Region Preview: 6A Southwest
The 6A Southwest region has better overall depth than it had last season. It would not be surprising to me in the slightest to see Valley Vista end up in one of the top three spots. Further, while Westview leads the way now, Shadow Ridge and La Joya are more than capable of taking home the title.
1. Westview
While this team won’t be the same group as last year, it is hard to put anyone ahead of them as they bring back the best player in the region. D’Maurian Williams is as good of a guard as there is in 6A. He is strong and finishes well around the rim. Further, he has improved to shoot the basketball and he is a skilled passer.
Christian Diaz is also a skilled prospect with good size and ability. Between him and Williams, Westview will be really hard to beat in this region.
2. Shadow Ridge
Ridge moves up from 5A but brings back the bulk of their team. They will be ready to compete in the 6A world with Anthony Garza running the show. He has a soft touch around the rim and a relentless motor. He plays extremely hard and does whatever he can do to impact the game in a positive way. It is hard to not love his game due to his passion.
While Garza will be the engine that makes this team go as he led the group in every major statistical category as a sophomore, he will have a couple of teammates rely upon as well. JaQuan Moore is a skilled athlete and a capable shooter from deep. In addition to Moore, look for CJ Davis and Caleb Greishaber.
While Ridge did lose a couple of key guys and will have to move up to 6A, they have one of the more skilled centers to aid them in the transition.
3. La Joya
La Joya had a strong team last year. Like the rest of the teams on this list, they bring back many key players as well. Bryan Nicholas was one of their top scorers and made a huge impact on the glass. He competes at a high level and will aid the team in competing with the likes of Shadow Ridge and Westview.
In addition to Nicholas, Alfred Jordan, who averaged nearly 5 assists per game last season, will be back to facilitate. He is a playmaker who is capable of getting others involved. He does a good job of pulling the help side defense and making the right read.
La Joya loves the dribble drive and 4 out wide spread. With Jordan running the show, there will be the opportunity for many to get easy shots in the paint and open threes on the wings and corners. This team has the potential to finish in the top three and contend for the championship.