Two for the price of one. That’s what the fans at Amphitheater High School got Friday night in the second round of the 3A state playoffs. No. 5 Tanque Verde defeated No. 21 Monument Valley 40-29 in the first game and No. 1 Sabino took out No. 16 Paradise Honors 54-20 in the nightcap.

Monument Valley (9-19) finished second in the 3A playoffs last year and most of the Mustang leaders from that squad returned, including Tayla Nez. Nez led the Mustangs with over 11 points a game last year, and the senior guard upped her average to 13 points an outing this year, but the quest to get back to the final game came up short against Tanque Verde (24-7).

“I’ll remember our championship game the most,” Nez said when asked to sum up her high school career. “I’ll remember how my coaches helped me and I’ll remember every little moment. My teammates helped me become who I am and I am grateful for the support from my family. They did everything they could to see me play.”

The Mustangs played Tanque Verde close in the early going and actually held a 6-5 lead but Emma Morris hit a 3-pointer with 8.2 seconds left in the first to spark a 14-3 run that saw the Hawks take a 19-9 lead at the half and then the team went on another run to take a 26-13 lead after three.

Nez only had four points and the team missed every deep shot they attempted and Morris scored to put the Hawks up 29-15 with 5:41 left. Everything seemed lost but then Nez hit her stride. Nez scored 10 of her game-high 14 points in the fourth quarter and her back-to-back 3’s helped cut the Tanque Verde lead down to 32-24 with 3:50 left.

Unfortunately, Nez fouled out with 2:05 left and the Hawks sprinted out to a 40-26 lead. Jazlyn Lane hit a 3 as time expired for the 40-29 final.

To go along with a bad shooting night, the Mustangs also had no answer for Tanque Verde standout Nikya Orange. Orange played steady in the lane and came away with a team-high 12 points and Morris finished with 11. The win pushed the Hawks to the first-ever quarterfinal appearance in program history where the Hawks will face No.4 Holbrook (24-4) Monday afternoon in Prescott Valley.

Sabino (12-16) had no difficulty with Paradise Honors (13-8). The Sabercats led 10-3 after one, 39-13 at the half and 52-19 after three. When it was all said and done, freshman Kam'Ren Rhodes led all scorers with 16, fellow freshman Kadie Healy added 14 and sophomore Kamryn Doty scored 12. Kiya Dorroh scored seven points and the four were pulled in the final quarter with the game won.

@SabinoGirlsHoop Kamryn Doty talks Sabino going back to 3A quarterfinals #azpreps365 pic.twitter.com/abuyj0D3xP

— Andy Morales (@AZPreps365Andy) February 16, 2019

The Sabercats won a state championship in 1990 and had back-to-back semifinal finishes in 1983 and 1984 and the program finds itself one game away from another semifinal appearance after coming up one game short last year. The Sabercats made it to the 3A quarterfinals as a 10-seed last year but the Sabercats are coming in hot this year with the top-seed. Even better, the team only has one senior on its roster.

Sabino will take on No. 8 Chinle (17-8) Monday night and a win there, combined with a Tanque Verde win, will make for a semifinal match for the ages, featuring two Tucson-area rivals.