There have been a lot better-looking wins among the 31 Corona del Sol's boys baskerball team has pieced togehter this season, but Thursday's 49-46 semifinal victoy over Desert Vista moves the Aztecs to where they wanted to be.

Casey Benson made three free throws and Calaen Robinson one in the final 1:34 seconds to allow Corona to hang on for the win. The top-seed Aztecs (31-1) take on No. 6 seed Cesar Chavez in the Division I final at 4 p.m. at Jobing.com Arena. Chavez advanced with a 62-58 overtime win over No. 2 Pinnacle.

It's the second trip to a big-school final for Corona del Sol with coach Sammy Duane Jr. at the helm. Corona was runner-up to Mesa Mountain View in 2006. Corona's last big-school title came in 1994 when Duane Jr.'s father, Sam Sr., presided over a victory against Carl Hayden.

"We defended well all night, we're good defensively," Duane Jr. said."It was a little sloppy at times, but we made the plays we had to make them to win."

Corona controlled the game and the lead throughout the game. It started fast and took a 28-19 lead to intermission with Robinson and Benson leading the way with 19 of the 28 points. Robinson led Corona with 21 points and Benson added 13.

Desert Vista (22-9) pecked away in the third period slicing the defiicit to six heading to the final period. Robinson's final basket of the game with three minutes left put Corona back up 45-37. A layup by Greg Carter and two free throws by Jeff Lowery pulled Desert Vista within 45-41 with 1:42 to play.

The last points of the night by Desert Vista's Danny Powell, his only 3 of the game, made it 47-45 with 1:15 to go. The key play down the stretch came from Robinson, who rebounded a miss of a reverse layup by Powell with the Aztecs clinging to a 48-46 lead. Robinson broke out of a pack and was fouled with nine seconds left.

He made the second for a 49-46 lead. Desert Vista, with no timeouts, worked the ball up court and got the ball to Powell with a couple defenders on him. His 3-point attempt fell well short and the Aztecs finished their third win of the year over the Thunder. Powell finished with 15 points and John Marshall had seven for Desert Vista

"After the last timeout we told them that Calaen was going to make the free throw and then don't give up a three," Duane Jr. said. "We were looking for Powell to get the shot, and we pinche him with a couple defenders."

For seniors like Robinson and Avery Moss, who played on the two previous Corona playoff teams that bowed out in the quarterfinals, they had the consolation that losses in those games to North (2010) and Mountain View (2011) were to the eventual champion. They want no consolation come Saturday, even though Cesar Chavez will be looking for its first-ever boys basketball crown.

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