Sandia Prep returns to Class 3A final

Sundevils upset top-seeded Robertson in semifinals

Sandia Prep’s boys basketball program has another crack at its first state championship.

The fourth-seeded Sundevils have advanced to the Class 3A state final, going on the road Wednesday night to beat No. 1 seed Robertson 55-51 in the semifinals.

“It’s a special group,” Sandia Prep coach Marcos Rivera said. His senior wing, 6-foot-7 Sam Henderson, had a team-best 26 points.

Sandia Prep (11-1) faces No. 2 seed Hot Springs (13-1) at 10 a.m. Friday in the Pit in the 3A title game. Robertson (13-1) lost for the first time this season.

“I think the two best teams in our class are playing on Friday,” Rivera said.

The Sundevils have previously reached the state final in 2010, 2011 and again last year when they fell in overtime to Bosque School. On Wednesday night, Sandia Prep’s veteran team — the Sundevils have eight seniors — built up a 15-point lead in the second half before holding on down the stretch.

■ The 3A girls final Friday, at 12:30 p.m., will feature No. 1 Navajo Prep (13-0) versus No. 6 Robertson (10-4).

CLASS 2A: Pecos’ third-seeded boys were chasing a fifth consecutive state championship, but that run was halted Wednesday by No. 2 seed Jal, 61-43 in the semifinals.

Jal (14-0) faces No. 1 Rehoboth Christian (14-0) in Friday’s 4 p.m. final at the Pit.

The girls 2A final, at 6:30 p.m. Friday, pits No. 1 Pecos (13-0) against No. 2 Lordsburg (121). Both had comfortable double-digit wins Wednesday in the semifinals.

CLASS 1A: The finals are Thursday at the Pit. Roy/Mosquero’s girls (14-0), seeded No. 1, face No. 3 Melrose (12-1) at 1 p.m., with Melrose’s second-seeded boys (13-0) — seeking a fourth straight 1A championship — playing No. 1 Magdalena (14-0) at 3:30 p.m. The Steers were in a state championship game a year ago, but as a Class 2A program.

State tickets

The Class 5A boys and girls state finals will be played at 4 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Saturday. The Class 4A boys and girls finals are at 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Saturday.

Tickets for those two sessions — plus the 2A and 3A sessions Friday — are being sold online at golobos.com. Fans can buy tickets in pods of one, two, three or four people. Individual tickets will be good for both games within a single session. The arena will be cleared between sessions Friday and Saturday.

There will be approximately 3,200 tickets available for sale online for each session. No tickets will be sold on a walk-up basis.