Defensive Pressure Fuels Millennium’s Win Over Salpointe

Goodyear Millennium showed why they are one of the more complete teams in the state, using defensive pressure and balanced scoring to pull away from Tucson Salpointe Catholic for a 67–44 victory.

Salpointe came out aggressive as Aryanna Kollasch opened the game with a three at the 5:48 mark, but Millennium quickly settled in. Mariah Brownlee answered with a layup that followed a free throw to tie it, and Jayda Hunt followed with a strong finish inside to give the Tigers their first lead. From there, Amaya Ribbens took control of the tempo, knocking down back-to-back threes to make it 11–6 and force Salpointe to adjust early.

T’Maea Eteuati added a short jumper to extend the lead, and although Jayda Nelson cut into it late, Brownlee buried a deep three just before the buzzer to close the quarter with Millennium ahead 16–8. That shot felt like a momentum changer and set the tone for the rest of the night.

Salpointe opened the second quarter with energy. Jayci Nelson hit a pull-up jumper, and Abuk Lual finished in transition to cut the deficit to 16–12. But Millennium answered immediately. Freshman Brooklyn Williams knocked down a three, and the Tigers’ pressure defense began to show its impact.

Freshman Erin Even drilled a triple to make it 19–15, but Brownlee responded again from beyond the arc to push the lead to 24–15. From that point on, Millennium went on a decisive run. Ribbens scored on a floater, Eteuati jumped a passing lane for a steal and layup, and another quick basket pushed the score to 30–15.

Deja Richardson added to the run with a steal and layup to make it 32–15 with just over three minutes left in the half. Salpointe briefly stopped the bleeding with an Even three, a Jayci Nelson floater, and a Peyton Wilmore three of her own. Ribbens capped the half with a jumper, sending Millennium into the break firmly in control, 38–23.

The Tigers stayed aggressive coming out of halftime. Kollasch scored inside to cut it to 40–28, but Aryanna Harrison immediately responded with a three. Lual converted again to make it 43–32, only for Eteuati to knock down a corner three that pushed it back to a comfortable 46–32.

Brooklyn Doyle scored to make it a 10-point game, but Richardson once again delivered a timely basket, drilling a three-pointer with under a minute left in the quarter. Millennium led 50–36 heading into the fourth.

Millennium put the game away early in the final period by turning up the defensive pressure. Consecutive turnovers led to easy baskets, including a Richardson steal and layup that made it 54–38. Salpointe went to a zone to slow the Tigers down, but Ribbens calmly stepped into an elbow jumper to beat it.

Katie Adams answered with a bucket for Salpointe, but Harrison delivered the dagger, hitting back-to-back corner threes to extend the lead to 62–42 with under four minutes remaining. Eteuati added another three, and any hope of a comeback was officially closed.

Ribbens finished things off with a putback in the final minute as Millennium sealed the 67–44 win. Ribbens led Millennium, who moved to 11-3, with 18 points; Eteuati had 16, and Harrison and Brownlee both added 10. The Lancers who fell to 14-2 were led by Erin Even and Aryanna Kollasch both with 9 points and Jayci Nelson with 8.