Arizona hoops teams sharp Friday night in Scottsdale

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SCOTTSDALE, AZ – The top boys high school basketball team in Arizona thumped an opponent advertised as one of the best New York has to offer in the last of the five games played Friday at Chapparal High on the second day of the HoopHall West.

The Perry High Pumas (their campus is in another Phoenix suburb, Gilbert) made quick and oh-too-easy work of Cardinal Hayes, 78-47 – a final margin representative of the way the squad from Bronx was dominated.

Coach Sam Duane’s program extended its two-season, winning streak to 15 with its eighth victory of 2022-23 – an average margin of 39.4 points with the tightest decision coming in the 14-point margin vs. Peoria Liberty on Nov. 29.

The Pumas’ starting lineup was a collective 29 of 48 from the field (.604) Friday night, as University of Colorado-bound Cody Williams (seven of 10 shooting, six rebounds and seven assists) and sophomore-deluxe Koa Peat (21 points, 14 rebounds, four assists and five blocked shots) looked every bit the part – and more – of the two-best high school players in Arizona.

Barring a significant surprise (as well as the usual potential roadblocks of injury, illness, or substantial foul issues), Williams, Peat & Co. are firmly on track for an unbeaten regular season and another Arizona Interscholastic Athletic 6A State crown.

About 15 minutes by car (thank you, Gregg Rosenberg!) and in a game every bit as competitive as the Perry-Cardinal Hayes clash was lopsided, Desert Mountain handed the host Notre Dame Prep Saints their first loss in nine games, 78-74.

And the play of the Wolverines’ freshman duo of Kaden and Kaleb House – the twin sons (Eddie House), nephews (Mike Bibby) and grandsons (Henry Bibby) of former NBA guards – more than lived up to the hype that the pair’s NBA lineage directed their way.

Kaden (pictured) spent more of the time with the basketball in his hands and at the command of Desert Mountain’s attack, finishing with 28 points (20 in the first half), 11 rebounds, seven assists, two blocked shots and three steals before fouling out 16.8 seconds to go and his team in front of by six points.

Kaden (at 6-3, listed an inch taller than his sibling) may have attempted but a couple of mid-range jumpers on his way to a 10 of 18 shooting effort.

But Kaleb used the crunch time of the fourth quarter to unleash the jump shot – in form and accuracy, that was associated with pops, Uncle Mike and grandpa as college and NBA standouts.

He nailed three deep, off-the-catch 3s – two of those after passes from his brother – to help hold off the determined efforts of Notre Dame Prep.

The Wolves also got a quality performance from another member of the Class of 2026 as 6-5, 240-pound Tony Cumberland went for 15 points and five rebounds.

The Saints’ underclassmen also mostly sizzled, by way of sophomores Brennan Peterson (29 points, including six 3s) and Bryce Quinet (13 points and seven assists); junior Anthony Batson (14 points and 10 rebounds) and 6-5 freshman Matt Delgado (nine points off the bench).

In the other four games played at Chaparral Friday:

*Milton (GA) 55, West Columbia (SC) Gray Collegiate 53: Guard Avery White knocked in a 3 from the left wing with two seconds to go in the most thrilling finish of the event’s first two days.

Montavious White (no relation) had given his team a one-point edge 20 seconds earlier with his own jump shot. He scored 21 points less than 24 hours after going for 28 in his team’s win over St. Mary’s.

*Bradenton (FL) IMG Academy 68, Long Island Lutheran 62: Six-six junior Bryson Tucker led the way for the winners with 24 points (including three of four shots from behind the arc).

*Chandler (AZ) Compass Prep 60, Mt. Pleasant (UT) Wasatch Academy 46: A standout team defensive effort, plus 17 points and four steals from the University of Oregon-bound Mookie Cook, paced the victory.

*St. Mary’s 69, Brophy Prep 63: Junior guard Styles Phipps went for 25 points, nine assists, seven rebounds and three steals to lead the winners in a battle of Phoenix programs.