Tempe boys basketball coach Tom Saltzstein can be hard to please. His Buffaloes trailed at intermission of Tuesday afternoon's 4A non-region game with visiting Combs, but only by a 27-22 margin.

"Be glad you weren't in our locker room at halftime," the veteran and exciteable Buffs' coach said. 

It might have been the leftover frustration from the first period when Tempe gave up 15 points (six layups, including a couple easy back-door gimmes). Or perhaps a few not-so-smart decisions. The halftime chat did produce a better result, particularly in the third period. The Buffs took control at that point and then survived a Combs' surge down the stretch in a 63-59 victory.

Tempe, 11th in the lastest 4A power rankings, is in the final stretch of a bounce-back season. The fourth consecutive win improved the Buffs to 9-3 and they are in second place in the Skyline Region behind No. 2 4A power-ranked St. Mary's. Tempe struggled last season to a 5-19 season. Combs fell to 5-7 and has lost five of its last six games.

Senior forward Nathan Robinson, limited to two points in the first half, tallied 15 in the second half to pace Tempe's comeback. Nine of the points were in the third period highlighting a 13-1 run and a 35-29 advantage. The lead stretched to nine by quarter's end. Torian Gant and KB Hayes added 10 points each for Tempe - Gant with eight in the first half and Hayes nine in the second half.

Combs didn't let the 46-37 deficit to begin the final quarter extinguish its competitive spirit. Two Isaacs - Lujan (game-high 18 points) and Guevera  (13 points) - keyed a 12-4 Combs' burst to cut Tempe's lead to 50-49 less than three minutes into the final period. Hayes and Robinson took care of the Buffs' offense the rest of the way netting 12 of their final 13 points.

The sticky fingers of Combs Hunter Clare picked upa couple steals and two baskets, pulling the Coyotes withing 60-59 with 49 seconds to go. Tempe's Juno Leggett made one of two free throws with 35 seconds for a two-point lead. Lujan, Combs' leading scorer, made a strong drive to the basket with Tempe's David Galeana Sanchez hanging tight defensively. The shot didn't fall and Tempe grabbed the rebound and got two clinching free throws with nine seconds left from Robinson.

Tempe returns to action Thursday hosting region-rival Greenway while Combs plays again Wednesday at Saguaro.