The annual Section 7 girls high school basketball tournament concluded Saturday, June 20, as 129 teams from nine states competed in eight different championship brackets at Arizona Athletic Grounds in Mesa.
The event drew numerous college coaches scouting high school talent from Arizona and around the country.
Here’s a recap of highlights involving Arizona teams from the three-day tournament.
Goodyear Millennium is returning several key players and adding a few more via transfer, making them a favorite to win a third AIA Open Division title next season. Those transfers include Phoenix Desert Vista sophomore Kolbi Brooks and Surprise Valley Vista seniors Kinsey Murray and Braya Neal Tiffany.
The Tigers suffered losses to two top teams from California at Section 7.
One was an early tournament loss to Windward School out of Los Angeles, 66-58. Windward eventually won the City of Mesa Bracket. They later fell to Mater Dei from Santa Ana, California, 70-66.
Millennium head coach Danny Soliman had some positive takeaways despite the losses, including his team’s ability to adapt, which led to a spirited comeback against Mater Dei after falling behind by 20 points.
“I think we grew as the tournament went on,” Soliman said. “I think we started sharing the ball more when adversity struck. I will say being urgent right away and being steady helps us not have to come back from that kind of deficit.”
Soliman noted the tournament’s importance to the visibility of Arizona high school basketball.
“Arizona has some of the best talent in the entire country,” Soliman said. “we need to make sure we continue to help put it on the map.”
Two of the eight bracket champions were from Arizona.
Casteel and Canyon View high schools won the ABCA and ASEC brackets, respectively. Those brackets were comprised primarily of Arizona teams.
Several other top programs from the Valley had mixed showings against tough national competition.
Gilbert Perry lost to the eventual John Dawson Foundation bracket champion, Standley Lake High School from Westminster, Colorado, 60-50 in the bracket’s opening game.
Perry head coach Darren Fenn was disappointed with the loss but kept things in perspective.
“Nobody wants to lose a game, even in June,” Fenn said. “We’re a brand-new team from last year and it’s important for us to learn how to play together and learn to trust each other. We have standards and that’s the foundation of what we do. These games help us see if that’s what we’re putting on the floor.”
Phoenix Xavier College Prep also had its fair share of struggles. Going 1-3 in the tournament, playing out of the OrthoArizona Backet, which was won by Ridgeline High School from Millville, Utah.
Xavier’s three straight losses came to out out-of-state teams: Denver (Colorado) East High School, 49-35; Lynwood (California) High School, 59-43; and Rancho Cucamonga (California) High School, 41-39.
Xavier finally broke through with a win against La Canada High School from La Canada-Flintridge, California, 60-57, after making two determined comebacks in each half.
First-year head coach Elijah Knox said he had goals for the Gators that went beyond wins. Knox replaced coach Jennifer Gillom, who retired in May.
“We’re really looking for development, and the foundation of culture,” Knox said. “I just got here so I’m helping them understand what my non-negotiables are, heart, hustle and fighting.”
Knox highlighted what his experience as a WNBA Player Development coach for the Seattle Storm could bring the Gators when the season arrives.
“In the W you learn in the youth that coaching matters,” Knox said. “But it’s really about what the kids can understand and what they can execute.”
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Section 7 brings mixed results, valuable growth for Arizona girls teams
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