Dobson leads the way, but keep an eye out for Pinnacle, Corona del Sol, Chavez and Mountain View.
Pablo Rivas (right) and Chavez battled Pinnacle last year in the semifinals, and the two are Fab 5 squads this season.
Photo by James Conrad
1. Dobson (Mesa)Head coach: Rick McConnell
2011-12 finish: 18-12, first-round loss in AIA Division I playoffs
Coming off a playoff season and with the return of 6-foot-4 junior guard and Arizona State-bound
Kodi Justice, Dobson figured to make a deeper playoff push. But when the Mustangs landed Colorado-bound
Jaron Hopkins,
a 6-5 guard who transferred from Basha, Dobson moved to the head of the
class. Hopkins averaged 21.8 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists and 5.3
assists per game and made 60 percent of his shots last year at Basha
(22-7). The Mustangs lost only three seniors off last year's team and
received another transfer in
Ryan Richardson, a 6-3 shooting guard from Perry. He averaged 7.5 points last year and his team eliminated Basha in the playoffs.
See all of our Arizona boys basketball photo galleries2. Pinnacle (Phoenix)Head coach: Charles Wilde
2011-12 finish: 30-4, lost in Division I semifinals.
The Pioneers return three starters from last year's team, including 6-5 shooting guard
Drew Bender,
who led a balanced scoring attack last season at 14.4 points per game.
Bender, who is headed to Rice, shot 48 percent from the field, 35
percent on 3-pointers and 80 percent at the line. Pinnacle also returns
one of the state's top juniors in 6-4
Dorian Pickens, who averaged 13.7 points and 5.7 rebounds per game last season. Other top returners are 6-foot junior point guard
Trey Ingram and 6-5 senior forward
Lee Andari. Under Wilde, the Pioneers have won at least 20 games in five of the last eight years.
See last season's Arizona stats leaderboard3. Corona del Sol (Tempe)Head coach: Sam Duane Jr.
2011-12 finish: 32-1, won state Division I championship
It's
difficult to follow up perfection, and the Aztecs just about were last
season en route to their first state title since 1994. They lost eight
seniors to graduation but return super 6-2 junior point guard
Casey Benson, who might have been the best player on the court during a 66-53 triumph in the state title win over Chavez. Benson,
rated the No. 48 junior in the country,
made 8 of 14 shots including three 3-pointers en route to a team-high
22 points. Corona del Sol lost most of its muscle down low and
now-Arizona State wing Calean Robinson, but also return 6-5 sophomore
wing
Cassius Peat and 6-2 senior guard
Bryan Siefker.
See last season's Arizona boys basketball Freeman Rankings4. Chavez (Laveen)Head coach: Gary Lee
2011-12 finish: 27-6, lost in state Division I championship
Led by one of the state's top juniors, 6-5 forward
Pablo Rivas,
the Champions should make another state title run. Rivas shot 52
percent from the field and averaged 11 rebounds and 4 blocks per game.
Other top returners include 5-11 senior guard
Will Holt (8.5 ppg) and 5-10 senior guard
Jesse Salazar.
See last season's AIA playoff brackets5. Mountain View (Mesa)Head coach: Gary Ernst
2011-12 finish: 21-8, lost in second round of Division I playoffs
Most of the Toros' hopes center around – quite literally – 6-9 junior
Payton Dastrup,
a power forward and post who is ranked the No. 14 recruit in the
country for the Class of 2014. The top recruit in the state – any class –
can shoot from anywhere on the court and has a variety of post moves.
Mountain View graduated most of its squad from last year, but returns
six players, including 6-5 senior
Brian Butler.
