THE FUTURE OF AZ COMPASS PREP

Dylan Ackermann, April 27, 2022

CHANDLER, Ariz., - Arizona Compass Prep Men’s Basketball Program is expected to lose eight seniors following the 2022 Geico Nationals.  

Montverde Academy ousts AZ Compass Prep in a first round opener of the 2022 Geico Nationals.  AZ Compass Prep has yet to reach the Geico National Championship Game, falling short in two consecutive years.  

The short-term success of AZ Compass Prep seems to be a shock for most, noticing the program's rapid development on a national level.  AZ Compass Prep finished the year as the tenth best high school team in the nation, according to ESPN.   

Athletic Director and Founder Zyzick Owens believes that AZ Compass Prep has more to accomplish.  Owens said that the “number one goal: GEICO nationals!”

In order to achieve this goal, Head Coach Ed Gibson mentions the importance of speaking things to existence.  “Just us starting this program, like I said I wanted to,” said Gibson. “I wanted to coach a top 50 player in the country. Well, I’ve coached top five players in the country. I said I wanted to, you know, be sponsored by Nike. I did that. We did. We did that.”

Owens and Gibson spoke the entire AZ Compass Prep Program into existence.  Now, both men attempt to speak a Geico National Championship into existence, knowing that everything else has been accomplished. 

The 2022-2023 Season 

Eight seniors will be stepping foot on a Division I campus this summer, leaving only three players on the active roster.  Coach Gibson isn’t concerned, knowing the program's ability to recruit.  

Vyctorius Miller, one of the top basketball recruits nationally in the 2024 class, has decided to transfer to AZ Compass Prep.  The 5-star recruit joins 5-star Mookie Cooks and Kylan Boswell.  

When looking at Vyctorius Miller’s transfer, Coach Gibson said “Pete [Pete Kaffey] played a big role, a huge role” in Miller’s decision.  Coach Gibson also mentions that Kaffey is as “gifted recruiting” as anyone.  

With both Cooks and Boswell returning, Coach Gibson knows that the team is in good hands.  

“They got there early enough to see the culture that we've been building, and I think they have been and will be an integral part of us, you know, and our success moving forward,” said Coach Gibson.  “Like if they are good, we are going to be good.”

Additionally, Chris Riddle, another recruit of Coach Kaffey, is returning for his junior year and may be one of the most intriguing prospects in AZ Compass Preps history.  

Coach Gibson believes that Riddle is a “wealth of talent,” noticing how physically imposing Riddle is.  “A lot of guys always say that Chris can go down as the best player to ever come out of Compass Prep. It's just a matter of Chris just believing in himself.”

According to Griffin Greenberg, the Announcer and Head of Media,  Riddle “switches back and forth between the green and national team,” and was considered the green team’s best player. The green team is used to help develop young players and athletes who may not be ready to compete at the national level.

Greenberg mentions that the green team is also filled with “kids who have some pretty good collegiate offers.”

The Ultimate Goal 

Although winning Geico’s is the ultimate goal, Owens and Gibson understand the blessings that come with basketball.    

“The goal is to get these kids into College.  Work with them very closely to make sure their grades are still on point. They're doing what's right,” said Owens.  “They're eating the right food, the right nutrition, and to make sure that they stay academically eligible to qualify for Division I, because what we're trying to do here is we're really trying to produce pros.”

The ultimate goal of AZ Compass Prep is helping these kids reach their goals, teaching them that life is much more than a game of basketball.    

Coach Gibson uses his faith to teach, constantly reminding his players that “we wouldn’t be where we are without God.”  “Culture wins” and “purpose over dreams” are some of the goals in which Gibson says the team prayed about, mentioning that God gives the team a goal every year.

Coach Gibson understands that winning Geico’s isn’t easy.  However, once accomplished, Coach Gibson said that he will be “coaching in college or at a higher level.”  

It is clear that AZ Compass Prep never lacks in talent, solely looking at the programs NBA and Division I players list.  Knowing the talent and coaching behind AZ Compass Prep, does AZ Compass Prep have enough to win the 2022-2023 Geico Nationals?