Top Arizona girls' high school basketball players so far this season

Three weeks into the Arizona girls’ high school basketball season, there have been no shortage of standouts. These are some of the players of the season so far:

Kayla Bailey, Tucson Flowing Wells

If Flowing Wells is going to reach the heights it did two years ago when it went 29-2, it’ll start with Bailey. In the Caballeros’ 6-3 start, the senior is averaging 18 points and eight rebounds a game.

Caia Campbell, Gilbert

Gilbert has been one of the surprises of the season thus far, going 7-0 with impressive wins over Tuscon Salpointe Catholic and Phoenix Pinnacle (twice). Campbell — a freshman — has played a huge role in that success, averaging 14.5 points and 5.3 assists with 47% 3-point shooting.

Bernadette Carranza, Waddell Canyon View

Canyon View is looking like one of the best teams in 5A in its 7-1 start. Maybe their most impressive performance of the season came in a 78-40 win over 5-2 Gilbert Higley on Thursday night. Carranza led the way in that game with 19 points, four rebounds and four assists.

Cassie Coolidge, Tucson Sahuaro

Coolidge is just 37 points away from reaching the 1,000-point mark for her career. Given her recent performances, she could get there in a single night. The senior is averaging 24 points in Sahuaro’s 4-0 start.

Thalia Daniels, Phoenix Sandra Day O’Connor

Daniels showed up on the big stage in O’Connor’s heartbreaking one-point loss to Bishop Gorman (Nev.). She scored a team-high 19 points in the contest and is averaging 18.3 on the season.

Allison Even, Tucson Salpointe Catholic

In the coming weeks, Salpointe Catholic will be boosted by the return of Taliyah Henderson from injury and Sidney Anderson from her transfer sit-out period. In the meantime, Even has helped carry the burden. She’s scored in double figures in every game and is averaging 14.8 points and 6.2 rebounds.

More girls' high school hoops news: The Arizona Republic's 1A-6A girls' high school basketball rankings

Bronte Gee, Mohave Accelerated

After going just 15-14 last year, Mohave Accelerated looks like one of the best teams in 2A in its 10-0 start. The Patriots are largely doing it with defense, allowing just 27.5 points per game, but Gee is helping the offense click too with her 12.9 points per night.

Elli Guiney, Goodyear Millennium

Guiney has picked up where she left off a year ago, further establishing herself in the top tier of players in the state. She’s scoring 23 points per game for the 6-1 Tigers.

Shay Ijiwoye, Phoenix Desert Vista

Desert Vista might be 3-3, but Ijiwoye hasn’t missed a beat. She’s showing her ability to do it all, averaging 12.0 points, 6.2 rebounds and 5.2 assists. She has a chance of recording a triple-double every time she takes the floor.

Makaia Jenkins, Mesa Red Mountain

Red Mountain has quietly started the season 7-0, nearly matching last year’s 11-win total already. Over the past week, Jenkins has been the star. She scored 22 points against Tucson Rincon/University and 15 against San Tan Valley Combs.

Aila Kaibara, Phoenix Country Day

After dominating their way to a 2A title in last year’s 29-2 season, Phoenix Country Day is back for more this year. The Eagles are off to a 4-0 start and just beat St. Johns — one of their top competitors in 2A — by 20 points. Kaibara scored a school-record 43 points in that game, going 7 of 10 from deep in a performance that even left St. Johns coach Ray Davis singing her praises.

Aspen McClees, Gilbert

Like Campbell, McClees has been central to Gilbert’s success. She’s leading the team with 16.0 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. On any given night, the Tigers have three players who can put up 20 points — Campbell, McClees and senior guard Meisha Caserio.

Averi Mehlberg, Chandler

Tuesday’s loss to Gilbert Perry was a disappointing setback for a Chandler team that entered the night at 6-0. Even in that game, Mehlberg was able to score 13 points. She’s averaging 15.5 points.

Sarah Miller, Phoenix Xavier Prep

Miller has returned from the ACL tear that kept her out last season and immediately returned to her sophomore year All-Arizona form. The Penn commit has teamed up with Dominique Nesland to create a backcourt that no one in the state seems to have an answer for.

Kinsey Murray, Surprise Valley Vista

After winning another 6A state championship last fall, Valley Vista turned around and added the freshman Murray to a team that was already an Open Division contender. She’s leading the Monsoon with 16.0 points per game.

Dominique Nesland, Xavier Prep

Really, five or six Xavier Prep players could be on this list. But it’s hard to deny a spot to Nesland, who’s leading the way with 15.3 points per game. With Miller back, Nesland might not match her 20.5-point average from a year ago, but she’s proving to be both an elite scorer and an elite facilitator with 7.8 assists per game.

Nayeli Nidez-Acuña, Tucson Sunnyside

In a win over Vail Cienega last week, Nidez-Acuña dropped 21 points and 18 rebounds. That’s just a snapshot of what she can do. The senior is leading Sunnyside with 17.4 points and 10.9 rebounds per game.

Leila O’Dowd, Tucson Rincon/University

With her 24.3 points per game, O’Dowd has been one of the state’s best scorers in any class. The fact that she’s doing this as a freshman only makes it more impressive. She’s hit the 20-point mark in eight of Rincon/University’s nine games.

Ava Pautz, Scottsdale Notre Dame Prep

Pautz has been a high-level scorer for three seasons and her senior year looks no different. She’s averaging 18.7 points and cleaning up on the glass for a Notre Dame Prep team that could contend for the 5A title.

Aalayah Ramirez, Surprise Shadow Ridge

Ramirez had 20 points and 14 rebounds in Shadow Ridge’s win over Surprise Willow Canyon. She’s key to everything the Stallions do.

Vanessa Sepulveda, Gilbert Mesquite

Seton Catholic and Salpointe Catholic often run 4A, but watch out for Mesquite. The Wildcats are 8-0 and Sepulveda is dominating with 18.0 points per game. She scored 25 in a win over reigning 4A champions Flagstaff on Friday.

Nemo Sidhu, Goodyear Estrella Foothills

Sidhu is another impressive member of a freshman class that has provided no shortage of standouts so far. She’s leading 5-1 Estrella Foothills with 13.5 points per game. No opponent has been too big for Sidhu, who scored 15 in a four-point defeat to reigning New Mexico 4A state champion Kirtland Central.

Lia Sims, Phoenix Central

Sims has started her senior year doing what she’s done for her whole career: Scoring bucket loads of points on a Central team that often relies on her to do so. Her 21.6 points per game account for 66% of the Bobcats’ output.

Heather Stedman, Phoenix Pinnacle

It’s been another season of reliable outputs for Stedman, who’s averaging 16.5 points and 4.8 rebounds per game. She’s helped the Pioneers to a 6-2 start.

Rylie Sword, Chandler Basha

Sword missed her entire sophomore year with a torn ACL, but she’s back and leading the way for Basha. Her biggest performances have come in the Bears’ biggest games, including 23 points in a win over Perry, 24 points in a win over Higley and 28 points in a loss to Chandler.

Hannah Williams, Salpointe Catholic

Like Even, Williams has stepped up in a big way for the Lancers. She’s averaging 13.8 points and 6.4 rebounds.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona girls' high school basketball players so far in 2023-24 season