Arizona high school boys basketball playoffs rewind: Thrills, buzzer beaters, upsets

As the big-school conference state boys basketball tournaments picked up Thursday night, there were thrilling finishes, clutch performances and gut-wrenching outcomes.

Players left it all on the line. Here's a rewind of the action:

Best finish

Campo Verde's Justin Garcia hit a buzzer-beater 3-point shot to beat region rival Gilbert Higley 46-44 to advance to the 5A quarterfinals on Wednesday night against Vail Cienega. He led the Coyotes with 13 points. Isaiah Kai and Cohen Ferguson each added 10 points.

This was a big bounce back for Mark Martinez's team after losing to Phoenix Sunnyslope in the second round of the 32-team Open Division state tournament.

Best bounce back

Phoenix Brophy Prep showed no ill effects from falling out of the Open tournament in the second round to Basha with a strong all-around performance from senior leader Arman Madi in a 65-44 6A win over Chandler that moves the Broncos into the quarterfinals. He had 20 points, nine rebounds and six assists. He scored all of Brophy's points during a 9-0 run to close out the third quarter and give Brophy a 43-30 lead.

Sophomore guard Ryan Burbach had 15 points, making six of eight field goals, and seven rebounds off the bench for Brophy. Ayden Madi, a sophomore, had 13 points, scoring seven of his team's first 13 points. And Braeden Speed added 11 points and eight rebounds.

Best atmosphere

It might have been found at Vail Cienega, the 8 seed in 5A, taking on No. 9 Sierra Vista Buena. The student sections on both sides were filled. They watched center Mason Tippett go for 22 points and 12 rebounds, helping Cienega erase a nine-point halftime deficit and win 64-53 and advance to play the top seed, Campo Verde.

"Unbelievable atmosphere," Cienega coach Jason Apodaca said.

For subscribers: Arizona HS boys basketball Open quarterfinals breakdown

Best courage

Thatcher overcame a big Chinle crowd and Brandon Napier showed incredible strength and courage after his mother died on Tuesday night, playing for Thatcher in the Eagles' 83-64 home win over Chinle on Wednesday in the first round of the 3A tournament.

Napier ended up with nine points and played great defensively, complementing the dominant play of big man Bradley Curtis, who had 34 points and 15 rebounds.

"He played for the team," coach Kyle Hull said of Napier, a standout quarterback on the football team. "Better yet, his team played for him and showed how important he is to this team and town.

"It was more than basketball. it was a community supporting one of their own. What a terrific kid. Nobody tougher in my opinion than Brandon."

Thatcher, the No. 16 seed, plays at No. 1 Chandler Valley Christian on Saturday night in the second round.

For subscribers: 10 high school boys basketball X factors to watch in Open quarterfinals

Best statement

Peoria senior guard Andrew Camacho, who missed much of the season due to an injury, showed he's back big time. He had 38 points in a 78-50 win over Chandler Seton Catholic that moves the Panthers into the 4A quarterfinals against El Mirage Dysart.

Camacho also had four rebounds, three assists and two steals.

"We started the game a little bit slow on the defensive end and seeing Seton Catholic capitalized on that keeping the game close early," coach Patrick Battillo said. "In the second half, we locked in on our game on both ends and were able to build and sustain the lead."

Sophomore Caden Bass added 12 points, three steals and two blocks, and sophomore Chris Brookins had 10 points, four rebounds, four assists and three steals. Calvin Windley had 10 points, nine rebounds and a block.

Read more: Millennium hits reset in 5A tournament behind freshman phenom

Best upset

Laveen Cesar Chavez knocked off an Open team in Phoenix Sandra Day O'Connor 63-62 in the first round of the 6A tournament. O'Connor lost to Goodyear Millennium last week in the first round of the Open to fall back into the 6A tourney. Chavez, which did not make the Open, got 27 points from Lex Clontz, who made all 12 of his free throws. Chavez also got big contributions from Danta Stallworth (15 points) and Gabriel Briones (10 points, great defense).

No. 10 Chavez travels to take on No. 2 Brophy on Wednesday in the quarterfinals.

Biggest breakthrough

Prescott won its first playoff game in 25 years, beating Tucson Salpointe Catholic 61-54 in the 4A first round, behind gutsy performances from two ailing players.

Battling sickness, Uriah Tenette, a sophomore point guard, scored 23 points, 15 in the final quarter, and added seven assists and six rebounds. He also eclipsed 1,000 points in his varsity career.

Zane Gaul, also battling sickness, had 16 points, 14 rebounds and six blocks.

Best bench marks

Mesa point guard Kota Benson surpassed 1,500 career points and broke the single-season school record for most 3-pointers made with 91. The previous record was 85 set by Mike Dillard in the 1992-93 season. Benson's historic night came in a 59-43 6A first-round win over Valley Vista.

Best transition game

American Leadership Gilbert North, a top 4A team that got bumped from the Open in the second round by fellow 4A team St. Mary's, got back into gear with help from a star football player. Brandon Phelps, who has committed to Arizona in football as an All-Arizona wide receiver, contributed 14 points in a 63-49 win over No. 16 Surprise Paradise Honors in a first-round 4A game. Phelps is showing he can transition from football to basketball in the quest for a second state championship in his junior season in sports. Senior McGuire Andrus led the Eagles with 22 points. Sophomore guard Dylan Novak had 14 points and four assists. ALA GN next plays host to No. 8 Glendale Deer Valley in Wednesday's quarterfinals.

Biggest showdown

In what could be the best quarterfinal matchup Wednesday, No. 4 Waddell Canyon View will take on visiting No. 5 Peoria Centennial in 5A. This is the first time Canyon View coach Randy Lavender faces his former team, which he led to the state championship a year ago.

Canyon View got here by beating Scottsdale Chaparral 85-74, behind Denali McNeal's 30 points and Cohen Aldrigde;s 27 points.

Centennial defeated Mountain Pointe 66-60.

To suggest human-interest story ideas and other news, reach Obert atrichard.obert@arizonarepublic.com or 602-316-8827. Follow him on Twitter@azc_obert

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Thrills, buzzer beaters, clutch performances mark boys hoops playoffs