NextUpAZ’s 4A-6A Regular Season Awards
- Jacob Seliga
- Feb 24
- 7 min read
These award winners were selected by the NextUpAZ team of Delon Bowen, Spencer Goldberg, Gregg Rosenberg, Aaron Villa, John Millyard, Cedric Cobb Sr., and Jacob Seliga.
The players selected were ultimately nominated by the NextUp team at the end of January and beginning of February through the final regular season contests on February 12.
The awards are strictly based off regular season performance and postseason recognition will take place following the state championships.
4A Conference
Player of the year: Cameron Williams, Senior, St Mary’s
As if there was any doubt who the captain of the 4A ship was, Williams dominated the competition with a stellar senior season that saw him earn a McDonald’s All-American Game selection and a commitment to Duke following the line of great power forwards that came before him.
Standing between him and immortality is three more wins as he has St Mary’s in the Elite Eight of the Open Division.
Defensive player of the year: Micah Andrews, Junior, Deer Valley
“Clamp Valley” is one of the nicknames given to the Deer Valley program and that’s due to the strong defensive identity established in the program.
Leading the way this year was Andrews who guided a unit that suffocated multiple top programs throughout the season.
Coach of the year: Annie Bankhead, Barry Goldwater
Ending a nearly 20 year playoff drought and earning the most wins in a season during that same stretch is historic enough, doing it as the only woman leading a boys basketball program in the state is just as historic.
Annie Bankhead turned around one of the toughest big school programs in the state to win at in her first year as the full time head coach.
Most Outstanding Freshman: Jacobi Thompson II, Arcadia
Every year there’s always a small group of freshmen who contribute immediately to winning and one of the few who did in 2025-26 was Jacobi Thompson. In just one year, Thompson helped lead Arcadia to a top 12 seed in the open division and has the Titans as one of the favorites to win the 4A championship.
Most Outstanding Sophomore: Pierce Harrington, Saguaro
The progression of Saguaro as a basketball school continued this year as the stellar trio of 2028 stars led the Sabercats to its first open division appearance. Leading the way was Harrington who took a massive jump this season to lead all underclassmen in 4A in scoring and help guided Saguaro through the toughest region in the conference.
Most Outstanding Junior: Myles Godfrey, Cactus Shadows
One of the rare true point guards in the state is Godfrey who similar to the other players on this list elevated his program to new heights in 2025-26. Cactus Shadows returned to the open division as Godfrey led the way while other key pieces for the Falcons missed time down the stretch and nearly led his team to an upset of No. 15
Most Outstanding Senior: Cisco Llamas, Sahuaro
Few players have had as much of an impact on the success of Southern Arizona basketball in the post Covid-19 era than Sahuaro’s Cisco Llamas. Having help lead the Cougars to another 20-plus win season while averaging 25 points per game is why Sahuaro looks to return to the championship for the second time in three years and possibly bring a championship back to the Tucson area.
5A Conference
Player of the year: John Mattingly, Central
Mr. buckets himself. Simply put, there may not be a player as dominant who plays the game as effortless as John Mattingly. The Central senior continued building his legacy as one of the best athletes to walk through the Phoenix campus with a stellar senior campaign and looks to complete his high school career with a second consecutive 5A state championship.
Defensive player of the year: Jaden Rodgers, Cienega
One of the most versatile athletes in the state as a division one bound defensive back, Jaden Rodgers helped lead Cienega to the best regular season of any Southern Arizona team with a fantastic senior season. The multi-sport star was the spark plug for a Bobcat unit that used his ability to get stops and quickly attack down court and will rely on him as the 5A bracket tips off.
Coach of the year: Jayce Tilley, Campo Verde
Campo Verde by most accounts should not have had the regular season that it had as until the final day of the season, the Coyotes were the top seeded team in the conference behind stellar team basketball and a collective identity.
The Coyotes enter the 5A bracket as one of the teams to beat and are more than capable of winning their second state championship in four years.
Most Outstanding Freshman: CJ Johnson, Desert Edge
Not many athletes can come in and change the identity of the program, however in the case of CJ Johnson, the return to glory at Desert Edge started this season.
A couple down years stood out recently as the Scorpions entered a rebuild but in one year, Johnson helped Desert Edge make a jump back into the postseason and did it while looking like one of the best freshmen in Arizona’s stellar 2029 class.
Co-Most Outstanding Sophomore’s: Maurice Carter II & Jaydon Hayes, Willow Canyon
In the only vote that went to a tie, the dynamic sophomore duo in Surprise took home this award as the most outstanding sophomore’s in the 5A conference. Following a short postseason run last season, the Wildcats took another step forward this season securing the top ranking in the conference and nearly making the Elite Eight in the open division. The next step will be home court advantage through the semifinals which could be huge for a duo that plays better at home.
Most Outstanding Junior: Carsyn Dean, Ironwood
Waiting your turn as the guy at guard in a program as Ironwood is a rite of passage and even as early as last year, the signs were there that Dean was next up. But this season especially in the first half of the year where transfers waited to play and Dean was the go-to guy, he righted the ship and now has the Eagles in the 5A postseason looking to make a return to trip to the championship for the third time in six years.
Most Outstanding Senior: Brayden Barrett, Verrado
Betting on yourself and leaving a guaranteed role at a national powerhouse will always be a risky move.
But for Brayden Barrett in his first full season as the man at Verrado after sitting the first half of his junior season, he left no doubt to his ability to be the number one option as he led the Vipers to the program’s first ever region title. The sharpshooting senior dominated the Desert West region and has Verrado playing its best basketball at the right time as he looks to cap off his final season of high school basketball with a 5A state title.
6A Conference
Player of the year: Darius Wabbington, Sunnyslope
No player has taken a bigger jump in the last 12 months than Darius Wabbington who as the first option has his Sunnyslope team as one of the top groups in the country and the top team in the open division. Whether it’s stuffing a shot at the rim or slamming it home on the other end, Wabbington has become a dominant force that has positioned the Vikings in rarified air as a national championship contender.
Defensive player of the year: Cameron Holmes, Millennium
3-and-D is a player out archetype given to the majority of the top wings in a respective recruiting class from year to year, but when that is given to a player in a 2026 class, it’s in comparison to Cameron Holmes and his ability on both ends. Holmes’ ability to guard shifty guards and in turn step inside and take away the finishing ability of larger players is what makes his play style so coveted and will likely lead to him getting early minutes at the University of Arizona.
Coach of the year: Todd Fazio, Highland
Entering the regular season, most considered Highland outside the list of contenders for the open division and some had them outside the list as a 6A contender, but no one can doubt at this point the Hawks chances and getting to the championship. Behind a balanced lineup, Highland rolled to the No. 6 seed in the open division with wins over Higley (2x), O’Connor, and Willow Canyon. Most doubted them, yet Fazio’s group keeps winning and are in a position to make the Final Four.
Most Outstanding Freshman: Marquice Pless, Higley
No group of freshmen entering the year were as hyped up as the unit at Higley. But by the end of the season, no freshman stood out more than Pless who looks poised to be one of the next top prospects from Arizona. Advanced for his class as he plays the game with a quiet confidence and balanced skill, Pless has been key for a Higley team that finished as a top ten team and currently is in the Elite Eight of the open division.
Most Outstanding Sophomore: Adan Diggs, Millennium
Without a doubt, the next great star in Arizona is Adan Diggs who by all accounts is one of the top national prospects in the 2028 class and looks ready to take the torch from his teammate Cameron Holmes as the future of Millennium basketball. In his first year as a Tiger, he helped lead Millennium to new heights as a national title contender defeating multiple out of state programs and doing it in some matchups as the number one option. His skill helped take Millennium to the next level and has the Tigers as one of the favorites to win the state championship.
Most Outstanding Junior: Delton Prescott, Sunnyslope
No player has made as much of a mark on the West Coast this regular season than Delton Prescott who seemed to always play his best or step up in big games and big moments for Sunnyslope. As a pure guard, Prescott orchestrated the Vikings offense with precision knowing when to speed it up or slow it down and would get back on the other end of the court and play with effort and hustle on defense. Big game Delton will needed with the Vikings three wins away from the top title in Arizona.
Most Outstanding Senior: Cameron Holmes, Millennium
The heart and soul of Millennium not just in the basketball program but for the whole campus is Cameron Holmes. In his four years, the program jumped into being a nationally recognized program and appearing in multiple championship games.
But for how stellar his first three seasons were, Holmes saved his best for his final season as he dominated both ends of court with his relentless motor and his unmatched athleticism.
Holmes fought through injury at the mid point of the season just to return better than before and as he closes his final year of high school basketball, one elusive title stands in his way of becoming an all-time great in Arizona.
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