The Salpointe Lancers improved to 5-2 on the year after the defending 4A state champions beat Tucson High 58-33 at home Monday night. The Badgers are now 4-4 on the season.

Led by sophomore Taliyah Henderson, the Lancers opened up with a 19-5 lead after the first quarter with Henderson scoring 12 of her game-high 23 points in the period. Salpointe took a 28-16 lead at the half and 48-24 after three. Tucson senior Gabriella Sanchez led the Badgers with 14 points and Makayla Luna added 7.

Bria Medina scored 11 for Salpointe, Jordan Watts added 8 and Allison Even scored 7 to go along with the 23 by Taliyah.

Salpointe competed at the La Jolla Country Day - Sweet 16 Invitational last week where the team went 2-2 with wins over Mission Hills and Seton Catholic. Salpointe beat Seton Catholic to win the 4A state championship last year. The Lancers lost six seniors to graduation from that squad and standouts Mia Cazares and Bria Medina are the only seniors this year.

Salpointe is taking part in the Hoophall West Invitational hosted by Chaparral on Wednesday before heading over to play at Mesa (3-0) Thursday night. Tucson went 2-2 at the Desert Edge Scorpion Shootout last week and the team will host Dobson (2-0) Tuesday night.

The Badgers compete in the new 6A South Region this year along with Sunnyside (5-2), Rincon/University (4-3) and Marana (0-3). Salpointe remains in the 4A Kino Region but the region has been reconfigured with 5A runner-up Flowing Wells (5-0) moving to 4A and Cholla (1-2) moving up to 5A this winter. The new 4A Kino Region includes Salpointe, Flowing Wells, Sahuaro (5-0), Pueblo (6-1) and Canyon del Oro (1-4).