Experience pays off at 2nd Lady X Hoops Intivational

June 12, 2015 by Les Willsey, AZPreps365


The schools with lots of "been there, done that" players not surprisingly dominated action Friday night at the 2nd annual Lady X Hoops Invitational at Red Mountain High School.

Top-seed Valley Vista, No. 2 Hamilton, No. 3 Seton Catholic and No. 5 Mesquite all won a pair of games in the tourney on the first of two days of action -- one exhibition game and one in bracket play from the eight-team bracket tourney.

Valley Vista took care of business with a 48-41 triumph over Millennium in its exhibition and overpowered No. 8 Red Mountain in bracket  play, 63-30. The Lady Monsoon, with only seven players suited up, were led by sophomore point guard Taylor Chavez and junior post Kiara Edwards  They are two key players from last year's 25-win squad that bowed out in the Division I state quarterfinals. Valley Vista lost some experience in the offseason with three varsity players from 2014-2015 transferring to other schools. Chavez and Edwards are primed to lead the Lady Monsoon offensively again this season. They combined to average nearly 23 points a game last year.

Hamilton with a good mix of inside and outside play offensively, took care of Cactus Shadows in its exhibition game, 39-26, and toyed with No. 7 Valley Christian in bracket play, 41-16. Former Mountain Pointe coach Trever Neider, now piloting Hamilton, inherited a seasoned unit and they played well on Friday. Included in that mix are senior guards Payton Whitmore and Makayla Filiere, sophmore guard Maddie Fredricks and junior post Maya Banks. Lots to defend facing the Lady Huskies.

Last year's Division II runner-up Seton Catholic looked sharp in handling Red Mountain, 47-26 in exhibition. The Lady Sentinels were more impressive, particularly in the first half of bracket play, in their 58-22 win over Millennium. Seton's starting lineup Friday all saw plenty of time last season - four starting often. Sophomore Sarah Barcello, junior twins Jenn and Lee Anne Wirth and junior point guard Liz Holter are mainstays. Sophomore Kendall Krick is poised to make Seton's everyday lineup a dizziing one for the opposition.

Mesquite, much like Seton, won't be introducing many newcomers to its lineup this winter. The Lady Wildcats featured Shaylee Gonzales, Lindsey Vanallen, Alexis Springfield, Izzy Spruit and Lonnae Johnson on the floor in a 57-47 win over Valley Christian (exhibition) and Cactus Shadows in bracket play, 56-51. Cactus Shadows looked to be blown out in the first half, trailing by 16 at one point as Mesquites Vanallen connected for 15 first-half points. The Lady Falcons pared the lead to four with under a minute left before falling. Johnson secured the win with three free throws in the final minute.

Saturday's play begins at 10 a.m. with consolation bracket games -- Red Mountain vs. Cactus Shadows and Millennium vs. Valley Chrstian. The winner's bracket semis are at 11 -- Mesquite vs. Valley Vista and Seton vs. Hamilton. More consolation games are at noon with the title game and third-place games tipping at 1 p.m.

WORTH NOTING: Millennium, which lost most of its starting lineup from last year to graduation, played nearly the entire day without holdover standout guard Raina Perez. Perez sprained her right ankle a couple minutes in to the exhibition game with Valley Vista. Valley Christian played without one of its top scorers from last year -- Bethany Wolph. Wolph has a knee injury and won't play again this summer. Red Mountain was without its top returning player, Seneca Richards .