The regular season is winding down, and state championship contenders have begun separating themselves from the pack.
Sunnyside’s boys basketball team weathered the preseason loss of junior center Santino Duarte and has won nine straight games with a veteran leading the way.
Then there are Ironwood Ridge’s girls, who have looked like a strong contender to make another deep postseason run.
But the Nighthawks have been battling injuries and took a three-game losing streak into Thursday’s regular-season finale.
Unlike Sunnyside’s boys, I-Ridge will spend next week playing in a section tournament.
Here’s a closer look at five Tucson-area basketball teams that could be playing for a state championship in a few weeks.
Sunnyside boys
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Record: 20-5 overall
Ranking: Fourth in Division II
Star player: Senior forward Jacob Inclan is averaging 18.9 points and 10.6 rebounds per game. He’s recorded double-doubles in 14 games.
Best wins: Cienega (twice), Phoenix Arcadia, Catalina Foothills, Rincon/University, Nogales.
By the numbers: The Blue Devils are 13-1 when giving up 50 points or less.
Tucson High girls
Record: 22-3 overall
Ranking: Fifth in Division II
Star player: Senior forward Alexis Cortez leads Division II in scoring with 27.1 points per game and is second with 69 three-pointers.
Best wins: Prescott, Flagstaff Coconino, Sahuaro, Cienega, I-Ridge.
By the numbers: The Badgers are holding opponents to an average of 39 points per game.
Ironwood Ridge girls
Record: 20-6 overall
Ranking: Tenth in Division II
Star player: Senior forward Lexy Ram is averaging 16.2 points and 8.9 rebounds per game. Ram has recorded nine double-doubles.
Best wins: Sahuaro, Scottsdale Saguaro, Pusch Ridge Christian, Tucson High, Phoenix Shadow Mountain, Canyon del Oro.
By the numbers: The Nighthawks had won eight straight games before losing three in row.
Pueblo girls
Record: 21-3 overall
Ranking: Fifth in Division III
Star player: Sophomore shooting guard Alicia Reyes averages 16.4 points and 3.8 steals per game. Reyes scored a school-record 57 points against Cholla on Jan. 27 with a state-record 17 three-pointers.
Best wins: Nogales (twice), Canyon del Oro, Sahuaro, Safford.
By the numbers: The Warriors are second in the division with a scoring average of 63.3 points per game and average 25.5 three-point attempts per contest.
Gregory School boys
Record: 23-4
Ranking: Third in Division V
Star player: Junior shooting guard Nick Rosquist leads the division with 24.9 points per game and has scored in double-digit figured in every game he’s played this season.
Best wins: Tohono O’Odham (twice), Chandler Arizona College Prep (twice), St. Augustine Catholic, Sells Baboquivari.
By the numbers: The Hawks are 20-3 when they score at least 50.
