Breakouts, big statements, national splash by Arizona hoops teams

There were big breakouts, bold statements and a national splash for Arizona’s high school basketball teams during Section 7 at State Farm Stadium.

These were perhaps the best Arizona teams to perform over the past four years of Section 7, a high-profile national high school federation event that draws hundreds of college coaches and top college programs from across the United States, mostly from the West.

What we learned

Goodyear Millennium and Gilbert Perry are undoubtedly the two best boys teams in Arizona. And there may be a slight dip after those two, although Phoenix Sandra Day O’Connor, behind big man Michael Simcoe and guard Tayvion Wilson, is on the rise.

Perry went 2-2 without reigning two-time Arizona High School Player of the Year Koa Peat, a 6-foot-4 senior forward who is teaming up with USA Basketball in June to prepare for the U17 Junior World Cup this month in Turkey .

Without Peat, Perry showed depth more than holding his own against top out-of-state teams. With Peat, Perry is at least as good as last season, when the Pumas captured their second Open title in a row, beating Millennium in a close game in the final.

But what Millennium did over the weekend was off the charts.

Everyone knew the Tigers were going to be really good again. But the best team in Section 7? They went 4-0 in the toughest category and looked like a legitimate top 10 team in the country entering the 2024-2025 season.

Everyone knows how good 6-5 junior guard Cameron Holmes is. He has high marks everywhere. And he showed again over the weekend why he is one of the best all-around players in the country in the class of 2026. But the man who stood out in three days was 6-7 senior guard/forward Kingston Tosi, whose improvement from his sophomore season has been notable.

Tosi had 38 points on 15-of-21 shooting in an 84-79 win over California power St. Joseph on Friday, and finished the weekend Sunday with 31 points on 12-of-15 shooting in a 72-58 victory over Archbishop Riordan of San Francisco.

Four hours later, Millennium coach Ty Amundsen said he was still fielding calls and texts from Division I college coaches about Tosi.

Tosi picked up offers this weekend from Fresno State, Montana, SMU, Washington State, UT Arlington. Even more college coaches want to offer, but tell Tosi first, Amundsen said.

“His strength, the player development we do, you can see it,” Amundsen said. “Kingston just showed up. He averaged 28 points per game against top competition this weekend. But what’s most impressive is he shot over 70% from the floor.”

Tosi can score at all three levels. His ball handling has come a long way. His defense is top class. He is a rim protector and a tough rebounder. The sky is the limit for what Tosi can do in college.

If I were to do my Top 10 Open rankings now, I would have Millennium 1 and Perry 2, even with Peat in Perry’s fold.

Biggest improvement

Watch for four-transfer Phoenix Central, led by 6-foot-1 guard John Mattingly, a top player at Phoenix Sunnyslope the past two seasons. Mattingly, a junior with remarkable three-point shooting and ball-handling, gives the Bobcats a realistic chance of making not only the 32-team Open State tournament from 5A, but possibly the quarterfinals.

Mattingly led Central to a 6-1 record during the week, including qualifying play on Monday and Tuesday to participate in the Section 7 Boys Weekend. Central finished 3-1 this weekend and finished third in the AZ Athletic Grounds Bracket. Central’s only loss was 65-63 to Clovis West of Fresno, California.

In the next match, Central 5A champion Glendale defeated Ironwood 71-64.

In that game, Mattingly had 33 points, making 12 of 21 field goals and 8 of 8 free throws. His brother Grant made 6 of 9 shots and had 13 points. And Dominic Rojas, another transfer from Sunnyslope, scored 17 points.

“John Mattingly showed why he was a first-team selection in the 6A Conference and led the way in all of our games,” Central coach Darren Bustos said.

Biggest move

The work Sandra Day O’Connor High has put in since the end of last season’s 6A championship loss to Peoria Liberty was evident. They played four California teams that each won 20 or more games last season.

O’Connor defeated the traditional California powers 1-3 and held on in a 91-85 loss to Sierra Canyon.

Simcoe, a 6-8 senior forward, averaged 21 points and eight rebounds, shot 60% from the field and picked up four more DI offers, giving him a total of 20 since last year.

Tayvion Wilson was a surprise to many college coaches, coach Joshua Cole said, averaging 17 points, four assists and four rebounds and shooting 40% from beyond the three-point arc, making at least three three-pointers per game.

Colton Watson stood out to college recruiters in the Sierra Canyon game with 11 assists as a 6-6 combo guard.

Rylan Parsley also showcased his ability to knock down 3s and play tough defense. He hit nine three-pointers this weekend and was assigned to the opponent’s top wing.

And Landon Wilson surprised college coaches in his team’s two Saturday games, making a combined 9 of 10 three-pointers. He was 4 for 5 from long distance in the Sierra Canyon match and 12 for 18 from distance in the four matches combined.

Best Supporting Cast

When Peat was involved with USA Basketball in June, Perry was able to develop against top teams and compete well at a high level. The Pumas finished 2-2, including a 20-point win over Chandler Basha, who could be an Open semifinal team again next season, behind point guard Mason Magee.

Perry’s two losses totaled six points.

“I think we created some depth this weekend and this summer,” coach Sam Duane Jr. said.

Senior D’Andre Harrison took a huge step forward into a leadership role. The 6-5 wing averaged 23.5 points and 7.5 rebounds. He had nine rebounds against Basha.

Guard NoNo Brown, a 5-10 senior, averaged 10 points and six assists, showed great leadership on the floor and defended at a high level.

“He brought energy to the whole floor,” Duane said. “He’s such a great teammate. This summer he really stepped up for us. He’s an under-the-radar guy and a winner.”

Bruce Branch, who played little as a freshman last season, showed he’s ready to play a big role, adding four inches since the end of last season. He is now 6-6. He averaged nine points and four rebounds.

And 6-7 senior Trey McKinney had a strong weekend, averaging 10 points and four rebounds. He had 21 points and eight rebounds against Basha.

Duane also likes how 6-3 senior Dominic Avalos has developed into a top defender and good 3-point shooter. He had 15 points in a win over Smokey Hill on Saturday.

“We still have a lot of work to do, but I love our team and its potential,” Duane said.

To suggest human interest story ideas and other news, reach Obert at [email protected] or 602-316-8827. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter:@azc_obert