Here's why Perry's 5-star basketball recruits Cody Williams, Koa Peat didn't jump to a prep academy
Over the summer, it felt like a revolving door of moves, basketball players leaving high schools in the Arizona Interscholastic Association for what they feel are greater future college treasures by developing in a prep academy.
Whether it was Tempe McClintock losing its top three players to the local preps, Gilbert seeing its best player make the jump, Phoenix Mountain Pointe losing its top two players to the preps and another two top players leaving the state, and Goodyear Millennium's big man and point guard joining the prep academy ranks
But there remains plenty of highly talented players at AIA high schools.
A prime example Gilbert Perry, where coach Sam Duane Jr., has something he never had during his four-year run of state championships at Tempe Corona del Sol. He's got two 5-star recruits on his team, something never seen before in the AIA.
Senior guard Cody Williams is ranked as the No. 14 overall prospect in the nation in the 2023 class by ESPN. Last week, he signed with Colorado. And sophomore guard/forward Koa Peat is ranked as the No. 3 overall player in the 2025 class by ESPN.
Both are 6-foot-8 with freakish, God-given abilities and can play anywhere on the court. They are the faces of the program, back to try to help the Pumas repeat as 6A state champions.
MORE: Cody Williams, Koa Peat lead Perry to first state basketball title
They might as well be the faces of the new AIA, one in which the shot clock will be used and an Open Division playoff will take place for the first time in the high school organization's history.
The Open Division playoff bracket will feature 32 teams. Teams losing the in first round will drop into their conference tournaments.
In 6A, top teams will be eyeing Perry, which enters the 2022-23 season as not only The Arizona Republic's No. 1-ranked team but the No. 16-ranked team in the nation, according to MaxPreps.
With Williams and Peat, Perry could be in the process of building the same kind of dynasty that Duane had at Corona del Sol from 2010-14, when he strung together four state championships with his only 5-star being 6-foot-11 Marvin Bagley III, who only played there his freshman year in 2013-2014, the last of Corona's titles.
So what keeps Williams and Peat at Perry?
It all comes down to family.
"For me, I saw my brother (Jalen), he went the right way," Cody Williams said. "And also my parents. They tell me, 'You don't need to go prep.' I stayed at my high school. Prep would do nothing for me. I'm already getting the offers and exposure.
"I want to enjoy my high school experience. I'm a senior."
Peat, who dominated on the glass and defensively during Perry's tournament run to the championship last season as a freshman, already was a nationally known player. As one of the youngest players, Peat earned his way on the USA Basketball Under 17 team that won a gold medal in Spain in the summer.
He saw how his brothers Andrus and Cassius enjoyed their times playing basketball for Duane at Corona del Sol, where Andrus, now an offensive lineman for the NFL New Orleans Saints, was a big part of the Aztecs' first of four titles, and Cassius collected four championship rings as a power forward.
"There's nothing better than playing for your home crowd," Koa said. "So it's a great experience here."
Duane is grateful and blessed that he's able to build something special at Perry, which already was making strides before he arrived under the Howard brothers — Desmond, Jordan and Markus.
Those guards got the program on the map starting in 2011. Markus, the youngest, left after his sophomore year in 2015 to join Findlay Prep in Nevada.
It took Duane to pick up the pieces at Perry and get the program back on track with the Williams family.
MORE: Why Arizona high school basketball players are moving to prep academies
Duane has never coached a Perry team without a Williams on it. Jalen Williams was a dynamic scorer in Duane's first three seasons leading the Pumas, from 2016-19. In Jalen's senior season, the Pumas reached the 6A semifinals, before losing to Nico Mannion and Phoenix Pinnacle.
Cody Williams was a 6-2 freshman on varsity the next year. Cody grew six inches over the next two years, still maintaining his point-guard abilities with the extra length. His ability to slash to the basket and score from outside made him much more sought-after than his older brother Jalen, who taught Cody the importance of strong work habits and is now an NBA rookie with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
"We're just trying to every day get better," Duane said. "It's not easy. I found that out at Corona. Our guys are really good kids. This is the toughest schedule ever. Our schedule is brutal."
Perry isn't traveling out of state, but it plays in two marquee games in December in the Hoophall West at Scottsdale Chaparral against Cardinal Hayes out of the Bronx and Mikey Williams-led San Ysidro from the San Diego area.
Williams isn't worried. He knows what it's like because Perry was ther focus of other teams last year when the Pumas came into the season ranked No. 1 with 7-foot center Dylan Anderson the main focus. Anderson is now playing at Arizona.
Tracker: Which Arizona high school athletes are signing college letters during the early period?
There are good pieces around Williams and Peat, most notably 6-4 Ben Egbo, 6-5 sophomore D'Andre Harrison, 5-11 junior Barron Silsby and 5-9 sophomore No-No Brown.
Adding to the mix is 6-3 Cesar Chavez-transfer Adonis LaFleur.
"I just like how unselfish we all play together," Williams said. "All the stuff we did last year doesn't really matter. We're just locked in at getting better. It's not easy repeating."
To suggest human-interest story ideas and other news, reach Obert at richard.obert@arizonarepublic.com or 602-316-8827. Follow him on Twitter @azc_obert.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Perry's 5-star basketball recruits Cody Williams, Koa Peat didn't jump to a prep academy
