The boys basketball season started late last week. The Litchfield/GoodyearIndependent and Surprise Independent asked the local coaches for their outlook on the season.

CANYON VIEW JAGUARS

5A Desert West Region
2022-23 Record: 21-8 overall, 10-2 region (reached second round of the 5A playoffs)
Coach: Randy Lavender (second season as Canyon View head coach)
Top Returnees: SG Denali McNeal, Jr., 6-3 (23.3 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 3.8 apg); PG Damian Castro, Jr., 5-10 (5.7 ppg, 3.6 apg).
How many years have you coached boys basketball? This is my 12th year overall.
What is your team’s best attribute entering this season? Our team will be deep with multiple players being able to play more than one position.  Also, our team is full of juniors.
What will your team need to improve for the season to be a success? Our team will need to improve on our team defense and be able to play together.
Who are your team leaders? Team leaders are Denali McNeal and Quincy Kirk. Kirk sat out last seasona fter transferring in from Centennial, where Lavender coached in 2021-22.
Who are newcomers to the varsity squad who could make an impact? Newcomers to the team that will make an impact is Adam Hubbard even though he was there last year he didn't play much but we expect a lot from him this year, and Hee-sung An will be a big contributor.
What needs to happen for your squad to reach the state tournament this season or achieve the goals you have set for the program? To make the state tournament we need good solid play and we need a little luck to make it to the championship which is our goal. Be better than last years team.

DYSART DEMONS

4A Black Canyon Region
2022-23 Record: 22-7 overall, 10-0 region (Reached 4A quarterfinals)
Coach: Keegan Cook (Ninth seasons as Dysart head coach)
Top Returnees: SF Nigel Anderson, Sr., 6-4 (10.2 ppg, 8.1 rpg); PG Nate Morales, Sr., 6-0 (13.8 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 4.1 apg).
How many years have you coached boys basketball? I have been coaching basketball for 17 years and have been the coach at Dysart for nine years.
What is your team’s best attribute entering this season? One of our best attributes this year is our experience. We return eight players from last year’s team that made the quarterfinals.
What will your team need to improve for the season to be a success? In order for us to be successful this season we will need to continue to work everyday and get better. If we can be process based and not outcome based then that will help us be successful throughout the season.
Who are your team leaders? Seniors Nigel Anderson and Nate Morales were both first team all region last year. Senior Kye Brown and junior Lamar Anderson were honorable mention. Seniors Te’Shon Lewis and Easton Carleton will also step into major roles for us as well. All of our team members will play an important leadership role for us this season.
Who are newcomers to the varsity squad who could make an impact? Zane Connelly is a senior transfer from Canyon View. He will help us at the point guard and shooting guard positions this year.
What needs to happen for your squad to reach the state tournament this season or achieve the goals you have set for the program? For us to be where we want to be we need to continue to play for one another and continue to understand what it means to be a part of something that is bigger than ourselves. If we can continue working on being unselfish throughout the season then we will be happy with the results.

HIGHLAND PREP HONEY BADGERS

2A Central Region
2022-23 Record: 22-7, 10-2 (2A runners up)
Coach: Trent Hill (Third season as Highland Prep head coach)
Top Returnees: SF Presley Ibeh, Sr., 6-4 (16 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 2 spg), PG Kohen Hill, Sr., 5-11 (13 ppg, 4.7 spg, 4.6 apg, 4.3 rpg)
How many years have you coached boys basketball? I’ve been coaching for 17 years. I’ve been blessed to coach at many levels starting with recreational basketball all the way to college hoops. Couldn’t have happened without the support from my wife.
What is your team’s best attribute entering this season? This year we are bringing back seven players with a lot of varsity experience. Our experience and athleticism will be on display that’s for sure. Our chemistry and IQ will help us through the next four months of hoops.
What will your team need to improve for the season to be a success? Staying in the moment. Pushing each other in practice. Competing every day.
Who are your team leaders? Niko Bey, Darius McKnight, Brady Howard, and Josiah Cheeks. They will bring leadership in some way to the team. We have three players that are coming back off a fantastic season last year. All-Conference first team Kohen Hill and Presely Ibeh, and honorable mention Tarrell Green Jr. (now a sophomore). This team is full of leaders. Everyone leads in a different way.
Who are newcomers to the varsity squad who could make an impact? We have three players that are all juniors that will be playing varsity full-time. Last year they played JV and varsity. Paxton Clarke is super athletic adding high energy. Aeden Calini is coming off a nice football season statistically. Hoping to see that translate to basketball. Last but not least is Chris Buenaventura, he is very quick and has high IQ of the game.
What needs to happen for your squad to reach the state tournament this season or achieve the goals you have set for the program? Stay focused and one game at a time.

Paradise Honors freshman wing Dillan McClinton goes up for a layup while being fouled by Dysart sophomore wing Lamar Anderson Jan. 5. (Courtesy MDB Photography/For West Valley Preps)

PARADISE HONORS PANTHERS

4A Skyline Region
2022-23 Record: 15-13 overall, 9-1 region (Reached 4A first round)
Coach: Zach Hettel (Ninth seasons as Paradise Honors head coach)
Top Returnees: PG T.J. Harris, Soph., 6-0 (11.9 ppg, 4 rpg, 3.8 apg); SF Dillan McClinton, Soph., 6-3 (3.3 ppg, 4.2 rpg).
How many years have you coached boys basketball? 15 plus years and ninth season at Paradise Honors
What is your team’s best attribute entering this season? This group really does enjoy each other. A lot of these guys are seeing their first year of true varsity action. Will have to compete and win together. 
What will your team need to improve for the season to be a success? Get better every game with our communication and limiting turnovers. 
Who are your team leaders? TJ Harris, David Leszczynski and Dillan McClinton 
Who are newcomers to the varsity squad who could make an impact? A lot of new faces. Kaleo Mills, Jeremiah Haslerig and Logan Lupkes will see good minutes. Dalton Dunnett transferred in from Millennium. 
What needs to happen for your squad to reach the state tournament this season or achieve the goals you have set for the program? Learn from our mistakes, and get better with each day. Lot of youth but they have a lot of potential. 

SHADOW RIDGE STALLIONS

6A Southwest Region
2022-23 Record: 17-9 overall, 8-2 region (6A play-in round)
Coach: Robert Bohon (ninth season as Shadow Ridge head coach)
Top Returnees: SG Amore Vaden, Sr., 5-11 (13.8 ppg, 2.1 rpg); SG Seth Bohon, Sr., 5-10 (11.1 ppg, 1.4 spg).
How many years have you coached boys basketball? 31 years of coaching, nine years at Shadow Ridge
What is your team’s best attribute entering this season? Experienced group, play well together and pretty coachable group.
What will your team need to improve for the season to be a success? Execution, continue to practice well and team execution of team concepts,
Who are your team leaders? Seth Bohon (senior) guard, Xavier Morales (senior) guard,  Gage Bartlett (junior) guard
Who are newcomers to the varsity squad who could make an impact? Weston Eubanks (junior) forward, Jay George (senior) forward
What needs to happen for your squad to reach the state tournament this season or achieve the goals you have set for the program? Team needs to continue to work hard and play together.

WILLOW CANYON WILDCATS

5A Northwest Region
2021-22 Record: 13-15 overall, 1-11 region
Coach: Joseph Colletti (seventh year as Willow Canyon head coach)
Top Returnees: GPG Kaleel Kelly, Jr. 6-3 (9.3 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 6.2 apg), SG Jesse Lucero, Sr., 6-2 (12.2 ppg, 2.8 rpg)
How many years have you coached boys basketball? 18 years of high school basketball. Seven years as head coach at Willow Canyon.
What is your team’s best attribute entering this season? Toughness. This team bleeds toughness. Expect them to compete every possession of every game they play.
What will your team need to improve for the season to be a success? Continued commitment to professionalism and progressive development. They have a chance to be good. They believe in their roles as legacy builders and I have confidence they will rise to the occasion.
Who are your team leaders? We expect all members of our program to be leaders who selflessly give to benefit others.
Who are newcomers to the varsity squad who could make an impact? Kaleel Kelly was sidelined about 60% of last season and will immediately elevate our ceiling. Kobyn Ray, Daniel Garza, Jayden Maxwell, Braylon Haman and others will help as well. I believe the returning players like Zayden Canchano, Jesse Lucero, Chris Burphy, Mark Bright, Owen House, Jaxsen Williams, Cameron Williams, DJ Tillman, Noah Navarra and Carter Pendleton will take a major step forward and help us compete also.
What needs to happen for your squad to reach the state tournament this season? Our success will be determined by our commitment to do the things winners do day in and day out. Our goal is simple — we want to win a state championship while preparing everyone for the next phase of their leadership journey. We are focused on building habits necessary to win everyday on and off the court. We are committed and so the results will either indicate that we are on our way or that we need to adjust and work harder.