The latest high school rankings were unveiled on Wednesday morning and the State is taking note of Gila Valley girls basketball.
The Fort Thomas Lady Apaches are ranked #1 in the 1A basketball poll. They hold a 21-3 record with four regular season games left on the schedule and are in the middle of a 10-game winning streak. Fort Thomas won the 1A State Championship last year with a 20-2 record. Coach Lee Haws has his team in position to do the same in 2022.
Duncan is ranked 15th with four games and a conference tournament to play to secure a spot in the top 16.
The target has never been bigger on the Pima Lady Roughriders than it is this season. The defending 2A Champions haven’t wavered though and have rolled through their competition this season. Pima is 19-1 this season with six regular season games remaining and have rolled to 12 straight wins. Their lone loss was to 4A #5 Flagstaff High.
Morenci sits in the #11 spot with an 11-4 record and are securely in the playoffs.
Less than one full point separates Thatcher from Winslow in the 3A girl’s rankings. Winslow holds the #1 spot with a 15.0198 rating. Thatcher is #2 with a 15.0103 rating. Thatcher is 14-5 on the season with five regular season games to play and are currently riding a 9-game winning streak.
The Safford Lady Bulldogs currently sit #26, two spots out of the playoffs. They have six regular season games left to make a move into the top 24.
Each conference is qualifying teams for the state tournament differently this season. 3A is taking 24 teams to the state tournament, 2A is taking 24 teams to the play in round but only 16 to the official state tournament and 1A is taking 16 teams.
Tournament dates are listed below with dates and venues.
3A:
First Round: Tue., Feb. 15, 7 p.m., High Seed
Second Round: Fri., Feb. 18, 7 p.m., High Seed
Quarterfinals: Mon., Feb. 21, 1, 2:30, 4 and 5:30 p.m., Findlay Toyota Center Prescott Valley
Semifinals: Fri., Feb. 25, 3 & 4:30 p.m., Veteran’s Memorial Colosseum
State Championship: Sat., Feb. 26, 4 p.m., Veteran’s Memorial Colosseum
AIA staff, in conjunction with high seed host, has authority to secure alternate locations if host site venue has potential of not accommodating anticipated crowd size.
2A:
First Round: Fri., Feb. 18, Prescott area [check bracket]
Quarterfinals: Sat., Feb. 19, Prescott area [check bracket]
Semifinals: Fri., Feb. 25, 9 & 10:30 a.m., Veteran’s Memorial Colosseum
State Championship: Sat., Feb. 26, 12 p.m., Veteran’s Memorial Colosseum
1A:
Quarterfinals: Sat., Feb. 12, 7 p.m., High Seed
Semifinals: Fri., Feb. 18, Prescott area [check bracket]
State Championship: Sat., Feb. 19, 4 p.m., Findlay Toyota Center Prescott Valley
