One by one they filed out of the arena to the arms of anxious parents waiting to congratulate them.

The cheers grew louder as each of Sunnyslope’s basketball players exited. On Friday night, Grand Canyon University belonged to Sunnyslope High School.

Now it’s time to see if Gila River Arena will be as welcoming come Monday in the Division I boys state championship basketball game. Strong-willed Sunnyslope keeps earning its big stage settings and did so again with Friday’s hard-fought semifinal 46-43 victory over another solid team, Gilbert.

When it takes the court Monday in the program’s first ever state title appearance in the state’s highest division, Sunnyslope will be facing a mirror image of itself. D-I finalist Mesa High also likes to scratch and claw its way to victory.

Of the top-10 seeded teams in the D-I tournament, Mesa and Sunnyslope allowed the least amount of points per game this season, with both of them giving up just under 49 points per game. Sunnyslope’s defense delivered one of the biggest plays of the game against Gilbert with about 43 seconds left in the game.

Gilbert was trying to run a play for one of its two big threats, Jacob Nicolds or Chris Bowling, with Gilbert trailing 40-38. But sophomore Kyle Fischer anticipated a pass to Nicolds, stole the ball and sprinted down the court.

Fischer (12 points) was fouled but made both free throws, handing Sunnyslope a 4-point lead. Nicold scored on the next possession, but after Sunnyslope made two more free throws, Gilbert then turned the ball over on a night it took good care of the ball.

Converting field goals is where Gilbert (4 of 21 in the first half) struggled. It went 0-9 from three-point land while Sunnyslope made five first half treys.

But Caden Towt made back-to-back threes in the third period to kick-start Gilbert’s offense. Gilbert had a chance at a five-point play when Bowling (14 points) made a three and Gilbert’s C.J. Waters was immediately fouled after the shot, sending Waters to the line.

Waters made one of the free throws to get Gilbert within a point of the lead, 35-34 with 7:09 left. Gilbert got within one point of tying Sunnsyslope again a couple of times later, but Sunnyslope never gave in.

The final time Gilbert was ahead in the game was when it held a 5-3 lead.

“Our guys just work hard,” Sunnyslope coach Ray Portela said. “They are tenacious.”

Dane Maggi, Portela’s senior leader, scored a game-high 15 points for 25-4 Sunnyslope.