Decent leads weren't held long in Tuesday's Division I boys quarterfinal game between Red Mountain and Cesar Chavez.

It was Chavez's ability to hold and build on its final lead late in the third period that  was decisive as the sixth-seed Champions knocked off No. 3 seed Red Mountain, 64-51, at ASU's Wells Fargo Arena.

Cesar Chavez (26-5) and coach Gary Lee, which reached the 5A-I title game in 2010 and finished as runner-up, tries again for a berth in the finals on Thursday in a 6 p.m. semifinal with Pinnacle, a 64-46 winner over  Perry. Red Mountain finished the year 23-10.

Three-point shooting, at least in the third period, keyed Chavez's triumph. The Champions, who trailed 21-12 early in the second period, rallied for a 29-25 lead at halftime. They extended the margin to 33-25 early in the third before Red Mountain stormed back in front.

Guards Kevin Torres and Logan Larsen sparked Red Mountain's best surge -- a14-2 run - that put the Mountain Lions back in front, 39-35, with 3:07 left in the third period.

That advantage didn't last the rest of the quarter. An 11-0 burst, keyed by threes from Jesse Salazar (nine points) and JD Reagan put Chavez back up 46-39. Reagan ended the period banking in a three from 30 feet.

Reagan led all scorers with 26 points. He opened the final quarter with another three and added a layups and 12-footer as the lead hit double digits. Red Mountain was unable to make another pass at the lead. Red Mountain called time with 4:59 left to play, trailing, 53-41. The Mountain Lions had been outscored 18-2 over a six-minute stretch. 

"We knew it would be a game of streaks," Red Mountain coach Greg Sessions said. "We were hoping we'd have the better streaks, but they had more and made them at the right moment."

Red Mountain, which had success early in transition in grabbing an 18-12 lead, didn't get many easy shots after the first period. Scoring inside was rare after the first eight minutes. Torres led Red Mountain with 11 points, Justin Park had nine and Larsen, Juan Zuniga and Travis Meeker added eight points apiece.

"You have to credit Chavez," Sessions said. "Gary does a great job. Their program has been right there for the last several years. Their kids come out ready and hungry to play

"I'm proud of our kids," Sessions said. This group has been great. We have 11 kids. They haven't missed a practice, been late for a practice and when they get there they go to work. They've given their all the last four months and all the time in-between. I don't know what more you can ask of your kids than that."