'Diamond in the rough': Corona del Sol basketball player Bo Dolinsek emerging from the shadows

Bo Dolinsek is an only child, but he grew up with lots of family around. The Peat family is huge and athletic and gave him opportunities to grow his game on the basketball court.

Now, the Tempe Corona del Sol 6-foot-7 senior forward is emerging from cousin Koa Peat's shadow on the court.

Everybody knows bout Koa Peat, the twice Team USA gold medalist, ranked among the top five prospects in the nation in the 2025 class, a two-time state basketball champion in the AIA ranks at Gilbert Perry High School looking for another this season.

But now Dolinsek isn't just Koa's cousin. Not many people even know they're related.

Dolinsek has turned into one of the biggest surprises in the first half of this high school season, averaging 21 points and 10 rebounds for an improved Aztecs team (5-4) that is playing in a holiday tournament against Tucson schools this week at Pima Community College.

The 44 points he had in an overtime loss to Phoenix Pinnacle this year ranks third all-time at the school for single-game scoring efforts.

"Me and Koa have played club ball all of our lives," Dolinsek said. "It started in NYS. My dad was our coach. We would play three divisions higher because nobody wanted to play us."

That's what happens when you look at least three years older than the competition because of how big they are, but their birth certificates say otherwise.

Koa is 6-foot-8, already regarded among the top high school players ever to come through Arizona with NBA stardom in his future.

Koa's brother Keona, who graduated from Corona del Sol last May and is playing football at Arizona State, also hung out with Koa and Bo, playing just about any sport together growing up.

Todd Peat Jr. coached them on the AAU Saints team.

"They were a dynamic duo growing up," Todd Peat Jr. said. "He's been developing his skills for a long time. He's always been a good basketball player. But he's never been this confident."

Cassius Peat also helped with their development, encouraging them. Cassius won four state championship rings playing basketball at Corona del Sol, where he graduated in 2015, playing on arguably the greatest team in state history his senior year, when 6-10 Marvin Bagley III was a freshman and Alex Barcello was a sophomore.

Dolinsek didn't just try basketball growing up. He played football and baseball. Last year, he played on Corona del Sol's spring boys' volleyball team. He might do that again this spring. His grandfather, John Doinsek, starred on Arizona State's 1969 baseball team that won the College World Series under Bobby Winkles. A first baseman and outfielder, he was named the Most Outstanding Player.

Bo played baseball his freshman year at Corona del Sol. But the next year, he decided to focus on basketball.

Then, last summer, he played in the EYBL, an elite league for the top high school players in the country. That's when everything came together. His 3-point shooting drastically improved.

"His overall game really exploded a year ago but on that team it was tough," coach Neil MacDonald said. "He had to play inside a lot. We played three bigs all year. It was easier for him to get double-teamed. It was easier to get triple-teamed. But this summer he just stepped out on his own. He was fantastic. He's been great so far this year."

It's that confidence and constantly working with Koa and talking to each other that has helped his game grow.

But he's only got two Division II offers. And, for a kid midway through his senior season, especially in the age of the NCAA transfer portal where college teams like to get older, it might be tough to find a Division I team that will take a chance.

"I think I developed my jump shot a lot," Dolinsek said. "The last couple of years, I wasn't really shooting 3s. This year my jump shot has been way better and I feel confident shooting 3s."

Cassius has seen the work required to be a good player that Bo has put in.

"He's always come over the house," Cassius said. "The last couple of years, he's been putting up the numbers with the double-doubles. He's a Division I prospect. He's just been under the radar. He's a diamond in the rough. And schools should start taking notice of him."

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Family helped Corona del Sol's Bo Dolinsek develop basketball skills