The NAZ Sedona Select girl’s basketball went undefeatedover the weekend, going 4-0 to win the Southwest Showcase Main Event on April 6 and 7 in Phoenix.

“We had a tournament last weekend in Phoenix and we played well,” NAZ Select coach Kirk Westervelt said. “We beat a very tough team in the finals to cap off a good stretch on Saturday.”

Along with coaching the Scorpions girls high school basketball team, Westervelt serves as the Director of Northern Arizona Select Program.

The select team includes multiple players from Westervelt’s junior high team that went 27-1 last season.

In the round of 16, NAZ Select defeated the Phoenix Soldiers 32-27 on Saturday, April 6.

Helen Westervelt led NAZ Select with 11 points and also grabbed six rebounds.

Mayra Parra-Landaverde added nine points.

NAZ Select defeated 602 Lady Nation 42-19, as Parra-Landaverde paced the team with 11 points. Westervelt and Annabelle Cook each contributed eight points and four assists.

After advancing to the semis, NAZ Select defeated the Phoenix Firestorm 31-19 on Sunday, April 7.

Westervelt led all scorers with 15 points, while Cook added seven points.

Leah Pedersen registered four rebounds and three assists.

In the finals, things looked bleak as Sedona trailed 27-21 with 2:30 left and a deuce over that period.

“We trailed by six with two minutes remaining but ended the game on a 10-0 run,” Westervelt said.

NAZ Select would then defeat Hoop Dreamz 31-27 in the championship with Parra-Landaverde leading the team with 13 points.

Westervelt added 10 points and eight rebounds.

Kirk Westervelt believes the team’s defense is what led to the title.

“We held them scoreless for the last three minutes while we mounted our comeback,”
Westervelt said.

Parra-Landaverde scored the final eight points to preserve the win.

“Helen drove the line twice and kicked it to Mayra for two crucial three-pointers,” Westervelt said. “Mayra won tournament MVP in part because of her strong play in crunchtime.”

The team has spent the last six weeks training in anticipation for the 2019 regular season.

“We have a couple of the girls from Middle Valley Prep and we typically start five guards,” Westervelt said. “The high school girls are playing as well so that has been a tremendous help.”

With such a guard-heavy roster, the team has emphasized the flex-offense to reach its full potential.

“Nobody is sitting around, the ball is constantly moving, so you must be in decent shape,” Westervelt said. “The girls can grow impatient with the offense, but the sets work and we should have it ironed out by June.”

With the junior high girls advancing to varsity, the Scorpions girls’ team figures to have a deep roster in 2019.

“We have so many girls that we could potentially have a junior varsity and freshman team next season,” Westervelt said. “A lot of the girls are currently playing soccer, so I only want them focusing on that until the summer.”

Twenty-three girls showed up to the Scorpions informational meeting, including 16 underclassmen and incoming freshmen.

The girls have also spent more time with Mingus alum and West Coast Advantage owner Chris Johnson in the weight room as they prepare for next season.

“Having Johnson train the team will be of tremendous help,” Westervelt said. “He comes Wednesday and Friday for four hours of skill training and it has already paid off.”

“I do not want to team, we want to build a program at Sedona.”

So far, 13 Arizona Select 2019 graduates have signed on to play collegiate basketball.

Arizona Select alumnus Taylor Chavez signed with Oregon in 2018 after winning Gatorade Arizona Player of the Year.

Chavez averaged 23 points, eight rebounds, five assists and five steals and was ranked the No. 61 recruit in the nation per ESPN.