Friday was an amazing day of basketball action around the state of Arizona for all basketball divisions in the state, as each Division saw action on the day or evening - making for some electric basketball action around the state. No division in the state though was more exciting than (4) different quarterfinal games that were being played, which would decide the semi-finals for this year's Open Division State Playoffs.
Notre Dame Prep (25-4) punched their ticket for the Open Division Final Four on Friday evening in fine fashion, as they defeated a very talented and hot St. Mary's High School program at home, 85-72. With a large crowd of St. Mary's alumni in attendance, and on the road, Notre Dame Prep Head Coach Luke DallaRiva, his coaching staff and his players would execute an excellent strategy to perfection against the taller and very gifted St. Mary's team. Notre Dame Prep would lead the entire contest, much of it by double-digits, en route to the big victory, which would halt St. Mary's long 16-game win streak.
Notre Dame Prep was led in their big win by the ball-handling, passing and superb shooting of their talented junior guard duo of 6-foot junior guard Brennan Peterson and 6-foot-3 junior guard Bryce Quinet. Peterson would finish with a game-high 24 points, and Quinet would pour in 20 points in the victory, as both top performers have led this team all season with their strong play. Peterson and Quinet are two of the elite shooters and fundamentally sound performers in the state, and they have proven it this season with their consistent play all season. Rice University signee, 6-foot-4 senior do-it-all performer Anthony Batson has been terrific all season for this group, although he was only relied on for 8 points and 9 rebounds in the win. 6-foot- sharp-shooting guard Brody Postorino was on fire in the game, knocking down numerous three-point shots, and finishing with 17 points in the win.
It was the last game for St. Mary's star guard and GCU signee Styles Phipps, who has had an amazing high school career, although he did not have his best offensive performance in this contest. Phipps will now look forward to his future with The Lopes.
Notre Dame Prep will now move on to face our #1 ranked team in the state, Millennium High School, in the Open Division semi-finals. Millennium (24-4) defeated a very good Sunnyslope (20-7) team on Friday evening, 56-50, on Sunnyslope's home floor in front of a sold-out crowd. This was a dynamite game between one of the top 6A programs in Sunnyslope HS, and one of the top 5A programs, Millennium HS. It was also a revenge game, as Millennium previously overcame a 15-point deficit to Sunnyslope, before coming back in overtime to get the win, 65-62, at the Hoop Hall Invitational in December.
Friday evening would be a different story, as Millennium came out with all guns firing, and jumped out quick in the 1st quarter, and going up 25-8 earlyt i nthe contest - leading to a nice 33-21 halftime deficit for Sunnyslope. With Millennium's 6-foot-7 stud sophomore Cam Holmes leading the way for his team, Sunnyslope would mount several comeback efforts, led by the play of 6-foot sophomore guard John Mattingly (14 points, 5 assists), but they couldn’t get over the hump, and were outrebounded in the contest. Cam Holmes finished with 22 points and 11 rebounds in the big win, while talented 6-foot-7 junior Kingston Tosi contributed 11 points and 10 rebounds.
In the second semi-final match-up for the Open Division, #1 seed and two-time Open Division State Champion Perry High School will now advance to face Basha High School in the semi-finals. Perry defeated Brophy Prep in their big rematch 75-58 on Perry's home floor, while Basha defeated a very talented Desert Mountain team, 78-68, at home. Basha (22-6) will now look to defeat Perry (22-6) for the second time this season. Basha recently defeated Perry in overtime in their last meeting (71-67), while Perry had previously defeated Basha, 64-53, on Perry's home floor. This will be the rubber-match between these two programs and will make for some exciting basketball action, as the third time will be a charm and determine for us who will advance to the state finals for the Open DIvision.
Here are the AIA Playoff Brackets for the Open Division . . .
