The #1 seed Corona Del Sol High School Aztecs began the 2012-2013 season looking to repeat as Division-I State Champions, after winning it all last season. Corona (28-4) would have their opportunity to complete the task on Saturday afternoon in a rematch with #3 seed Pinnacle HS. The two teams had faced off in an earlier season contest during the winter break at this year's Visit Mesa.com Basketball Challenge - a game which Corona won, 69-65. Corona came into Saturday afternoon's Division-I state championship game in narrow fashion - winning their last three games on the season in the state playoffs by narrow margins.
#3 seed Pinnacle (26-6) came into the championship final riding the play of talented and skilled 6-foot-4 junior guard/forward Dorian Pickens. Pickens had come up big in his team's semi-final win over Cesar Chavez HS. Pickens would hope to lead his Pinnacle team to a state championship on Saturday, after his team failed to win it all last season while being favored.
This game would match up two of the state's top 2014 prospects, as Pickens and Corona's stellar 6-foot-3 junior point guard Casey Benson would face off. While neither player would look to be guarding one another in the game, both players would be focused on leading their team's to a big season finish.
The game would get underway with a tremendous start, as Casey Benson would immediately drive to the basket for a 2-0 lead for Corona. But Dorian Pickens would come right back with a three-pointer of his own - making the score 3-2 for Pinnacle. After a three-pointer from Corona's 6-foot-3 senior guard Braden Tennyson, Pickens would hit his second consecutive three-pointer from the wing in transition for a 6 to 5 Pinnacle lead. Not to be outdone, Tennyson would score another three-pointer from the wing for a 8-6 Corona lead.
After 6-foot-4 sophomore forward Cassius Peat would put Corona ahead 10-6 with a driving layup over a defender, Pickens would tap in a missed shot by 6-foot-4 senior guard/forward Drew Bender (Rice University signee) to make the score 10-8 in Corona's favor. Pickens would then come right back, with 5:31 still remaining in the first period, for another three-pointer from the wing for a 11-10 Pinnacle lead.
After a timeout by Corona head coach Sam Duane Jr., Pickens would continue his hot shooting streak, as he would knock down another long-range bomb for an early 14-10 Pinnacle lead.
Corona would stop their bleeding after a three-pointer in transition by sharp-shooting and athletic 6-foot-2 senior guard Bryan Seifker - 14-13 Pinnacle.
After another Pickens' offensive rebound and put-back, Bender would finally get into the scoring column, as he would hit a contested three-pointer just over 3 minutes remaining in the first period - putting Pinnacle ahead 21-17. With 2:40 left to play, Pickens would collect another offensive rebound and put-back, his third of the game, for a 23-17 Pinnacle lead.
After two free-throws from Casey Benson after being fouled, Bender, still recovering from a severe ankle injury, would convert a three-point play after being fouled on a driving fade-away basket in the lane. Bender's free-throw would put Pinnacle ahead 26-21 late in the first period.
Pinnacle would hold on to a 28-23 lead after one quarter with Pickens leading all scorers with 18 points.
Pickens would keep it rolling in the second period, as he would quickly score again on a mid-range floater to put Pinnacle ahead 30-23.
With 5:36 to play in the first half, Bryan Seifker would connect on a three-pointer from the corner on an inbounds pass to make the score 30-27.
With 4:43 left, Drew Bender would hit his second three-pointer of the game on the inbounds play, putting Pinnacle ahead 35-27.
Seifker would come right back with another three-pointer from deep, his third of the game (3-for-3), after an assist from Benson to make the score 35-30, still in Pinnacle's favor.
Pinnacle would take their biggest lead of the game with 2:50 remaining in the first half, after a three-pointer from the wing by 6-foot-3 senior guard Judson Stoddard - a 40-31 lead for Pinnacle.
After two free-throws by Corona's Seifker, Pinnacle would take a 7-point advantage into halftime, 40-33. Pickens would lead all scorers at the half with a game-high 20 points.
In the third period, after a fast-paced first half, Corona would start quickly with an uncontested layup by 6-foot-4 senior forward Adam Gleave. Gleave would then come right back with a mid-range jumper on a flare move to make the score 40-37. On the next possession, Cassius Peat would slip inside for a basket to narrow the Pinnacle lead to just one-point, 40-39. A fast 6-0 run by Corona.
After two-free throws by Bender, Bender would drive the lane and score on a driving layup after being fouled. Another Bender free-throw would put Pinnacle ahead 45-39 with 4 minutes remaining in the third. After a driving layup from Corona's Cassius Peat, Bender would post up, catch the pass and finish a finger-roll off the glass around a defender to put Pinnacle ahead by 6 points, 47-41.
Pinnacle would take a 47-42 lead into the fourth period, after a very low scoring third period as a result of poor shooting by both teams.
Corona's Seifker would get the fourth period started off with a bang, as he would hit a three-pointer from the wing, after an assist from Benson. But Pinnacle's Bender woulkd come right back with his second crafty shot of the game - a catch in the air and turnaround shot off the glass after receiving a pass from teammate, 6-foot junior guard Trey Ingram. After two-free throws from Benson, Bender would come right back with a driving basket through the lane to put Pinnacle ahead 51-47.
Benson would return the favor with a driving basket of his own after being fouled on the play. Benson would miss the free-throw, and Corona would be called for a foul on the play with Pinnacle leading 51-49.
With 4:58 remaining in the game, Bender's three-pointer would get deflected, but Pickens, who had gone scoreless for some time in the game, would collect the errant shot and convert a follow up shot off the glass to put Pinnacle ahead 53-50. Then with 3:50 remaining in the contest, Pinnacle would open up the floor for Pickens who would kick the ball to Bender. Bender would airball the shot, only to have Pickens rebound the miss again and follow up with a shot. Pickens would miss his first shot attempt, but then tap in his own miss for a 55-50 lead.
Corona's Benson would then travel the length of the floor and drive to the basket, only to get called on an offensive foul as his shot would go through the net. A questionable call by the referee as the Pinnacle defender looked to be moving on the play.
Then with 3:27 left to play, Bender would find Pickens underneath the basket for a score, 57-50 Pinnacle.
With 3:04 left in the game, Seifker would connect on an uncontested long-range bomb to make the score 57-53, Pinnacle. Then, after a missed three-point attempt by Bender, Corona's Adam Gleave would score on a fast-breaking layup with 2:33 remaining to pull Corona within two points, 57-55.
With Pinnacle looking to hold on rather than continue their aggressive play, Pinnacle would turn the ball over with 1:35 left in the game.
Corona would get the basketball back in their hands and capitalize, as Cassisus Peat would score inside off a nice assist from Benson. Peat would get fouled on the play and would go to the free-throw line for the 3-point play. Peat's free-throw would give the Aztecs their first lead of the game since the opening basket, 58-57.
Pinnacle's head coach Charlie Wilde would call a timeout for his team. After the timeout, Pickens would pass the ball to 6-foot-1 junior guard Will Donovan. Donovan would elect to take a 16-foot jumper, only to miss the shot attempt. Corona would collect the rebound and get the ball in the hands of their floor general, Casey Benson. Benson would travel the length of the floor and make a nice bounce pass assist to his teammate Adam Gleave for a 60-57 Corona lead with :47 seconds remaining. Pinnacle's Wilde would be forced to call another timeout.
After two timeouts by Pinnacle, Drew Bender would get the ball in the open floor and take the ball to the basket - converting a nice left-handed layup around a defender - making it a one-point game, 60-59, in Corona's favor with :20 seconds left to play.
Corona's Adam Gleave would get fouled on the next play - making both free-throws with :19.1 seconds left to play, and Corona leading 62-59.
On the next play, Bender would elect to take a three-pointer to tie the game, only to have the shot rim in-and-out. Corona's Bryan Seifker would collect the rebound and get fouled. Seifker would go to the free-throw line and convert 1 of 2 free-throws for a 63-59 Corona lead.
Corona would go on to win the game 63-59 after a final missed shot attempt by Pickens - earning Corona their second consecutive Division-I State Championship and the 6th state title in the school's history.
