It is safe to say the Millennium boys basketball program believes it was short-changed and even disrespected at receiving the No. 6 overall ranking for the state Open Division.
After all, the Tigers beat No. 2 Scottsdale Notre Dame Prep and No. 5 Scottsdale Desert Mountain convincingly earlier this month. Millennium also beat No. 3 Phoenix Sunnyslope 65-62 in overtime Nov. 30 at Hoophall West — although the game did not count in the regular season rankings.
Maybe the Tigers’ low seeding is worse news for the five teams ahead of them and everyone else in their path. Millennium is 21-4 overall, but more importantly 17-0 against Arizona opponents.
“I’ve gotten to that point where I don’t even care where it is. Just give me a number and we’re going to work,” Millennium coach Ty Amundsen said. “Is it an advantage to be at home? Absolutely. Social media and people talk about it enough.”
At times, Amundsen’s Millennium teams have been considered among the state’s best for periods of time, but never the No. 1 team in the state entering the playoffs. Within and outside of the program, the feeling is clear entering the Open Division that this group is different.
“We’re a team first and these guys truly believe in that,” Amundsen said.
The coach said seven players have been together since fifth or sixth grade.
Also the team’s most important newcomer, senior guard Sabien Cain from Indianapolis, has been the ideal fit. When he first played with the Tigers during Section 7 last summer, he learned he no longer had to create all, or even most of the offense.
“For me it was hard at first because I came from Indiana. It’s probably easier for these guys, but it took me three or four games to realize I don’t have to score 20. I can be a facilitator and just do my role,” Cain said.
Millennium nurtured that chemistry by playing a full offseason in the fall. The Tigers tested themselves against elite teams in the AZ Compass Prep Fall League, Flight Club, the So Cal Fall Prep Classic and the Border League in Las Vegas.
The traveling show continued as the season started. Millennium played in the Piney Woods Hoopfest in Lufkin, Texas and reached the final, losing to now 31-1 Round Rock (Texas) Stony Point in the final.
Then Dec. 18-23 Millennium was in the City of Palms Classic in Fort Myers, Florida. The Tigers lost twice, but those were to teams ranked No. 31 (Huntersville, North Carolina, North Mecklenburg) and No. 2 (Chantilly, Virginia, Paul VI) nationally by Maxpreps.
“To me that’s the premier high school event in the country, and we got to play against the No. 1 team in the country in Paul the Sixth. It was a six-point game with three minutes to go,” Amundsen said. “I looked at the guys and said, ‘Do you guys just want to make this close and say, hey we lost by six or eight. Or are we going to try and win this game.’ They said they wanted to win and we went to a 2-2-1 press and bang-bang-dunk. We come down and miss a three, bang-bang dunk. All right it’s a 10-point game and that was too quick. At City of Palms we spent a lot of time together and that was a highlight.”
Millennium junior forward Kingston Tosi blocks the shot of Avondale Westview player during the Tigers' home win Nov. 27, 2023. (Courtesy Skylar Stephens/West Valley Preps)
A second showdown with Sunnyslope
These trips bonded the team but the players may have gained the most from a trip across town to Chaparral to beat Sunnyslope.
Cain hit six of 12 three-point attempts in that game, finishing with 27 points and some crucial defensive stop.
“The Sunnyslope game was a big one for us. Sabien came in and did his thing,” Everson said.
The confidence gained from that game will be crucial. A titanic quarterfinal showdown at No. 3 Sunnyslope looms.
Millennium built a sound first half lead in an 88-70 Open first round win over Gilbert Higley on Feb. 14. Then the Tigers torched #11 ALA-Gilbert North 82-49 in the second round on Feb. 16.
With both teams on the short list of Open title contenders, this could be the apex of Millennium’s issues with the rankings. Traveling to Sunnyslope is the toughest possible quarterfinal assignment.
“We definitely use it as motivation,” Everson said.
While the Vikings are a young team that has gained more experience, Millennium is also more integrated with its two newcomers, Cain and talented freshman Adrian Higuera.
“Sabien is such a great fit because he’s unselfish. Adrian as well came in and was just looking to be a guy that was looking to fit in and be a puzzle piece,” Amundsen said. “What you see more than any difference between last year and this year is the leadership. Kingston and Cam are really stepping up and emerging as positive leaders instead of negativity.”
As Everson said, one thing that makes this team unique is it can roll out a front line that is 6-5, 6-6 and 6-7 in sophomores Brayden Barrett and Holmes and junior Kingston Tosi and all handle the ball as well as smaller guards.
For the Millennium-Sunnyslope rematch, the Tigers will look a bit different, at least at tipoff. Holmes, Tosi, Cain and Everson start alongside junior guard JT Amundsen, a 5-9 defensive and outside shooting specialist.
Ty Amundsen said a major goal after losing to Liberty in the Open second round and Gilbert Campo Verde in the 5A finals last year was to make the bench stronger. Barrett provided the answer.
“Brayden is probably one of our most coachable kids. He’s very, ‘yes sir, no sir.’ He came to me, to be honest, while we were at City of the Palms and asked, ‘Can I just come off the bench? I just want to see how things go. When I start the games things feel a little rushed. We’re getting it to Kingston and Cam and I feel like I can’t get any flow.’ He brought it to my attention and we looked into it,” Amundsen said. “He bought into it after the fourth or fifth game of the season and said he was fine if he didn’t start.”
Their schedule was back loaded, Millennium asked Canyon View if the Tigers could move its home game to Feb. 6. Desert Mountain agreed to play Millennium on Feb. 8 to prepare both teams.
Millennium limited the Wolves to 52 points.
“We’ve been focusing a lot more on defense. We know we can score but we have to be able to stop teams from scoring on us,” Cain said. “We’ve gotten more defensively sound.”
A title run would be an interesting booked. Millennium reached the 5A final as a sixth seed, losing by a point to Gilbert in the final.
This team can do that, and more.
“Their mentality is way different. Their confidence is through the roof,” Amundsen said.
He said Holmes and senior Sam Franklin are the group’s vocal leaders, while Everson and Tosi guide teammates by example.
“We definitely want one for our seniors and coach Ty’s been wanting this for a long time so hopefully, we can get it done for him,” Everson said.
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