By the time the doors opened Wednesday night at Sunnyslope High School, the stage had already been set.
Ninety minutes before the state’s top-ranked team hosted Millennium, lines of faculty, students and fans extended into the parking lot, waiting to enter the gymnasium and witness what many called a piece of Arizona high school basketball history.
Richard Obert, a longtime Arizona high school sports insider for The Arizona Republic, said the game marked an unprecedented moment for the state.
“It is the first time ever you’ve seen two top-10 nationally ranked teams in the state playing each other in the regular season like this,” Obert said. “I’ve never seen it before. There’ve been some great individual teams, but never two teams in the top 10, especially during the MaxPreps era, which started in 2002.”
The game lived up the hype as Sunnyslope overcame an early 13-point deficit to defeat Millennium 61-57.
Ryan Choukalas, a Sunnyslope student, was one of the many fans and students in line waiting to enter the gym.
“Last year, I was the varsity basketball team manager, and I was around that environment,” Choukalas said. “I know coach (Ray) Portela. He’s put his heart and effort into this team, and I knew tonight was going to be the game of the year.
“I got here two hours before the game started, and the line backed up into the parking lot. You don’t expect that for a high school basketball game. It goes to show this community is not just about basketball — this is the standard that is set in the Sunnyslope community.”
To accommodate the demand, Sunnyslope athletic director Tim Matteson said the school moved the freshman and junior varsity games between the two programs to a later date.
“It’s a level of excitement that’s being generated right now,” Matteson said. “People are traveling from all over the country. We’ve got scouts here, as well as media from every corner of the state and country, to see these kids play.”
Former Suns and NBA champion coach with the Milwaukee Bucks, Mike Budenholzer, was one of the many neutral spectators in the packed crowd.
Scouts representing top college basketball programs like Duke were also in attendance to witness the abundance of talent.
“Lines started forming at 4 p.m., and tickets sold out by 7 a.m. Our teachers and students are excited to be here,” Matteson said.
While Sunnyslope and Millennium have met before with high stakes — including last season’s AIA Open Division semifinal, a 58-53 Sunnyslope win — this matchup carried a different weight.
Sunnyslope entered the game with an 18-1 record, ranked No. 4 nationally and No. 1 in Arizona after wins against multiple nationally ranked opponents. Millennium arrived at 17-2, ranked No. 6 nationally and No. 2 in the state, also bolstered by victories over elite competition.
Both rosters featured premier talent. Sunnyslope, led by coach Ray Portela, boasts multiple Division I prospects, while Millennium’s lineup includes several highly ranked recruits.
When the ball tipped at 7 p.m., Millennium wasted no time getting off to a fast start.
Sophomore five-star guard Adan Diggs scored nine first-quarter points, leading the Tigers to an early 11-0 run. Millennium’s defense crowded Sunnyslope five-star center Darius Wabbington, helping to build a 19-7 first-quarter lead.
Sunnyslope responded in the second quarter behind senior guards Rider Portela, Ray’s son, and Jaylin Ideran, along with junior guard Delton Prescott. The trio combined for 20 points, cutting the deficit to 31-27 at halftime.
The Vikings carried that momentum into the second half.
Wabbington, a 6-foot-10 center, hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key to give Sunnyslope its first lead, 33-31. The third quarter turned into a back-and-forth battle with Portela and Wabbington controlling the game on both ends as Sunnyslope led 50-47 entering the fourth.
Millennium surged back behind senior guard Cameron Holmes, a four-star University of Arizona commit who found his rhythm after a quiet first half. The teams traded leads, tying the game three times in the final quarter.
With the score tied at 57, Sunnyslope put the ball in Rider Portela’s hands. He was fouled with 13.5 seconds left and calmly made both free throws to give the Vikings a 59-57 lead. Portela finished with 18 points and four rebounds after picking up two fouls in the first quarter.
Millennium’s final possession ended with a contested mid-range attempt by Diggs that rolled off the rim. Sunnyslope secured the rebound, made two more free throws and closed out the victory as time expired.
Afterward, Millennium coach Rich Thornton reflected on the atmosphere.
“Our coaches told our kids before the game that we were jealous we couldn’t play in an atmosphere like this,” Thornton said. “It was incredible. It doesn’t get any better than that.”
Sunnyslope players echoed that sentiment.
“Even if I’m not scoring, I’m still making defensive plays, rebounding and making the right passes,” Portela said. “Knowing the crowd is behind us helps shake the other team.”
The teams will meet again Feb. 10 at Millennium. Until then, Sunnyslope leaves with bragging rights — and a win that may be remembered as one of the most significant regular-season games in Arizona high school basketball history.
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