Corona del Sol | 2011-12 Champions
2012 - 13 Season Championship Favorite
We predicted correctly on 3 of the 4 Division I boys basketball games that were scheduled on Tuesday night at the Wells Fargo Arena. The competition was so even that three out the four games where won within 5 points. The semi-final round will take place on Thursday, February 21 at the Wells Fargo Arena featuring Pinnacle vs. Chavez at 4:15pm and Corona del Sol vs. Desert Mountain at 7:45pm.
How have the remaining four teams fared against each other this season?
Pinnacle has not played Chavez this year, but they did lose 69 - 65 to Corona del Sol on December 28 and beat Desert Mountain on two occassions by a score of 67 - 62 on January 21 and an 86 - 58 statement win on February 1.
Early in the season, on November 24, Cesar Chavez met up with Desert Mountain and won 61 - 58. The biggest complaint about Chavez has been regarding their game schedule which some have critized as being too soft. So far Chavez has been proving their critics wrong by reaching the state semi-finals.
The match-up between Corona del Sol and Desert Mountain will be an interesting one to watch since the word on the street all year long has been that Corona del sol, led by Casey Benson was expected to repeat the championship. However, Desert Mountain's Rolando Rhymes is sure to have a few things to say about that on Thursday night. From a recent history perspective, Desert Mountain did lose their only game of the season to Chavez and all three games to Pinnacle this year, however, each of these games were very close with the exception of the 28 point spanking that Pinnacle gave Desert Mountaiin on February 1st.
Out of the four teams remaining in the hunt for the much coveted state banner, Corona del Sol has only played two of them and beat both Desert Mountain by 8 points and Pinnacle by 4 points. Although these games were close, Corona del Sol is still our favorite to be the last team standing when it is all said and done. Afterall, Corona del Sol did win the championship last year and it is always a good bet to go with the team that has most recently been there and done that.
2013 AIA Division I Boys Basketball State February 19 Tournament Results
Desert Mountain 64
Mesa 51
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Mountain Ridge 52
Cesar Chavez 56
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Millennium 46
Corona del Sol 47