Top-seed Corona del Sol continued to feel the heat of trying to defend its Division I boys title Tuesday night and this time Millennium supplied the flame.

Corona del Sol trailed the underdog Tigers most of the first three quarters, but made free throws and capitalized on a critical possession in the final 20 seconds for a 47-46 win over No. 8 Millennium at ASU's Wells Fargo Arena.Corona del Sol next faces No. 5 Desert Mountain in Thursday's 7:45 p.m. semifinal at Wells Fargo Arena. Desert Mountain knocked out Mesa, 65-51, earlier on Tuesday.

Corona's Casey Benson scored five points in the final 53 seconds and teammate Adam Gleave added three free throws and a made a key block that led to a turnovers and two of those points down the stretch. 

"We didn't play well," Corona del Sol coach Sam Duane Jr. said. "You have to give them a lot of credit for that. We forced a lot of perimeter shots in the first half.  They played harder than we did and they outhustled us for every loose ball the first half...... We had to overcome ourselves."

Benson scored a team-high 17 points, but struggled through a tough shooting night -- 4-of-16 from the field as did most of the Aztecs. Gleave added seven points, five in the final period. It was Gleave's block of Millennium  guard Jordan Martin's shot with 20 seconds left that was huge. The block went off Martin and out of bounds. Possession to Corona. Gleave was fouled and made both free throws to improve Corona's lead with 16.3 seconds to 44-40. Martin led Millennium with 18 points, including three 3s in the final period. Six-foot-8 post Elston Jones added 11 points and Ramon Franklin chipped in with 10 for the Tigers.

The scrappy Martin bounced back, dribbling up court and pulling up for a 25-foot jumper that noone defended. Martin swished the shot to make it 44-43 with 10.6 seconds to go. Benson made two free throws with 9.7 seconds left to make it 46-43, yet still a chance for Millennium to tie.  Martin attempted to make a move crossing mid-court to let another 3 fly from the top of they key. He slipped and fell and was called for traveling. Benson made one more free throw to ice it and Martin nailed a 3 at the buzzer to account for the final score, a point shy.

Corona del Sol survived double overtime last Saturday in edging Mountain Pointe, 66-65. Duane Jr. said he is willing to take the punishment of such games if they continue.

"I'll take two more of these (wins) if that's what it takes," Duane Jr. said.

PINNACLE 50, GILBERT 45: Pinnacle scored from inside, outside and in transition in the first half. It played sound defense and had its opponent, No. 11 Gilbert, frustrated at intermission. All those were good things for Pinnacle as Gilbert's late charge in the second half wasn't quite enough as the Pioneers hung on for a win Tuesday afternoon in the Division I boys quarterfinals at Wells Fargo Arena.

Pinnacle (25-6), winners of 15 consecutive games, moves on to face Cesar Chavez, a 56-52 winner over Mountain Ridge, on Thursday at 4;15 p.m. in the D-I semis at Wells Fargo. Chavez beat Pinnacle in last year's semis, 62-58, in overtime. Gilbert, which beat Desert Vista and Chaparral on the way to the quarters, closed out the year 24-8. 

Surprise starter and participant Drew Bender, thought to be out for the tournament after re-injuring his left ankle in practice last week prior to sectionals, made four free throws in the final 34 seconds to help cinch the win. Bender finished with seven points. His presence -- real presence -- was a lift.

"He got cleared by the trainer (Monday) and said he'd give it a go," Pinnacle coach Charlie Wilde said of his 6-4 senior guard-forward, headed to Rice in the fall. "He was a game-time decision. It depended on how her felt. He had it retaped during warm-ups and was ready. He wanted to play, I can tell you that."

Pinnacle bolted to a 16-5 lead after the first period and led 29-15 at halftime. The Pioneers shot 52 percent from the field in the first half (14-of-27 and continued that pace through three periods (17-of-34). It was the final three minutes of the third when Gilbert was able to cut the lead under 10. Gilbert managed to pull within five several times and got as close as 45-41 1:21 left.

"We let the tempo get away from us in the third quarter," Wilde said. "They turned up the pressure and we had some turnovers that helped them get back in it. Ken McCormick came in and sped things up for us again."

Junior Dorian Pickens led Pinnacle with 13 points, most from inside and in transition. Point guard Trey Ingram added 12 points, including a 3 with five seconds left in the third that blunted what would have been a very strong third period for Gilbert.

Gilbert was led by sophomore post Truman Moore's 13 points. Moore was the Tigers go-to guy in the third period getting tough points in the paint. Gilbert's top scorer, senior Conner Helvig, had 10 points as did junior Spencer Nicolds. Helvig was limited to three points in the first half on 1-of-5 shooting. He improved in the second half, but still finished only 4-of-13 from the field.