Chandler girls avenge loss to Mtn. View, reach 5A-I final

March 3, 2011 by Les Willsey, AZPreps365


The game was eerily similar. But in the end not the same.

This time Chandler High started fast and maintained its lead the entire way, knocking off third-seed Mesa Mountain View, 58-54 on Thusday afternoon at Jobing.com Arena to advance to the 5A-I state championship game.

Chandler (25-5) faces St. Mary's, a 71-42 winner over in Friday's final at 5:30 p.m. at Jobing.com. Mountain View finished the season 25-3 despite replacing its entire starting lineup from the year before.

Point guard Dezirae Elias scored 15 points and the dual inside presence of Je Zhe Newtwon and Raven Anderson combined for 25 points and 26 rebounds to pace the second-seeded Wolves to their second title game in the last four years and fourth final four in the last  five. Anderson had 13 points and 16 rebounds; Newton 12 points and 10 rebounds.

"This time they closed out," Chandler coach Zon Thompson said of his team." They had it in their eyes. They were going to win this game."

The teams met two weeks ago in the regular season finale, won by Mountain View, 53-52. Chandler led the entire game with the exception of the final nine seconds. The Wolves led that game, 17-0, after the first period. In this one they led 15-8 after the first period and maintained a six-to-nine point lead most of the rest of the way.

Elias, Anderson and Newton each made baskets in the final three minutes to counter Mountain View's last attempt to overtake Chandler. Anderson, Elias and Simone Westbrook  combined for five free throws in the final minute to nail it down.

"They're a good team, we knew that the last time we played them," Mountain View coach Henry Bribiescas said. "This one went their way.We had our chances, but couldn't convert when we really needed to."

Jordan Jensen and Arnecia Hawkins paced Mountain View with 19 points each. Hawkins did not have the game she did shooting in the first meeting, struggling to score from the field on 4-of-18 shooting. Jensen did her damage as usual inside on 8-of-11 shooting and nine rebounds. The big difference this time was Chandler's rebounding advantage (50-34) and better free-throw shooting (13-of-22). In the first meeting Chandler was 5-of-19 from the free-throw line.'

"We've been to the final four or better four of the last five years," Thompson said. "It's time for Chandler to close out and bring it home."