It's that time of year. Precious few games remain and teams on one bubble or another trying to improve playoff position or just plain qualify.

That description fit Pinnacle and Mesa High on Monday night -  programs that have combined for three of the last four big-school boys hoops titles and perennial playoff qualifiers. The more desperate of the two won out.

No. 28 Mesa managed to maintain a lead it owned for all but a three-minute stretch in the second period, edging No. 16 Pinnacle, 69-62, at Jackrabbit Gym. The top 24 teams qualify for postseason. The top eight notch first-round byes and the next 16 must must compete in a play-in game to make the state tournament. Updated power-rankings will be posted Tuesday at noonas the final two or three games  are to be played between Feb. 4 and Feb. 11. 

Pinnacle (9-14, 7-8 power-ranking games), the two-time defending 6A champs continued to bring an injury-ravaged squad to Mesa (10-14, 5-11). Despite having several players miss large chunks of games and even one shut down for the season, the Pioneers have a resolve to finish the regular season strong and perhap earn play-in home game come Valentine's Day.

Mesa didn't help Pinnacle's cause using a couple clutch free-throws with 19.6 seconds left from Tyton Cummard for a two-possession lead at 66-62. Pinnacle missed a three and two more shots as time wound down. A free throw and basket by Mesa game-high scorer Steven Ceravantes kept the Jackrabbits with a heartbeat for at least another game.

"We're playing every game with a playoff mentality," Mesa coach Scott Stansberry said. "We're pretty much in win-or-go-home mode. It's a signature win. We needed it after the tough loss to Basha the other night."  Mesa has won two games in a  row after ending a three-game losing streak put the Jackrabbits on life support as January ended.

Mesa's top scoring threats were at it again in this one. Junior guards Cervantes and Dallin Cook were more prolific than usual. The duo collectively average 28 points game. They tallied 43 - 22 for Cervantes and 21 for Cook. They scored 13 of Mesa's 16 points in the final quarter.

Pinnacle, which trailed 15-10 after the opening period went on an 11-0 run in a 2 1/2-minutes span to begin the second quarter.Cook and Dylan Moore helped Mesa turn the game back Mesa's way (35-29) by intermission. Cook They teamed up for 13 of Mesa's 20 points in the period.

The Pioneers were again without 6-8 post Tosh Baker, who hasn't played in the 2020 portion of the 2019-20 season and played in just 11 games. Pioneers coach Charlie Wilde said Baker may be able to play later in the week and hopefully at least by play-in game time. Another starter - Luke Grawer - played several games with a shoulder injury, but was shut down for the season after last week. Grawer played in only 13 games, some not a full strength. 

Mesa closes the season with East Valley Region games against Dobson, Mountain View and Red Mountain. The latter two are vying for play-in game spots as well. Pinnacle has Desert Valley Region games left with Liberty, Chaparral and Boulder Creek.