There is some sentiment from political pundits that 2012 is Mitt Romney's turn to be the Republican Party's presidential nominee.

This year in Division I boys basketball the turn analogy could be applied to Corona de Sol.

Coach Sammy Duane Jr. has the Aztecs where he wants them. They are the top seed in the state tournament that opens Thursday for the 9-24 seeds and begins Saturday with inclusion of seeds 1-8.

Corona's 2011-2012 resume is impressive. A 28-1 record this season and a 26-game winning streak in progress. The Aztecs have won 34 of their last 36 games. Two years ago with sophomores Calaen Robinson and Avery Moss in the starting lineup, Corona bowed out in the quarterfinals to eventual champion North High.

Last year the loss that ended their season occurred in the quarters again, to eventual state champ Mesa Mountain View. Many believed last year when Corona and Mountain View clashed they were the best two teams in 5A-I.

What Duane Jr. went away with after that defeat was the knowledge he had virtually his entire team back. Well, eight of the top 10 players. As it 's worked out, all five starters this season were on last year's team. Three --  Robinson, Moss and Casey Benson -- started last year.

All the elements of a solid, state-champion caliber team are in hand. The Aztecs have speed, quickness, size, athleticism. Guards who can handle the ball, handle pressure and shoot. Four or  five players adept at shooting threes. Inside scoring if they believe it benefits them the most. Throw in depth and this team is devoid of weakness. Three players are Division I-bound college athletes -- Robinson (ASU basketball), Moss (Nebraska football) and Andrus Peat (Stanford football).

"Our guys have been motivated by the loss last year, they've been on a mission," Duane Jr. said. "They know how to win. A lot of times this season, it's a different guy that steps up."

Corona has won a bunch of games this season without football standouts Moss and  Peat. Moss was recovering from a shoulder injury suffered in football and missed the first nine games. Football recruiting visits and playing in all-star football showcases sidelined them, too.

The Aztecs have still produced the wherewithal on the court to win despite those absences. One of their most notable triumphs was their final game of the Visitmesa.com Tournament in late December.

With Moss and Peat away at all-star football games, Corona faced one of the better teams in Utah, American Fork.  Duane started Jesse McCain and Elijah Hempstead in place of  Moss and Peat. McCain scored 12 points and Hempstead chipped in with six points and seven rebounds. Robinson was dynamite from the perimeter, scoring 30 points with more than half his points from 3-point range. Picking up extra playing time that afternoon were Braden Tennyson and Adam Gleave. They combined to add 11 points off the bench.

"We are deep, but noone gets to see it because when we have everyone the other guys don't get the minutes,"  Duane Jr. said. "This team just finds a way to win."

Evidence of finding a way to win was evident again last week. Corona was the No. 1 seed in its sectional (D-I, Section II). The Aztecs faced No. 8 seed Dobson in the first round, a team it defeated twice handily (30 and 14 points) during the season.

Dobson came out red-hot, making six of its first nine shots and all were threes. It took two 3- pointers late by Siefker -- the last with 18 seconds left -- to avoid a first-round upset. The Aztecs managed a 64-63 win.

Two nights later, always-outsized Gilbert High was the opponent and piled up a 10-point lead just before halftime. In the second half, the fourth quarter more precisely, Corona found its stride and wound up winning by 10. In the section final the Aztecs had their best game start to finish. They methodically wore down Red Mountain and prevailed by 24.

None of the other 23 teams in the tournament believe it's Corona's turn. The Aztecs will have to scratch and claw like everyone else to hoist a trophy come Feb. 25.

"I'd like to think it's our turn," Duane Jr. said. "It won't be easy. It never is. We just had tough games in the sectional. But I do think we have a really good chance."