No matter the time or place, when basketball rivals Fountain Hills and Camp Verde play each other, it’s always a competitive game. On January 27 at the Fort McDowell Recreation Center, the Fountain Hills Falcons junior varsity girls basketball team went head-to-head against local rival Camp Verde Cowboys in a weekend tournament which featured both the boys and girls JV and varsity teams.

Student-athlete Mani Williams shined on the court as she handled the playmaking duties as point guard. When she was subbed in during the second quarter, the game began to go Fountain Hills’ way, as they took a commanding lead and never looked back. Camp Verde tried stopping Williams by sending multiple double-teams her way, but Williams managed to keep the momentum going on both sides of the ball. 

In the fourth quarter, Williams nearly shook her opponent out of her shoes as she performed a crossover which then allowed her teammate to get open for the easy bucket. Williams also contributed offensively as she showed no fear, diving through the paint for a finger-roll layup. 

When it was all said and done, the JV Falcons handled their rivals Camp Verde with ease, winning 45-28. 

A freshman this year, Williams has been spending time on the JV and varsity girls basketball teams. Her composure on the court and strong communication skills with her teammates have allowed her to shine on both squads this year for Fountain Hills. 

This year the Fountain Hills varsity team is primed to make a deep playoff push toward winning the 3A state basketball championship. With the playoffs that just began on February 13, all eyes will be on Fountain Hills, as they are 9-0 in regional play and 13-1 in conference play, as well as No. 1 in their division. 

The 2024 Arizona Interscholastic Association (AIA) 3A championship game will take place on February 23 at the Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Phoenix.