There will be a new team hoisting a state championship trophy this year for the first time since 2015. No. 10 Shadow Mountain lost to No. 7 Buckeye 74-71 in the first round, ending a four-year run by the Matadors that included the four titles to go along with a 100-8 record under Mike Bibby. The program turned back Agua Fria, Deer Valley and Salpointe twice during that championship run.

Technically, Shadow Mountain stopped the Lancers three times with the semifinal victory from last year thrown in. This year, No. 1 Peoria (25-3) joins No. 2 Salpointe (28-1), No. 3 Catalina Foothills (25-2) and No. 4 St. Mary’s (24-3) in the 4A semifinal round taking place on Tuesday, Feb. 25.

 

No. 4 St. Mary’s at No. 1 Peoria

Peoria was knocked out of the 2019 state playoffs in the first round last year despite going in with a No. 5 seed. The Panthers climbed from No. 49 in 2015 to the top-seed the team enjoys this year with head coach Will Roberts and interim coach Patrick Battillo leading the way.

The Panthers are led by senior Isaac Monroe (17.8 points per game), freshman Andrew Camacho (14.7), Sr. DeAndre Petty (12.8), Jr. Kevin Kogbara (12.2) and Jr. Corey Petty (8.0). The Panthers did not play any of the other three semifinal teams in the regular season.

St. Mary’s lost in the quarterfinals last year and head coach Damin Lopez is leading the charge to bring the Knights a state championship for the first time since his father, David Lopez, did in 2009. Like Peoria, St. Mary’s has not been tested by any of the semifinal teams this year and these two team have avoided each other for a generation.

Lopez lists Jr. Keiren Brown (14 points, 8.2 assists, 8.1 rebounds), So. Garrison Phelps (15 pts, 7.5 assts, 7.5 reb.), Sr. Deven Dalke (17 points), So. Jeremiah Cherry (10) and Fr. Jason Fontenet (8) as some of his top leaders. Cherry’s brother, Taeshon Cherry, plays for ASU.

 

No. 3 Catalina Foothills at No. 2 Salpointe

An unfortunate ranking has arguably the two favorites in the 4A Conference on the same side of the bracket this year. The Falcons and Lancers split their season games this year and both squads finished 9-1 in the Kino Region and their playoff battles are legendary.

Salpointe beat Catalina Foothills 57-55 in the semifinals in 2017 after the Falcons took both games against the Lancers in the regular season, Salpointe upset Catalina Foothills in the quarterfinal round in 2018 in an epic double-overtime 77-71 victory and the two teams will meet once more with the victor advancing to the state final.

Salpointe finished on a 16-2 run to defeat Catalina Foothills 48-39 on Feb. 7 and Catalina Foothills outlasted Salpointe 70-67 on Jan. 21. Oddly, had one team swept the other, it is likely the two teams would have been seeded on opposite sides of the bracket.

The Lancers are led by Sr. Evan Nelson (17.1), Sr. Grant Weitman (15.9), Sr. Jordan Gainey (12.6), Sr. Jake Cioe (7) and Sr. Braeden Miller (6.9) and Catalina Foothills responds with Jr. Will Menaugh, Jr. Cody Blumenthal, Sr. Charlie Curtis, Sr. Hayden Moser and Jr. Carson Peabody.

Braeden Miller is the third son from Arizona head coach Sean Miller to take part in this rivalry. Austin Miller graduated from Catalina Foothills in 2014 and Cameron Miller graduated from Salpointe in 2017. Carson Peabody is the son of Pima head coach Brian Peabody.

This game will be sold out at least 45 minutes before the game starts.