What we learned this week in Arizona boys basketball
This was a pivotal week in Arizona high school boys basketball, a week when Open title contenders made their move.
Four teams are currently surging towards the top. They are Millennium, Brophy Prep, Boulder Creek and Notre Dame Prep. All four had signature wins this week.
What we learned
There is going to be more parity in Year 2 of the AIA's 32-team Open Division than last year when it became a foregone conclusion that Perry would run through everybody with 6-8 Cody Williams and 6-8 Koa Peat.
Without Williams on the roster, Perry is more vulnerable. So much more is put on Peat, and he can't do it all. The Pumas have good complimentary players in 6-5 wing D'Andre Harrison and guard Barron Silsby. But they all need to be together every game for the Pumas to be that invincible team again.
It showed they can be beat last week when Brophy Prep, a team that was 9-9 at one point, beat Perry by double figures.
And Boulder Creek showed that its 71-64 win earlier this week against new No. 1 Sunnyslope, wasn't a fluke by beating a very good Sandra Day O'Connor team 7868 Friday night as 6-8 junior Andrew Bhesania went off for 42 points, making 16 of 19 shots and 3 of 4 3pointers. It was the second time Boulder Creek beat O'Connor. The first time, however, O'Connor was without its best player, 6-8 junior Michael Simcoe.
These two wins this week came on the heels of last week ending with a 70-62 loss to Pinnacle.
Bhesania's game has opened up in the last couple of week with the return of senior point guard Rowan McKenzie, who was out from midway through last season until recently with a broken toe. McKenzie is a good shooter who can penetrate and finds open teammates.
"Just rehab, lightly shooting, getting back to playing," McKenzie said earlier in the week. McKenzie called O'Connor the team's biggest game. With McKenzie back and the recent eligibility of 6-5 sophomore Matt Delgado, a transfer from Notre Dame, the Jaguars are equipped to make big noise at state. BC has won five straight since the 64-55 loss to Basha.
"We're definitely starting to look better," Bhesania said. "We can keep going up. We've got the skill."
Rout of Canyon View shows Millennium a top team
Millennium's in-state competition since rallying to beat Sunnyslope early in the season hasn't been the best, although the Tigers can argue they've faced some of the toughest competition in out-of-state tournaments, including one in Florida.
But that No. 12 ranking this week by the AIA in the Open was blasted out of the water by the Tigers on Friday when they jumped out to a 10-2 lead at No. 18 Canyon
View after three straight 3s by guard Sabien Cain.
The Tigers were up by 25 points in the third quarter before letting up on the gas and winning 69-53. Cameron Holmes, who had 40 points early in the week in a 96-67 rout of Desert Edge, finished with 29 points, four steals and two blocks. He limited Canyon View's top player, Delani McNeal, to just nine points. Kingston Tosi, a junior who scored his 1,000th point early in the week, had 10 points, 10 rebounds and six blocks against Canyon View.
"What makes us dangerous is that Cam and Kingston are not selfish players," coach Ty Amundsen said. "We could have a different leading scorer every day."
Brophy is for real with Braeden Speed in full beast mode
Brophy (13-9) has won five in a row after beating Basha 63-46 to avenge the 68-56 loss to the Bears on Jan. 12. After that loss — its fourth in five games — Brophy's season turned. Mainly because senior point guard Braeden Speed has taken over in big moments. He had 15 points in the fourth quarter in last week's 65-52 win over Perry.
On Friday, he had 17 points, as the Broncos are showing toughness on defense, not letting themselves get beat on the boards. And many players are contributing, including junior guard Ryan Burbach.
Notre Dame showdown
Next Friday, Millennium travels to Notre Dame in a battle of the top two 5A teams. Notre Dame looks really good since the return of guard Brennan Peterson, who was out since the season opener with an injury. In his fourth game back Wednesday, Peterson had 28 points, making five 3-pointers, in the Saints' 98-83 win at Scottsdale Desert Mountain.
Notre Dame has as much depth as anybody to go deep into the Open tournament. But the Millennium game will show how good they really are. It will also give Millennium an indicator of how well it can handle the pressure of a big game before state.