Freshman aren't just contributing to varsity basketball teams this season, they're leading and shaping programs. Some have already made statements as all-state caliber players before Christmas break.

A few lead their 6A teams in scoring. A pair of freshmen teammates could prove the difference in the Open playoffs down the road.

"It's kind of a cyclical thing, but the depth of this freshman class is incredible," Basha coach Mike Grothaus said last week. "I'm not sure we've ever seen this many freshman making a difference at this level at the same time."

From Wiliam Field's Adan Diggs to Mesa's Kyi-Kyi Miles, and all the way to Willow Canyon's Maurice Carter II in Surprise, the Valley is dotted with freshman making immediate impact and already fielding offers from major Division I schools.

"I think it's a result of change over ther years and specilization," Grothaus added of the youth movement over the last few decades. "Social media, more club teams, recruting services and it all adds up to kids getting better at a younger age. And kids are ditching other sports to specialize at a younger age."

Difference Makers

Carter II has helped Willow Canyon to a 10-0 start, which included a 27-point performance against Desert Mountain two weeks ago. Saguaro's Nas Hailey leads the Sabercats in scoring (13 ppg), and is also one of four freshmen either starting or getting legitimate playing time. 

"Nas is a dawg," Saguaro coach Lucas Ramirez says of Hailey. He is wise beyond his years on the court...ready for the moment." Saguaro is off to a 9-3 start.

At ALA Gilbert North (7-2) , the Eagles had to regroup after star point guard Dylan Novak left with his father and coach after last season. Along came a pair of fab frosh in guards Kyle Speed and Viktor Babic, who lead ALA-GN in scoring. The 6-3 Speed is averaging a double-double at 13 points and 14 rebounds a game, the highlight coming against Queen Creek, when he poured in 24 points and an astounding 26 rebounds.

Basha's freshmen duo of Lleyton Leonard and Kingston Montague are both starters and difference makers for the Bears, who entered the season with Open title aspirations. Basha handed Perry one of its few losses last season in regionn play, before falling to the three-time champs in the Open semifinals. Grothaus knows the championship goes through Perry again, and he knows it will take more than star junior guard Mason Magee.

"Leonard and Montague really compliment Mason," Grothaus says of his star freshmen, both still 15 years old. Like ALA-GN's Speed, Leonard is averaging a double-double with 16 points and rebounds. "At 6-4 he has great size for a guard."

Montague is averaging 13 per game and forcing defenses outside with his accuracy from 3-point range, where he's hitting nearly 45 percent for the season.

Basha (9-2) is unbeaten against Arizona opposition, including a notable 20 point victory over Mesa on December 10th, when the Bears got to face Jackrabbit star freshman Kyi-Kyi Miles. 

"He was pretty unbelievable," Grothaus said of Hill. "I think he ended up scoring 25 on us, and he kept Mesa in the game into the second half."

Miles put 15 first-half points on Basha before the Bears pulled away in the fourth quarter for a 79-59 win. But with Miles in the backcourt, Mesa's season and future looks bright.

Family Assist

Like Diggs and most starting freshmen, Kyi-Kyi Miles was highly touted by the end of his eighth grade season. Miles had attended the highly touted but non-sanctioned AZ Compass Prep school, but according to Mesa coach Scott Stansberry, "he wanted the full AIA experience." 
 

Miles comes from Laveen, but the road to Mesa was paved in big part by his cousin Jahii Carson, a 2011 Mesa alumnus and Arizona State star. Carson is Arizona's seventh all-time leading prep scorer, with 2,693 points. His experience at Mesa and influence with Miles brought the two together.

"I don't think kids get any better than Kyi-Kyi," Stansberry says of the freshman. "In my opinion he's the best freshman in the country. But he's also such a great kid and teammate. He wants to win. He puts the team first and he makes those around him better."

The 6-4 point guard is averaging nearly 20 points a game while elevating a Mesa squad that entered the year with a young roster that includes six sophomores and only two seniors.

"We lost a lot of offense from last season and we knew we'd be young this year," Stansberry said. "With Kyi, it's like having a magician on the court and really expands our offense. He's a special player and an even better person. The way he conducts himself is a testament to his parents."

Blackhawks Up

Javon Cole took over at Williams Field two seasons ago, inheriting a program that won only four games the year before. Cole came from Perry, where he coached junior varsity and assisted head coach Sam Guane Jr. for four years.

Cole brought Williams Field back to life in his first season by winning 10 games. Then in early May of this year, he learned that Adan Diggs had requested a tour of the campus. Diggs is another 6-4 guard who some rate as the top 2028 prospect in the nation. Cole tried to reserve hope, but when Diggs was enrolled and on campus when classes began in the summer, he knew a cornerstone was in place.

"Honestly I couldn't believe it," Cole admits. "He's a sensational talent, but his intangibles are even better than I ever expected."

Cole describes Diggs almost identically in the way Stansberry talks about Miles. 

"He's a natural leader, he's selfless and he's coachable," Cole explains. "We knew this was going to be a young team, but it didn't long for his teammates to vote him as a team captain."

A natural two-guard, Cole asked Diggs to assume point-guard responsibilities, to which Diggs had no problem. "He's the best ball handler on our roster, and he's hamdled it brilliantly. He's extremely efficient with the ball, he makes the extra pass and takes care of the ball and gets everyone involved."

Without a senior in the starting lineup, Williams Field is off to a 9-1 start, with its only loss coming to Perry. Diggs is scoring 21 points a game, while fellow 6-8 freshman Michael Mcintyre is adding 10 points per clip. "We made great strides last season, but I knew we would have a young roster this season," Cole added. 

"Adan is a freshman, but he is a special player, as good a freshman I've ever seen." 

That list includes Koa Peat and Cody Williams, now with the Utah Jazz.

Brotherly Love...and Rivalry

Cole's older brother Josh is the head coach at O'Connor, one of the state's best teams and one of a select few that could potentially challenge Perry this season. 

"I look up to him and I can learn a lot from him," says the younger Cole. " (O'Connor is loaded, but I'm also competitive so I'd love a chance to beat him."

A family feud may have to wait until the playoffs.

Ben Stapley is a staff writer for AZPreps365. For story ideas including human-interest, contact him at bstapley@azpreps365.com or 480 295-9125