In the rubber match between No. 3 Catalina Foothills and No. 11 Salpointe Catholic, it was the Lancers who came out on top 77-70 in double overtime fashion in the Class 4A state quarterfinals.
Salpointe’s Evan Nelson scored 14 points in the two overtime periods and finished the game with 28.
The last time these two teams met, the Lancers (14-15) upset the Falcons (24-6) behind Nelson’s 31 second-half points. Nelson didn’t repeat his last outing, but he was the answer Salpointe needed down the stretch.
In regulation, Catalina Foothills guard Carson James hit a 3-pointer to put the Falcons up 49-46 with a minute remaining, and Nelson came down the court and triggered a 3-pointer at the top of the key to tie it at 49.
“My mindset was to just stick with it. I just kept telling myself in my mind that we’re not losing,” Nelson said.
After the game, Nelson and Salpointe Catholic forward Majok Deng walked out of the locker room with Underdog Lifestyle shirts, which the Lancers adopted from the Philadelphia Eagles’ Super Bowl run.
Salpointe Catholic guard Evan Nelson and small forward Majok Deng on the Lancers’ upset win over Catalina Foothills in the 4A State quarterfinals: “We knew to ourselves that we were the best team in Tucson the whole time.”
— High School Sports (@HSTucson) February 18, 2018
SCHS also adopted the @Eagles’ underdog lifestyle. pic.twitter.com/FEXIgmnYpd
Deng, a UA target for the class of 2019, finished with 22 points Saturday.
The Lancers have won nine straight games, and Deng is full of confidence heading into next week’s semifinal matchup against No. 2 Buckeye.
“We believe in each other, we all have each other’s backs. Once we found our groove, we knew it was time to get going. It’s time to go win this championship,” Deng said.
Next up: The No. 11 Salpointe Catholic Lancers will play No. 2 Buckeye in Mesa at Grand Canyon University on Friday with a 4 p.m. tipoff.
Here's a look at the other Southern Arizona teams in action Saturday, with upcoming playoff schedules:
Boys 4A bracket
No. 2 Buckeye 88, No. 10 Nogales 82 OT
Up next: Semifinals — No. 2 Buckeye vs. No. 11 Salpointe Catholic, Friday, 4 p.m. at GCU
Boys 3A bracket
No. 8 Sabino 57, No. 9 Page 46
Up next: Quarterfinals — No. 8 Sabino vs. No. 1 Blue Ridge (Pinetop-Lakeside), Tuesday, 7 p.m. at Prescott Valley Event Center
No. 12 Empire 75, No. 5 Snowflake 63
Up next: Quarterfinals — No. 12 Empire vs. No. 4 Valley Christian (Chandler), Tuesday, 2 p.m. at Prescott Valley Event Center
Girls 6A bracket
No. 1 Millennium (Goodyear) 56, No. 9 Tucson 24
Girls 5A bracket
No. 3 Sahuaro 63, No. 11 Cienega 58
Up next: Semifinals — No. 3 Sahuaro vs. No. 2 Mesquite (Gilbert), Tuesday, 3 p.m. at Wells Fargo Arena, Tempe
