Desert Vista placed two players on the All-Fiesta Region team.

 The questions about Mesa’s state title contender viability only increased by halftime of Monday’s game against top-ranked Mountain View.

Cody Pennington had 18 points and Parker Rasmussen added 16 as Desert Ridge handed Queen Creek its first loss of the season, 55-47, in a boys basketball game on Thursday night. The Bulldogs entered the game 12-0 and ranked No. 9 in Division II. The Jaguars (11-7) used a big second quarter to take an eight-point lead into halftime. Blake Williams led Queen Creek with 14 points.

Basha squeaked past Centennial (Nevada), 69-67, in the Southwest Rotary Classic at Cibola High School in Yuma on Friday.

5A-I boys basketball state semifinals

Jahii Carson is good enough to take on much of the scoring load for the Mesa boys basketball team.

In his first time at a big arena for the 5A boys basketball playoffs, Mesa senior point guard Jahii Carson wasn't intimidated in the least.

All-Tribune First Team

For the first part of this season, the Mesa boys basketball team’s reputation was scarier than its bite.

MESA - Jeff Lowery's potential game-winning shot from the baseline came up short as No. 2 Mesa escaped with a 54-53 overtime win over No. 4 Desert Vista in a 5A-I Fiesta Region game on Friday night at Mesa.

MESA - Jeff Lowery's potential game-winning shot from the baseline came up short as No. 2 Mesa escaped with a 54-53 overtime win over No. 4 Desert Vista in a 5A-I Fiesta Region game on Friday night at Mesa.

Jeff Lowery’s potential game-winning shot from the baseline came up short as No. 2 Mesa escaped with a 54-53 overtime win over No. 4 Desert Vista in a 5A-I Fiesta Region game on Friday night at Mesa.

Mesa boys basketball coach Shane Burcar grew up in Michigan, where Ohio State is a dirty word, so he knows a little something about rivalries.

In his best-selling book "Outliers", author Malcolm Gladwell examines the relationship between elite Canadian hockey players and the disproportionate likelihood of their birthdays coming in January, February or March.

The team portion of the boys basketball summer season has come to an end, as the players now split up and travel the nation with their club ball teams for the July evaluation period.

During the high school football season, there was plenty of talk about the haves and have nots in each division, and the divide seems to be at an all-time high. In boys basketball, that doesn't seem to be the case.

During the high school football season, there was plenty of talk about the haves and have nots in each division, and the divide seems to be at an all-time high. In boys basketball, that doesn't seem to be the case.

Christine Miller made the game-winning shot with 2.3 seconds left in double overtime as host Skyline beat Perry, 45-44, in a 5A East Valley region girls basketball game on Friday night. The Coyotes held the Pumas to just six points in the second half to overcome an 11 point halftime deficit and win just their second region game of the season. Miller led Skyline with 14 points and Aubrey Smith added 10 points.

The Carl Hayden and Phoenix Alhambra boys basketball teams combined to go 14-36 this season.

The Carl Hayden and Phoenix Alhambra boys basketball teams combined to go 14-36 this season.

The Carl Hayden and Phoenix Alhambra boys basketball teams combined to go 14-36 this season.

During the high school football season, there was plenty of talk about the haves and have nots in each division, and the divide seems to be at an all-time high. In boys basketball, that doesn't seem to be the case.