In winning a combined nine out of 10 boys basketball games between them before Tuesday night's clash, Desert Vista (4-0) and Corona del Sol (5-1) had little or no experience this season with crunch time. Every game the teams played prior to Tuesday was decided by at 11 points or more.

They now have that experience and Corona del Sol ended up enjoying it the most based on the outcome

Calaen Robinson and Casey Benson combined for 14 points in the final period, most from the free-throw line, as Corona rallied in the final period for a 64-57 victory over Desert Vista at Corona del Sol.

"I told our guys yesterday we're going to see what we're made of this week," Corona del Sol coach Sam Duane Jr. said. "With Desert Vista and Dobson on Friday. We knew this was going to be a tough week."

Corona trailed 43-42 heading to the final period in a back-and-forth game. The Aztecs had an edge and took advantage of it with many of Desert Vista's starters in foul trouble, including leading scorers Danny Powell and Jeff Lowery. That hampered coach Dave Williams squad down the stretch. Both Powell and Lowery picked up their fourth fouls late in the third period. Powell finished with 29 points and Lowery had 10. Powell had his least productive quarter in the fourth.

Corona (6-1) took the lead for good, 47-45, with 5:11 left to play. It was a three-point play by freshman Cassius Peat, who got a nice feed from Robinson for the go-head bucket and free throw. Robinson had a hand in the other two field goals Corona made in the final period on  a driving layup and tip-in 30 seconds apart that bulit the lead to 54-48 with 3:05 to play. Robinson finished with a team-high 29 points, 15 in the first half and 14 in the second.

Benson made seven free throw in the final period and finished with 10 points.He did not have a field goal. Senior post Andrus Peat came up big with 12 points as the Aztecs continued to play without their other inside threat, Avery Moss. Moss has missed all the games so far with a shoulder injury suffered in a preseason scrimmage.

"Calaen and Casey are always there," Duane said. "They played well. Andrus did a great job on the boards and gave us a presence inside. Cassius stepped up. He grew up some tonight."

Desert Vista did pull within four (58-54) with 40 seconds left on two Greg Carter free throws. Cassius Peat, Benson and Robinson combined  to go 6-for-6 from the free-throw line in the final 35 seconds to close out the Thunder (5-1).

 

 

 

 

.