Valley Vista
(24-6), the defending champion, is the No. 2 seed while Xavier (25-5) is No. 5.
Xavier will be attempting to win the first state title in school history.
Xavier coach
Jennifer Gillom said Valley Vista doesn’t have much size underneath the basket
that Millennium did, “but overall they are balanced and their guards are fast
like us.’’
Xavier has
juniors Leilani McIntosh (point) and Paris Moore in the backcourt, and junior
Addison Putnam on the wing, where she drains 3-point shots with regularity.
The Gators
also have two strong inside players in 6-foot-2 senior Katie Hassett and 6-1
senior Montana Oltrogge, the latter as the team’s leading scorer at 21 points
per game during the regular season.
Valley Vista
has two key senior guards in Taylor Chavez and Terrysha Banner, senior
wing/power forward Clarissa Rodarte and 6-1 freshman forward Marisa Davis.
The 5-10
Chavez has some of the best numbers in the state – 23.8 points, 7.8 rebounds,
5.7 assists and 5.7 steals. She also has made 60 3-point shorts. The 5-5 Banner
averages 14 points and 3.3 assists, with 46 3-point baskets. Rodarte averages
12.5 points and 5.3 rebounds. And Davis averages 9.9 points ands 8.2 rebounds.
“It will be
a battle but we feel we match up with them,’’ Gillom said. “Millennium was
physical, and we don’t expect this one to be as much, but Valley Vista has good
athletes and can run.’’
Nerves were
a factor for Xavier in the early going against Millennium but Gillom doesn’t anticipate a repeat here,
despite what is at stake.
“If we focus
on what we’re doing and do what we need to do, we should be all right,’’ Gillom
said.
One of
Valley Vista’s losses was to 4A Conference champion Chandler Seton Catholic,
one was to Gilbert Mesquite, which plays for the 5A Conference championship on
Tuesday night (Feb. 27), and another to Millennium.
Xavier’s
losses were to Mesquite (twice), Tucson Pueblo, Gilbert Highland and Phoenix
Pinnacle.
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