Oozing with tradition, Archbishop Moeller, Ohio and Mesa Mountain View,were the final matchup of the 2010 VisitMesa.com Basketball Challenge. The teams did not disappoint.

Sporting unbeaten records in the tournament and for the season, the teams gave fans a fitting marquee matchup as Moeller trimmed Mountain View, 36-35, in a classic defensive battle at Toro Gym.

Moeller seniior guard Charlie Byers scored a game-high 14 points and made a number of plays and baskets at key times. Mark Mazzucco led Mountain View (9-1) with 10 points Moeller ended up as the tournament's lone unbeaten team.

Moeller prides itself on defense and dictating tempo, something Mountain View adheres to as well. In its first three VMBC tournament games Moeller surrendered an average of 41 points per game and a winning margin of 23 points with triumphs over Dobson, Sunnyslope and St. Mary's. Mountain View put up an average of 73 points a game in its three wins over Buena, Brighton, Utah and Red Mountain.

Both teams and coaches knew this one would be decided by defense and the little things. Many observers were claiming before the game, "first team to 40 wins".

"We had a game earlier this year where we had a really good offensive night and not so good on defense," Moeller coach Carl Kremer said. "I told them after that game that if you're defined by scoring that's not a good thing. You need to be defined by defense."

Moeller (9-0) led the entire game, never by more than six. The Crusaders had a 34-28 lead with a little more than six minutes left. A shot inside by the Toros Camyn Boone with 3:03 left cut the margin to 34-33. Boone fouled out with 1:49 left sending Byers to the free-throw line. Byers made both to make it 36-33.

Mazzucco drove the baseline and tallied on a tough layup with 1:17 left to make it 36-35. Mountain View got the final chance of the game after Byers missed a shot with 45 seconds left and the Toros got a final steal steal after an exchange of possessions with 22 seconds remaining.

The Toros did not opt for a timeout after Mazzucco's steal and worked the ball around trying to get a good look. Jaren Sweeney, the Toros leading scorer who was defensed well all night, got a good look from about 17 feet but the shot bounced off the rim with two seconds left. Moeller grabbed the rebound and the win. Sweeney finished with just six points.

"They are a really good team, not spectacular but very good defensively," Mountain View coach Gary Ernst said. "...... I probably should have taken a time out at the end, but I thought going without it wouldn't give them a chance to do what they wanted.

"This was the type of game we needed to have. We're still a little young having graduated 10 seniors last year. We need to get better."

Moeller won the turnover battle committing just nine while Mountain View had 14. Moeller was 6-of-7 from the free-throw line; the Toros 8-of-14.