A CHANCE TO REPEAT

While much focus has been on the big 5AI schools, their match-ups and players, Shadow Mountain has been inching closer to a state title repeat in 4AI.  Shadow Mountain is a top the leader board with an impressive 24-3 record and chance to get to 25 wins this week against Independence.  They managed this being without key players at times.  They won the Lady Titan Winter Hoops Classic going 5-0 and took second in the Scottsdale Holiday Invitational, only losing to a vastly improved  5AII Horizon team.  Shadow's other two losses came against region opponents Prescott and Apollo, with whom Shadow split both series 1/1.  Even though Shadow lost some key seniors last year, they are led by experience veteran, last year's Arizona leading scorer and Colorado signee  Lexi Kresl, who averaged 27.6 ppg. last year.  Shadow has seen much needed improvement and play from Cydnee Ceballos, D'Metria Coleman, and transfer Jasmine Taliman. The road to repeat will not be easy, especially if rival Apollo has anything to say or do about it.  Last year's runner up is a tough beat and one of AZ's most notable rivalries are between the two schools.  Apollo, after taking second place last year, feels this is their year, and they will fight tooth and nail to erase the bad taste of losing in the 4AI state championship last year out of their mouth.  Apollo is led by ASU signee Promis Amukamara, an extremely athletic guard, who is going to bring everything she can to help her team win.  Look for this match-up, which will only continue as the two move on to play in college, for wouldn't you know it, separate schools in what will be the newly formed PAC10.