By Don Ketchum

The girls’ basketball team from Goodyear Millennium had begun to make a name for itself in the 2011-12 season. The Lady Tigers entered the Lady Titan Winter Hoops Classic at Phoenix Arcadia with an 11-0 record on Monday (Dec. 26), and were No. 2 in Division I power points.

But Peoria Liberty also has some name-making on its agenda. The Lady Lions won twice in the first round, the second game giving Millennium its second loss of the day, 59-45.

Millennium was missing one of its senior leaders, Peace Amukamara, who was said to be out of town visiting her brother, Prince, a rookie defensive back with the NFL’s New York Giants.

Prince Amukamara played for Glendale Apollo, as did Peace before moving to Millennium this season. The two have a sister, Promise, a freshman basketball player at Arizona State.

“They (Millennium) still have a lot of good players,’’ said Liberty coach Odell Berry.

Liberty was better on this night.

“We did all right today,’’ said Berry, whose team also defeated Glendale Ironwood 49-36 earlier in the day.

“We played really good defense, and on offense, we had a good team effort. The girls all picked up the slack for teach other.’’

Liberty suffered a tough loss at home to Glendale Cactus about a week ago, but Berry said his team (8-5) learned from that and has shown improvement since. The team was eighth in Division II power points entering this week.

“We have some seniors and some younger kids, have a good mixture,’’ Berry said. “We still have room to improve. We are out there working hard.’’

Millennium (11-2) led in the early stages, but Liberty went on an 11-1 run to close out the first quarter and maintained its advantage from there on out.

Liberty led by 18 in the second quarter and had a 19-point advantage midway through the fourth, about the time when the scoreboard and clock in Arcadia’s auxiliary gym went out.

Freshman Courtney Christmas scored 23 points to lead Liberty and Amanda Crites added 10. Kylee Reibel topped Millennium with 12 points.

The tournament resumes Tuesday (Dec. 27) and continues Wednesday (Dec. 28).

Monday’s scores (late games not included):

Glendale Ironwood 42, Goodyear Millennium 40; Peoria 58, Peoria Centennial 34; Phoenix Arcadia 63, Phoenix Carl Hayden 14; Phoenix North 56, Phoenix Thunderbird 42; Anthem Boulder Creek 68, Avondale La Joya 23; Tempe Marcos de Niza 43, Phoenix Shadow Mountain 29; Scottsdale Saguaro 48, Kingman 18; Sierra Vista Buena 33, Mesa 11; Peoria Liberty 49, Ironwood 36; Peoria 63, Phoenix Washington 32; Phoenix Horizon 53, Thunderbird 32; Phoenix Barry Goldwater 51, Carl Hayden 18; Scottsdale Notre Dame Prep 65, La Joya 28; Yuma Cibola 63, Shadow Mountain 45; Saguaro 55, Mesa 20; Buena 55, Kingman 23; Liberty 59, Millennium 45.