Millennium opened Section 7 with a dominant performance Friday, overwhelming North Dakota Mandan 69-36 behind 27 points from Kolbi Brooks at Arizona Athletic Grounds.

Millennium—seeking a third consecutive Open state title—made a statement in its victory over Mandan, which finished ranked No. 4 in North Dakota last season, according to MaxPreps. 

“I’d really like to put Arizona on the map and get some national love for these kids and make sure people realize how good Arizona basketball is,” Millennium head coach Danny Soliman said.

Millennium debuted its new-look team with a mix of returning production and incoming transfers led by Brooks, the No. 7 ‘27 prospect, according to ESPN, who also spearheaded the Tigers defensively in her debut. Brooks will run the point guard spot after transferring recently. 

She holds nearly 20 Division I scholarship offers, including USC, Stanford, Baylor, Arizona, and Arizona State.

Alongside Brooks is Kinsley Murray and Braya Neal-Tiffany, who made the move to Millennium for their senior year after winning the 6A championship last season with Valley Vista. In their first game, the pair made an impact defensively, with Murray adding eight points as she adjusted to the new system.

“They’ve been great so far. It’s been a seamless transition,” Soliman said about the new additions. “I really want to see what this tournament will do. They’re great kids, and they really want to play the right way. That’s the best thing about them.”

Brooks came out of the gate with five points in a 12-2 run, causing Mandan to call an early timeout. Millennium extended its lead to 24-5 less than six minutes into the game after Brooks took a rebound coast-to-coast for a layup. 

Millennium’s full-court press forced turnovers throughout the game, turning defense into offense in transition. Brooks showed her elite two-way ability while scoring six consecutive points, recording three steals that led directly to three layups. 

It was a struggle for Mandan to break the press, causing much of the game to be played on its own end of the court. Mandan did not score until there were five minutes remaining in the half, when it converted a pair of free throws to make it 33-7.

Sophomore center Amaya Ribbens scored nine points and returns from last season’s championship team, providing size and physicality alongside Millennium’s transfer guards. She holds eight Division I offers, including Oklahoma, Florida, California, SMU, and Creighton. 

The first half ended with another Brooks layup, giving her 19 points before halftime and Millennium a 42-14 lead. 

The second half showcased the same theme, but with Millennium’s developing group gaining experience. 

With a running clock, Millennium closed out the game, 69-36. Millennium was back on the court a couple hours later in a matchup versus California Windward School.

But it was unable to replicate its first performance, falling 66-58. The Tigers will look to respond Saturday against Utah Pleasant Grove at 1 p.m. on Court 5. 

Campo Verde’s youngsters face big tests 

While Millennium cruised to victory, Campo Verde was tested against California Ontario Christian, the defending No. 1 ranked team in the nation anchored by No. 1 ‘27 Kaleena Smith.

Campo Verde lost 104-51, as Smith scored 22 points and showcased her polished all-around game in front of a packed crowd of Division I coaches and scouts. 

Jaiyana Bogan-Jacobs of Campo Verde, ranked as the No. 3 player in ‘29 by ESPN, matched Smith with 22 of her own. While the game was in contention during the first half, Campo Verde’s young and inexperienced group was unable to keep up with the fast-paced machine of Ontario Christian’s offense.

“We’re young and hungry and we need games like this to see where we are,” Campo Verde head coach Maurice Scott said.

Bogan-Jacobs frequently faced multiple defenders when attacking the paint, as the zone defense focused on limiting Bogan-Jacobs’ scoring ability, forcing her to earn points at the free-throw line. 

After being down by 14 with 4:40 remaining in the first half, Campo Verde went on a run, fueled by difficult shot-making and aggressive defense. 

Bogan-Jacobs knocked down a midrange jumper over Smith to cut the deficit to 35-28 with less than two minutes remaining in the half. This was as close as Campo Verde would get, as Smith immediately responded with five points in 30 seconds. 

By halftime, Ontario Christian had stretched its lead to 48-29. The second half was an explosion of offense from Ontario Christian, extending the lead to over 50 points. 

Despite the lopsided defeat, Scott viewed the matchup as a valuable measuring stick for a young Campo Verde roster. With a lineup loaded with freshmen and sophomores, the Coyotes left with experience against what many consider the best team in the nation.

“I want to see us continue to compete,” Scott said. “Even in that game, we competed, and that’s all I want to see from our girls. We’re young, lots of freshmen and sophomores. We just want to compete.” 

In Campo Verde's second matchup of the day, the Coyotes lost 55-51 to Utah Lone Peak. Despite the 0-2 start, Campo Verde will face more high-level competition Saturday versus Nevada Bishop Gorman at 1 p.m. on Court 2.