5A hoops semis: Defending champs advance to final

February 20, 2018 by Les Willsey, AZPreps365


Mesquite's Lindsey VanAllen puts up what turned out to be a three-point play to end 1st half vs.Sahuaro (AzPreps365 photo) 

One minute you're within six points. The next you're down 15 as you head to the lockerroom.

A 9-0 run to finish the first half was the key juncture in Mesquite's 80-48 victory over Sahuaro in the 5A girls basketball semifinals Tuesday afternoon at ASU's Wells Fargo Arena.

#2 Mesquite (27-3) returns to a championship game for the third year in a row and has one more game to attempt to send five seniors -- led by Shaylee Gonzales and Lindsey VanAllen -- to a second championship. Sahuaro, the #3 seed, finishes the year 26-3 with a mostly young lineup. Mesquite faces #1 seed Chaparral, a 58-54 winner over No. 5 Arcadia for the title on Tuesday Feb. 27 at 5 p.m. at Wells Fargo Arena.

Mesquite's defense -- nearly always the factor in the Wildcats' ability to routinely score an average of 80 points a game -- was there again. The Wildcats shot 51 percent from the field -- much of that had to do with layups and five footers often created by defense. Mesquite scored 32 points in fast-break mode and 27 points off Sahuaro turnovers.

"Defense triggered our big run,' Mesquite coach Candice Gonzales said. "We made a little adjustment coming to a big arena, getting our feet wet, getting grounede and playing defense."

The senior leaders Lindsey VanAllen and Shaylee Gonzales were on their games . VanAllen finished with a game-high 32 on 13 of 16 shooting. Gonzales was 7 of 15 from the floor (7 of 15). Gonzales added 12 rebounds, seven assists and four steals to lead the team in those categories. Senior Natalie Weber also had seven assists for Mesquite.

VanAllen, one of five seniors who have been along for the three-year run at titles, agreed the late second-quarter run was needed. 

"it was important," VanAllen said. "We didn't want them to have momentum. We concentrated on defense and boxing out. Defense is always the thing."
 

SUNNYSLOPE 42, CENTENNIAL 29: It wasn't a thing of beauty, but the #2 Vikings are about winning titles and their defense carried the day in eliminating the #11 Coyotes in the first of two 5A boys semis at Wells Fargo Arena. Sunnyslope will play in a title game for the third year in a row. The Vikiings lost the D-I title in 2016 to Mesa High.

Sunnyslope gets to defend its 5A title next Tuesday Feb. 27 when it faces Deer Valley, a 65-63 overtime winner over #12 Paradise Valley at 7 p.m. at Wells Fargo Arena. Centennial finished up 17-14.

"it wasn't pretty, but we played good defense,'' Sunnyslope coach Ray Portela said, "We knew No.10 (Koby Jones) and No. 13 (Payton Nelson) were tough players . We did a good job of limiting them to one shot on possessions. Neither team shot it well. Shooting the ball is like the weather. Sometimes it's good and sometimes it's bad. Defense travels and can carry you."

Sunnyslope, which never trailed, gradually built a lead as the game prorgressed leading 9-4 after the first period and 18-6 at halftime. Centennial made only 2 of 14 shots in the first half (14 percent). and was 0-6 beyond the arc. Sunnyslope ended up with more high-percentage shots led by senior Chris Orozco (12 points) who did all of his damage in the paint. Team-high scoring went to Bryson MeWhinney (13 points), who hit his only three and all four of his free throws.

Koby Jones led Centennial with 18 points and made 6 of 16 shots and the only two threes the Coyotes connected on early in the third peroid.