It’s the quick glance at Amy Patton’s downtime that shows why she’s so good when the lights go on.
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Her season has been over for a month, after Tempe McClintock was knocked out of the 4A-I girls basketball tournament by eventual champion Tucson Flowing Wells.
It’s spring break, a time when many high schoolers love to get away. So where will you find Patton?
“I’m going to go shoot around,” Patton said early last week. “Always got to get better.”
At 5-foot-11 and sneaky quick, Patton causes nightmarish matchup problems for opposing teams. If you put a forward on her, Patton takes the ball on the perimeter and drives around the defender or takes an open jump shot. But a shorter player doesn’t stand a chance when she gets in the paint.
It’s why Patton averaged 21.2 points, 11.2 rebounds, 3.0 steals and 1.3 blocks this season for the Chargers, who won the 4A-I Desert Sky Region (co-champs with Scottsdale Chaparral) for the first time.
McClintock coach Eric Magaña said that, as a freshman, Patton tended to defer to the older players, even if she was the most talented player on the court.
Not so this season. Patton, a junior, was the focal point of the offense, leading McClintock to a 25-5 record.
“A lot of players have a third or fourth gear,” Magaña said. “Amy has a fifth and sixth gear.”
Her varied list of college suitors includes Arizona State, UCLA, Pepperdine, Yale, and Fresno State.
But the work here in high school isn’t done.
Patton called the loss to Flowing Wells the worst memory of the season, and she has one more year to shoot for the state title. With 12 seniors graduating, Patton vows to do even more next season.
To that end, you know where you can find her: at the gym.
Looking Back: Memorable moments from the 2007-08 season
Highland takes the fifth: Gilbert Highland had several close calls in fashioning its 33-3 record. The 5A-I championship game with Chandler High was no exception. With senior guard Stephanie Beeman nailing a 3-point field goal with 5:25 left in the game, Highland had a six-point lead — a huge margin in a game where the lead was consistently two or three points either way. Add in the fact that the Hawks played in the toughest region in 5A (Fiesta) and it’s fair to say the school’s fifth girls hoops title was hard-earned. Highland finished the season 13-1 against Fiesta Region foes, three of whom (Chandler, Gilbert and Gilbert Mesquite) joined the Hawks in the final four.
Maybe next year: Phoenix Pinnacle finished as runner-up for the second successive season (the Pioneers were runner-up in 4A-I in 2006-07). The cast of characters changed somewhat, but next year Pinnacle returns all its starters and many of its reserves.
Milestone for Bunger: Gilbert High coach Tom Bunger tucked away career win No. 500 with a victory over Chandler Hamilton in January. Bunger compiled his wins at Prescott High, Mesa Mountain View and Gilbert.
Class 5A All-Tribune first team
Player School Yr. Pos. Comment
Alexis Gannis Desert Vista Sr. F Solid 4-year varsity career, Central POY
Bri Brown Hamilton Sr. G Fiesta POY, Baylor bound
Breanna Arbuckle Chandler Sr. F 14 ppg, 10.5 rpg, strong near the hoop
Ariel Granillo Chandler Sr. G Heady guard, solid overall game, 17 ppg
Morgan Wohltman Highland Jr. G Most consistent Hawks scorer at 15 ppg
5A Player of the Year: Morgan Wohltman, Highland
Coach of the Year: Miner Webster, Highland. He coached the Hawks to a 33-3 record and a state title with a tough schedule.
Class 5A All-Tribune second team
Player School Yr. Pos. Comment
Davellyn Whyte St. Mary’s Jr. G Explosive scorer, Knights’ top threat
Stephanie Douthit Desert Mtn. Sr. G Solid overall, under radar, 20 ppg, 8 rpg
Deanna Reich Red Mountain Sr. F 16 ppg, 7 rpg, E.V. Region’s best post
Joy Burke Marcos de Niza Jr. P Tall, tough to stop (20 ppg, 13 rpg)
Chanel Thorley Highland Jr. F Sixth man had many double-doubles
Class 5A honorable mention:
BASHA: Bri Benjamin, Sr., G; Kaela Oakes, Jr., G. CHANDLER: Callina Hurley, Sr., G. CORONA DEL SOL: Jordyn Wentis, Sr., G. DESERT VISTA: Kim Randall, Sr., G. DOBSON: Andrea Jones, So., G; Kameron Knutson, So., C. GILBERT: Whitney Southerland, So. G. Justine Johnson, So., G. MESA: Lexi Brown, Sr., G. MESQUITE: Maylinn Smith, So., G. MOUNTAIN POINTE: Jenna Spector, Sr., G. MOUNTAIN VIEW: Brittany Conger, Jr., F. Stevie Kamp, Sr., F; Jennifer Schlott, So., G. PINNACLE: Aley Rohde, Fr., P; Victoria Sheaffer, Jr., G. WESTWOOD: Teanna Boxly, Sr., G.
Class 4A-1A All-Tribune first team
Player School Yr. Pos. Comment
Amy Patton McClintock Jr. F Averaged 21.2 ppg, 11.1 rpg
Sam Russell Chaparral Sr. F Led team with 14.4 ppg, 11 rpg
Alex Easterbrook Cactus Shadows Jr. G 11.7 ppg, 6.2 apg, 5.3 spg for Falcons
Chantel Moss Coolidge Jr. F 18.6 ppg, 12.1 rpg, 4.6 bpg, do-everything F
Lexi Moody Arcadia Sr. G Averaged 13.4 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 3.2 spg
4A-1A Player of the Year: Amy Patton, McClintock
Coach of the Year: Karen Self, Seton Catholic. She led the Sentinels to the state semifinals with a young lineup.
Class 4A-1A All-Tribune second team
Player School Yr. Pos. Comment
Stefanee Perez McClintock Jr. G Did a bit of everything for the Chargers
Aria Krumweide Chaparral Sr. G Floor leader, 13.7 ppg, 4.3 apg, 2.5 spg
Dariff Bluhm Saguaro Sr. F Averaged 14.1 ppg, 11.1 rpg
Theresa Wirth Seton Fr. F Following in older sisters’ footsteps
Amanda Martin Surrey Garden Sr. G Averaged 19.6 ppg, 3.4 spg
Class 4A-1A honorable mention:
ARCADIA: Mayan Zeitlin, Jr., G. CACTUS SHADOWS: Kate Accola, Fr., F. CHAPARRAL: Libby Valentine, So., G. COOLIDGE: Crystal Willis, Jr., G; Mirando Moore, Fr., G. MCCLINTOCK: Ariana Arnold, Sr., F. NOTRE DAME: Katy Coyne, Sr., G. QUEEN CREEK: Jamie Kottcamp, Jr., F. Katie Graham, Sr., G. SAGUARO: Kelly Tweito, Sr., F. SETON CATHOLIC: Marilyn Roy, Jr., G; Kayla Bustos, Fr., G. SURREY GARDEN: Jenna Pearson, So., F. TEMPE: Alyssa Martinez, Sr., G. TEMPE PREP: Liberty Brittain, Sr., G. SCOTTSDALE CHRISTIAN: Anne Munsil, Sr., G. VALLEY CHRISTIAN: Amy Frost, Sr., G; Alaina Bergsma, Sr., C.
