Arizona hoops play absolutely an inspiration in Gilbert

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GILBERT, Ariz. – High-scoring in-state Pacific 12 Conference football games were being played to the west and southeast of the spiffy Inspire Courts facility where the 14^th Arizona Preps Fall Showcase was held from at 11 a.m. to about 9 o’clock Saturday.

But, for the true hoops-heads among the locals or visitors, even the orgy of touchdowns – and turnovers – and other heroics produced in Tempe and Tucson could not have topped the performances of some of the very best Arizona basketball players just two days for the “official” start of practice for the 2012-13 regular season.

The 120 or so players on 12 teams assembled by Arizona Preps impresario Anthony Ray and his able staff included a handful of seniors who have already committed to college programs more than two weeks before the first day (Nov.14) of the NCAA’s fall national letter of intent signing week.

But big men Joe Boyd of Scottsdale Chaparral (committed to Drake) and Tim Kempton of Phoenix Brophy Prep (Lehigh), as well as electric two guards Jaron Hopkins of Mesa Dobson (Colorado) and Jalen Richard of Poston Butte (Santa Clara), were far from the only standouts on Saturday.

Hopkins and Richard, each of whom hunted – and converted – a lot of shots in their team’s three games Saturday, were able assisted by 5-foot-11 junior Deron Kyle (Glendale Deer Valley) in “Colorado’s” 69-61 victory over “Oregon State” Saturday evening in the most competitive contest of the event.

Oregon State got excellent play throughout the day from juniors in 6-10 Elson Jones (Goodyear Millennium) and 5-11 Rolando Rhymes (Scottsdale Desert Mountain), as well as sophomores in 6-6 Deion James (Tucson Empire) and 6-4 Terrence Johnson (Vail Cienega).

The left-handed Jones is coming along nicely after missing much of the spring and all of the summer with wrist and knee ailments.

Rhymes, ineligible to play last season after transferring from Phoenix Saint Mary’s, was certainly the fastest player in attendance and possibly the best point guard prospect, as well.

*Jones, Boyd and Kempton were joined as the best “center/power forward-types” at the event by juniors in 6-9 Payton Dastrup (Mesa Mountain View) and 6-9 Connor MacDougall (Phoenix Westwind Prep Academy/he recently committed to Arizona State).

*If Rhymes wasn’t clearly the slickest ball-handler and passer on display, it’s because a sophomore, 5-10 Roderick Springer (Sierra Vista Buena), and another junior, 6-2 Tate DeLaveaga (Westwind Prep Academy), were also terrific in those categories Saturday, as well.

*Two of the more promising juniors on hand Saturday were a couple of nice-sized – and skilled – forwards in 6-6 Sherron Wilson (Las Vegas Clark) and 6-7 Zylan Cheatham (Westwind Prep Academy).

Along with Hopkins and Richards, Cheatham was one of the three most spectacular “vertical athletes” in action Saturday.

And Wilson, along with 6-5 Jake Toolson (Gilbert Highland), was one of the two most advanced (skill-wise and range-wise) “big jump shooters” in the building.

*Last, but certainly far from oh-so-least in this brief rundown, was 6-1 Trevor Johnson (Flagstaff High), another reason why the Class of 2014 in Arizona is so impressive.