2013 Arizona boys basketball state tournaments move to Elite Eight

Mountain Pointe first-year coach Aaron Windler knows championship basketball.

While he didn't get there with the Pride this year, he took Chaparral to two straight title games before sitting out last season.

So he knows what it takes and he clearly knows the remaining field in the Division I state tournament after the Pride was barely eliminated by defending state champion and top-seeded Corona del Sol in double overtime on Saturday.

Mountain Pointe has played several of the remaining eight programs, but Windler feels like it is Corona's title to lose.

"Casey Benson is the best player in the state and he made some plays against us (in the double OT loss) that no one else I have ever seen in Arizona, including Jerrod Bayless and Jahii Carson, could have done," Windler said. "He's unbelievable."

Corona faces No. 8 Millennium on Tuesday as the Elite Eight all play at Arizona State's Wells Fargo Arena.

In the bottom half of the bracket, Windler could see No. 11 Gilbert getting through to the finals. Two of the remaining teams are dealing with injuries as No. 3 Pinnacle, which is without the services of Drew Bender, and Cesar Chavez's top player Pablo Rivas isn't 100 percent healthy either.

It would be fitting if a lower seed like Gilbert did make the finals, as the D-I season has been considered wide open all year long.

"It's been one of those years that any one of the top 10 or 12 teams can beat anyone else in that mix on any night," said Windler, whose team had Corona on the ropes at the end of regulation and the two overtimes but just couldn't secure the win.

Here are the remaining boys matchups:

Division I
Quarterfinals at Wells Fargo Arena on Tuesday
Semifinals at WFA on Thursday
Finals at Jobing.com Arena on Saturday (4 p.m.)
No. 8 Millennium (Goodyear) (24-5) vs. No. 1 Corona del Sol (Tempe) (26-4), 7:45 p.m.
No. 5 Desert Mountain (Scottsdale) (24-5) vs. No. 4 Mesa (25-5), 2:30 p.m.
No. 11 Gilbert (24-7) vs. No. 3 Pinnacle (Phoenix) (24-6), 4:15 p.m.
No. 23 Mountain Ridge (Glendale) (17-10) vs. No. 2 Chavez (Laveen) (28-2), 6 p.m.

Division II
All games at Jobing.com Arena
Wednesday quarterfinals, Thursday semifinals, Saturday finals (noon)
No. 8 Sahuaro (Tucson) vs. No. 1 Sunnyslope (Phoenix), 7:45 p.m.
No. 12 Desert Edge (Goodyear) vs. No. 4 Paradise Valley (Phoenix), 2:30 p.m.
No. 6 Salpointe Catholic (Tucson) vs. No. 3 Sierra Linda (Phoenix), 4:15 p.m.
No. 18 Agua Fria (Avondale) vs. No. 7 Nogales, 6 p.m.

Division III
Quarterfinals at Tim's Toyota Center Monday
Semifinals (Friday) and finals (Saturday) at Jobing.com Arena
No. 16 Show Low vs. No. 9 Valley Christian (Chandler), 6 p.m.
No. 21 Fountain Hills vs. No. 4 Snowflake, 9 a.m.
No. 6 Estrella Foothills (Goodyear) vs. No. 3 Scottsdale Christian Academy (Phoenix), noon
No. 7 Cortez (Phoenix) vs. No. 2 Gilbert Christian, 3 p.m.

Division IV
All games at Tim's Toyota Center
Quarterfinals on Thursday, semifinals on Friday and finals (noon) on Saturday
No. 9 Duncan vs. No. 1 Joy Christian (Glendale), 7:30 p.m.
No. 20 Tempe Prep vs. No. 5 Ray (Kearny), 10:30 a.m.
No. 11 Veritas Prep (Phoenix) vs. No. 3 Arizona Lutheran Academy (Phoenix), 1:30 p.m.
No. 7 Scottsdale Preparatory Academy vs. No. 2 Desert Christian (Tucson), 4:30 p.m.

Jason P. Skoda, a former Arizona Republic and current Ahwatukee Foothills News staff writer, is a 18-year sports writing veteran. Contact him at jskoda1024@aol.com or 480-272-2449.