MESA – Four-star Alabama point guard Labaron Philon said he’s hoping to visit Arizona, giving the Wildcats another possible option for the class of 2024.
The Wildcats have been chasing Adidas-circuit 2024 point guards Dedan Thomas and Zoom Diallo but Philon drew their immediate interest last week after he decommitted from Auburn and Philon returned it.
“I'm hoping to take a visit there,” Philon said Saturday, after playing for Team Thad in an EYBL Mesa session game. “I talked to the coaches. I think in '24 they’re gonna need a point guard, somebody who can control the game, so that'd be a good thing for me.”
Philon said he’s also been involved with Kentucky, UConn, Michigan, Georgetown and others but said he’s open to Arizona despite being from Mobile, Alabama and having no natural connection to the Wildcats or their staff.
“It was kind of new since I opened my recruitment,” Philon said. “But I'd be open to visit Arizona. It's a great school, one of the top programs, they got a great head coach and a great staff.”
Before a crowd of college coaches cramming the court to see some of the West’s best young high school players in a U16 game between Arizona Unity and Team Why Not, Cameron Holmes hit a game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer to lift Arizona Unity to a 62-60 win.
He just wished he didn’t have to help create such an opportunity.
A rising sophomore at Goodyear Millennium, Holmes actually missed his first five 3-pointers in the game and was just 1 for 11 overall until he sank a 3-pointer at the top of the key as time expired.
“Never in my life have I hit a buzzer-beater,” Holmes said. “I'm actually very proud of myself, but I'm kind of mad at myself because I let my teammates down most of the game. But I've got their backs always. I love them. I had to hit that shot for them.”
Arizona Unity’s win was revenge of sorts for Team Why Not’s 60-59 victory when the teams were in the U15 bracket of EYBL Peach Jam play last July.
“They’re basically our rivals so it feels good to get this one,” Holmes said.
UA commit Jamari Phillips kept his eye-opening weekend going with 33 points Saturday night but it still wasn’t quite enough to keep Paul George Elite from a 79-71 loss to Expressions.
Phillips was 10 of 16 from the field, including 6 of 9 3-pointers, and hit 7 of 8 free throws while also collecting three rebounds.
In three EYBL Mesa games so far, Phillips is averaging 28.7 points while shooting 62.5% overall and 62.9% from 3-point range. After seven total EYBL games, he's second in scoring average at 20.6 per game.
“It's not really that normal for me,” Phillips said after Saturday night’s game. “I have always been like a 40-something percent player. But I’ve just been in the gym working. So I feel like my game is starting to translate on the court. I feel like it was very good for me."
For Phillips, there may be a comfort zone being not only close to his new school-year base with AZ Compass Prep but also with PG Elite club, for whom he has been playing for four years.
“I'm at a high-level confidence-wise,” Phillips said. “I feel like this is my team. I've been on this team since eighth grade. I haven't left. I just feel good with this team. We have a bunch of new players. But even though we have that loss, we're still gonna fight for tomorrow. We hate losing.”
PG Elite is scheduled to wrap up its Mesa EYBL session play at 12:30 p.m. Sunday, while Arizona Unity U16 will play a Platinum U16 semifinal game at 9:30 a.m. With a win, Unity would move to the championship game at 2 p.m.
All stats and schedules can be accessed and sorted through via the EBYL website, including live stats.
