TEMPE — About four minutes into Tuesday’s Class 5A state semifinals, third-seeded Sahuaro could see what might be the best girls basketball team in Arizona, regardless of classification.
“It kind of just shocked us when they came out on a run,” Sahuaro center Alyssa Brown said of Gilbert Mesquite’s start. “It was hard coming back the whole game. They outhustled us at times; we did not get back on transition.”
Lindsey VanAllen and Shaylee Gonzales combined for 52 points — Sahuaro hadn’t given up more than 45 points in an entire game since December — and No. 2 Mesquite eliminated Sahuaro 80-48 on Tuesday afternoon at Wells Fargo Arena in Tempe.
Brown, the 6-foot do-everything freshman, had 22 points and eight rebounds for the Cougars (26-3) while another freshman, Alyssa Franke, knocked down a couple of 3-pointers and had 12 points and three assists for Sahuaro. The Cougars were looking to reach the state title game for the first time since 2001.
That became a tall order on Tuesday after defending state champion Mesquite (27-3) raced to a 13-3 lead in the first 4 minutes 17 seconds, and had a 35-19 advantage midway through the second quarter.
Then Carina Mendoza hit a 3-pointer, Brown drove for a basket and added a pair of free throws to complete a 10-0 run and give Sahuaro life, down 35-29 with 1:45 left. But Gonzales, the 2017 Gatorade Player of the Year in Arizona, fed VanAllen on a fast break and hit a shot herself to build Mesquite’s advantage to 44-29 at the break.
Sahuaro never got closer in the second half.
“We were getting back in the second quarter, getting some stops and getting some rebounds, made our little run and cut it to six, and I thought it was going to be a battle,” said Sahuaro coach Steve Botkin. “Within a minute, minute and a half, we had three turnovers and it went from six points, to 12 to 15 at halftime. But I couldn’t be more proud of these kids.”
Mesquite, which averages 81-plus points a game, has won its three state tournament games this year by an average margin of victory of 44 points.
After losing in the first round a year ago as an 11 seed, Sahuaro earned a No. 3 ranking this year and beat Phoenix Betty H. Fairfax 54-41 in first round and Cienega 63-58 on Saturday.
Botkin praised Brown, calling her “an amazing kiddo.”
“She is one of those you don’t get very often,” Botkin said. “She’s just dynamic. She can handle the basketball, she probably passes better than anyone I’ve ever had. She can throw a third-quarter court chest pass. And I excited about the next three years with her because she is going to lead us and she do some fantastic things.”
Sahuaro won the 4A state title in 1993 and 1998 and was the state runner up in 1999 and 2001.
