Coach Kim Williams’ message to her team was simple after Tuba City lost a 14-point lead in the state semifinals:

You can’t wait.

Tuba City didn't fail to heed the advice of its coach, taking charge in the game’s final five minutes to put away a determined Safford team. Williams’ squad made 7 of its final 8 free throws, and Samytha Parrish made three baskets down the stretch, helping Tuba City advance to the Division III girls final with a 56-49 win. Tuba City and its Saturday’s D-III girls state championship opponent, Page, know each other extremely well, having played five times already this season.

Page has won each meeting, but Tuba City was without a couple of players and Williams during a couple of those games this season.

Safford trailed 29-15 in the second period, but Taylor Hatfield (24 points) and Crystal Haase (16 points) helped keep their team in the game and take a 44-43 lead with 5:29 left in the fourth quarter. Parrish scored 13 and Atumn Byjoe added 17 points for Tuba City, whose swarming defense continued to wreak havoc Friday. 

---Page High, the 2012 D-III champ, withstood a second half comeback attempt from Winslow to help it win 52-48 Friday at Gila River Arena.

Winslow trailed 26-14 at halftime but shot 61.1 percent in the second half to help make it a close game. Winslow’s Shandiin Armao almost willed her team back, recording a game-high in points (27) and rebounds (8).

Page was led by Ashley Dempsey (14 points) and Ariel Austin (15 points). In the semifinals, No. 1 seed Page (34-1) avenged its only loss of this season.

---Combs didn’t crumble after its leader fouled out in the fourth quarter and had a good night from the free throw line, a big surprise for a team that was shooting 57 percent from the line going into Friday’s state semifinal game.

Carter Aby, the double-double machine for Combs, exited the game with 5:12 left in the game against Thatcher and his team leading 34-30. But Combs never lost the lead en route to a 46-44 win in the D-III state game at Gila River Arena.

Combs will head into Saturday’s final against Snowflake riding a 27-game win streak. Mason Mortensen, the buzzer beater hero of Thatcher’s state quarterfinal victory, led his team with 16 points Friday.

Aby was the only player to score in double figures (19) for Combs, which made 23 of its 32 free throws.  

---Snowflake scored 42 points in the paint and used a strong third quarter to help eliminate Palo Verde from the D-III state tournament with a 60-52 victory.

Snowflake also outscored Palo Verde 22-2 in transition, which also allowed the team to punch its Saturday state championship game ticket against Combs. Jordan Gardner (17 points), Travis Flake (15 points) and Kurt Wood (12 points, 13 assists) helped Snowflake run away from Palo Verde for most of the second half.