Millennium boys survive quarterfinal scare in Goodyear

Friday night’s Open Division quarterfinal between the #10 Gilbert Higley Knights and #2 Millennium Tigers turned out to be the game of the night in an all-time classic night of Arizona high school basketball.

The Tigers held on for a 66-57 victory,  after trailing 45-43 entering the fourth quarter.

“Higley gave us a great matchup tonight, and tonight we showed what this team can do when we face adversity,” said Millennium senior wing Cameron Holmes.

No. 2 Millennium (24-3) now advances to face No. 3 Phoenix St. Mary’s Catholic (22-6) at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 4 at Corona Del Sol High School, 1001 E. Knox Road, Tempe.

It's the first of two Open Division that night. But the Tigers may be without one of their star players. 

With 17 seconds remaining in Friday's contest, Higley senior Michael Thomas and Holmes became tangled up on an in bounds pass. Immediately Andre Tyler of the Knights came over and shoved Holmes, which started a shouting match as both sides came together. 

Millennium sophomore guard Adan Diggs who had fouled out a moment prior, ran off the bench onto the court during the incident. 

If the Arizona Interscholastic Association determines that Diggs left the bench to engage in the incident on the court, he may be suspended for the semifinal.

The game had been building to that moment from tipoff.

Right away, Higley came out attacking led by 6-8 sophomore Michael McIntyre, who established his presence inside with a ferocious dunk. Then Tyler hit a deep three.

Holmes immediately went to work attacking downhill and finishing through contact with a layup. The contest stopped briefly as he was presented a custom basketball to honor his 2,000th career point.

That was the highlight of the quarter though as the Knights proceeded to go on a 9-2 run to take a 14-4 lead before sophomore forward Trey McKinney III had a highlight-and-one dunk to give the Tigers momentum.

The score wouldn’t move for minutes of game time as both offenses became bogged down. During this stretch, the teams combined for seven turnovers.

Checkmate came when Diggs, who picked up his third foul of the first half, checked out of the contest for senior guard Gabe Coronado. 

Needing a spark and still trailing, Millennium saw Coronado knocked down three three-pointers in under two minutes to flip a four-point deficit to a two-point lead. 

Holmes guided the ship through rocky waters, knocking in another basket to finish the half with 12 points as Millennium held a slim 26-23 halftime lead.

The Knights adjusted at halftime as they immediately went after Diggs on defense, drawing his fourth foul.

They spaced the floor with off-ball screens, which opened up the three point line for Noah Gloor. The senior guard hit two three-pointers in the quarter to give Higley the lead and quiet the Tigers gym.

Millennium had their backs against the wall, in a position that only one in-state team had put it in, a fourth quarter deficit. 

But McKinney, who transferred from Bishop Gorman (Nev.), for times like this and Holmes - who entered the night 53-0 in his high school career at home - were built for the moment. 

“It's a brotherhood man. 
We all love each other. We all want to root for each other. And everybody wants to see each other succeed in the next level in life, and so when nights like this happen and we got to fight, we can do it,” McKinney said.

The Millennium boys basketball team poses for a photo after beating Higley 66-57 in an Open Division quarterfinal on Feb. 27. There was no physical ticket graphic to punch, but the Tigers are going to the Open semifinals for the third straight year. (Jacob Seliga/West Valley Preps)

The duo dominated the start of the fourth as McKinney controlled the glass with three quick rebounds and Holmes pushed the pace with seven points to give the Tigers a 53-48 lead with 4:53 remaining. It was the home team's largest lead of the night to that point. 

“I’ve had to play the post all year, but it's a learning experience, I feel like. I've got to guard people from IMG, Darius Wabbington, and all of then. 
So it's really just like, a thing that I'm trying to master, because when I go to the next level, that's not an excuse I want to have,” McKinney said.

Higley freshman Marquice Pless continued to attack and get to the free throw line, helping cut the deficit to 57-54 with 1:30 to go.

On the other end of the court, Diggs, who had a quiet night for his standards, delivered the dagger.

As the Knights crashed inside on a DJ Spencer layup attempt, Spencer kicked it out on the perimeter to McKinney, who found a wide open Diggs for a clutch three to give Millennium a 60-54 lead with 1:20 remaining. 

The teams traded turnovers before McKinney went to the free throw line with 19 seconds to go. He made one to extend the lead to 61-56. 

On the opposite end, Pless drove inside and forced Diggs' fifth foul. Pless also went 1-2 at the line. That lead to the brouhaha that sent the Tigers to the line for four free throws following the foul by Thomas on Holmes and the technical foul by Tyler.

Holmes scored the last four points of his career at the Rise and Roar Center at the throw line as the Tigers forced another turnover to ice the game.

One game stands between the Tigers and a second Open Division final in three years.

For St. Mary's, Goodyear resident and Duke signee Cameron Williams has been a friend of Holmes for years and the duo still work out together. At 7 feet, his size poses a new challenge for McKinney and Holmes

Millennium doesn’t play a true center. 

“I’m not going to say I'm focused on that game because I'm taking it one game at a time, but that's one of the matchups I really see myself winning, I know he's 7-0 and all that stuff, but I really I compliment myself for my defensive game and I’m ready for it,” said McKinney.

Holmes will leave Millennium as the all-time leading scorer for the Tigers, 96 career wins and counting, 54-0 at home, and as an All-American. But his legacy goes beyond the court 

“Man, it means to me so much to come out here every day, getting to represent Millennium, representing how great of a high school it is. it meant so much to me to start from when I was a freshman, I feel like I've learned so much over the course of these three, four years so, it really does mean the world to me and it makes me strive for more strive for greatness,” Holmes said.