FC. He can be reached by email at theo.mackie@gannett.com and on Twitter @theo_mackie.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Holiday top performers in Arizona high school girls basketball