The back of every jersey has the same word.

‘Family’

It’s what the Coolidge boys basketball team has had to rely on this season, and it has helped the Bears to advance to the 3A boys state title game.

Third-seeded Coolidge beat No. 10 Snowflake 62-48 on Saturday at Arizona Veteran’s Memorial Coliseum to qualify for the program’s 11th state title game with hopes of winning the program’s first state title since 2002.

“We love each other and we play for each other,” freshman guard Turner Armstrong said. “We play hard, maybe harder than anyone in the state.”

Awaiting the Bears (26-7) in No. 1 Palo Verde, which lost in the state finals a year ago and sit at 22-6.

Coolidge led throughout and played well with the lead to put the Bears in position of playing for the state title with a time and date still to be determined.

“It was gritty, tough win against a gritty, tough Snowflake team,” Coolidge head coach Dave Glasgow said. “We have championship heart.”

The Bears were led by Armstrong as he had 22 points on 7 of 12 shooting, six assists and four rebounds, while Porter Dees had 12 points and 10 rebounds and Preston Dees had 10 points and 14 rebounds.

Snowflake (17-12) had a good season and advanced to the semifinals by beating No. 7 Holbrook in the first round and then topping No. 15 ALA-West Foothills, after it upset No. 2 Payson.

It opened the door for the possibility of a state final appearance for the Lobos but came up short against the Bears.

“Our boys fought hard,” Snowflake coach Matthew Smith. “They had some hard things they dealt with, some adversity early in the year, and the fact that we made a run is a testament to them.”

Snowflake was led by Landon Clare’s 18 points, Liam Brewer had 13 and Jhett Udall has 12 points and six assists.