Mesa girls hoops outlasts Pinnacle behind Hunter in OT

March 9, 2021 by Les Willsey, AZPreps365


Mesa High players celebrate first big-school state tournament win since 2002 after beating Pinnacle on Tuesday night. (AzPrep365 photo)

#6 Mesa High has relied on the tandem of Ashiiann Hunter and MacKenzie Shivers for the bulk of its scoring the past two seasons. The point burden fell to Hunter in overtime of Tuesday's 6A first-round girls state tournament game with #11 Pinnacle. Hunter answered the call.

With Shivers fouling out in the final minute of regulation, Hunter tallied eight of Mesa's 11 points in the extra stanza allowing the Jackrabbits to escape with a 69-63 win at Jackrabbit Gym. Hunter, a sophomore guard averaging 21 pointa game, finished with a game-high, season-high and career-high 36 points. The victory was the program's first big-school state tournament win since 2002.  Mesa won a pair of state tournament games in 2015-2016 season - when Mesa played in what was designated Division II, rather than with schools of largest enrollments as has been the case nearly forever in Mesa's history.

Mesa (13-4) advances to Friday's quarterfinals with a road game at No. 3 Xavier Prep. The win avenged a first-round loss at state last year to Pinnacle (12-7), which reached the semifinals in 2020. Shivers added 17 points. Pinnacle was paced by senior Shay Figueroa and freshman Mia Singstock with 19 points each.

"She is dangerous and showed why she was the East Valley Region player of the year this season," Mesa coach Katie Fonseca said. "She stepped up. We got contributions from others. All of our players have worked hard. Our motto is on our shirts (We Is Better Than Me). We're peaking at the right time. Grinding it out. Grinding is what we do."

The game was tied at 58 as overtime began. Pinnacle bore down defensively on Hunter as Mesa worked for the first shot of the extra period. Pinnacle tried for a steal, but was late as Hunter gathered in a pass just behind the arc. With a moment free she buried a three to give the Jackrabbits the leas for good, 61-58, at the 3:26 mark. After Pinnacle missed a shot on its first possession, Hunter's quickness allowed her to penetrate and let go with a runner in the lane and swished it for a 63-58 advantage with 2:45 to go.

Pinnacle missed another shot and a Mesa steal led to freshman reserve forward Anaya Packer's layup, bumping the lead to seven.  Pinnacle bounced back with 1:04 to play as freshman guard Mia Singstock (19 points) made a bucket and three to cut the margin to 65-63 with a minute to play. Pinnacle had two chances to tie or take the lead, but a layup and a three on the same possession didn't fall with 44 seconds left. Hunter finished things off making three of four free throws in the final eight seconds.

Mesa was fortunate to survive in regulation. The Jackrabbits held a 58-51 lead with 1:47 left. Pinnacle produced a 7-0 run to tie with 36 seconds left. The Pioneers missed two free throws in the final 35 seconds - one trying to complete a three-point play and the other the front-end of a one-and-one with 6.5 seconds left. 

Mesa used a 21-5 advantage in the second quarter to build a 30-16 lead at halftime. Pinnacle turned it around with a big third quarter, pulling within 40-39 to start the fourth. Pinnacle rained threes by four different players (Figueroa, Kamri Gilliland, Mackenzie Murphy and Sydney Murphy) in the third quarter to get back in the game.