The Arizona high school basketball season concludes Saturday with six championship games at Jobing.com Arena. All six games will be televised live on FOX Sports Arizona Plus, starting at 10 a.m. and continuing for 12 hours.
The marquee matchups will the the Division I tile games at 2 and 4 p.m.
St. Mary's will try to conclude an unbeaten season in the girls championship game, taking on Hamilton at 2 p.m. In the boys matchup at 4, Arizona State recruit Calaen Robinson leads top-seeded and once-beaten Corona del Sol against upstart Cesar Chavez.
Here's a quick glance at the Division I and II games, in chronological order.
Seton will be trying for a third consecutive state title and sixth under head coach Karen Self. The Sentinels, who have no seniors in their starting lineup, crushed past Palo Verde 52-27 in the semifinals. They were led in the semifinals by sophomore Julia Barcello inside, and juniors Susan Spinner and Anne Marie Holter on the perimeter.
"We did it on the defensive end,” Self told the East Valley Tribune. "We’re not going to overwhelm anybody with our size or athletic ability." (Read the Tribune's full game story.)
Peoria is playing in a championship game for the first time since 1989. The Panthers advanced with a 66-36 victory over Thunderbird in the semfiinals, led by point guard Felicia Foster's 27-point performance.
"We're both here for a reason," Peoria coach Leslie Saulsby told the Arizona Republic. "It's going to be a knock-down, drag-out (game), and that's how we want it."
Division II Boys, noon: Peoria (26-3) vs. Amphitheater (31-3)
Peoria knocked off top-seeded Arcadia 61-45 to reach the championship game, getting 23 points and five assists from Dewayne Russell and 16 points, 11 rebounds and a stellar defensive effort from Lawrence Pierce against Arcadia scoring machine Larry Lewis.
Amphi, aiming for a second consecutive state title, needed overtime to take out second-seeded Raymond s. Kellis 65-62 in its semifinal matchup. Senior center Tim Derksen, who has accepted a scholarship over from the University of San Francisco, was a dominating presence inside with 26 points and 16 rebounds.
Hamilton, seeded 12th, is playing in its first championship game after holding off Mountain View 52-50 in the semifinals. Cassidee Ranger and Aliyah Dickson scored 15 points apiece in the semifinal win, which earned the Huskies a championship match-up against a St. Mary's team that has been unbeatable and is regarded by many as one of the top high school teams in the nation. St. Mary's beat Hamilton by 17 in a regular-season matchup in December.
"We’ve always had it hard, and people have doubted us," Ranger told the East Valley Tribune. "This has been our goal for four years, and we’re finally there. This is our time." (Read the Tribune's full game story.)
Defending champion St. Mary's used its trademark full-court pressure to dismantle Dobson 61-28 in the semifinals. The Knights have a balanced offense and put four players in double-figures: Shilpa Tummala, Cortnee Walton, Courtney Ekmark and versatile Chatel Osahor, who 10 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and two blocks.
"We're just going on the court and play the best we can and the score takes care of itself," Osahor told the Tribune. "If we do that (defensively) the offense will take care of itself." (Read the Tribune's full game story.)
Division I Boys, 4 p.m.: Corona del Sol (31-1) vs. Cesar Chavez (27-5)
Corona's 49-46 semifinal victory over Desert Vista was its 29th in a row. ASU-bound guard Calaen Robinson scored 21 of the Aztecs' 49 points, and Nebraska-bound football recruit Avery Moss blocked a potential-game-tying 3-point shot in the game's final seconds.
"The only thing I've wanted all my high school career is a state ring," Moss said. "I feel like we've had so many chances and so many letdowns. I'm tired of being let down. Me and Calaen (Robinson), we've already promised each other, we're not going to let that happen to us our senior year." (Read the Tribune's full game story)
Cesar Chavez stunned second-seeded Pinnacle 62-68 in overtime to qualify for its second title game appearance in three years. The Champions will hope for a better outcome this time, having lost to North in the 2010 championship game.
J.D. Reagan nailed a 25-footer with 11 seconds left in regulation to force the overtime. Reagan made five 3-pointers in the game and finished with 27 points.
Division III Boys, 6 p.m.: Thatcher (30-3) vs. Gilbert Christian (26-4)
Division III Girls, 8 p.m.: Page (30-2) vs. Winslow (24-5)
