Jack Loder is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Saguaro High School for AZPreps365.com.

Caleb Simpson took one dribble and knew he was going to score. 

With under a minute to go and his team trailing by one, Simpson stole the ball at half court, galloped into the lane, and converted a go-ahead layup while being fouled to give Saguaro a lead it would not give back. After hitting the free throw, an empty possession on the other end sealed the 56-53 win over Combs. 

“I had just turned the ball over, so I knew I needed to make a play,” the senior guard said. “I knew I had it once I took the first dribble. It was a big team win." 

A big win it certainly was. Following three straight losses in a six-day stretch, Saguaro (10-4) took down visiting Combs (5-8) in a back-and-forth battle that featured 11 lead changes Wednesday night in Scottsdale. 

Four Sabercats scored in double figures, and a strong defense down the stretch delivered the much-needed victory. 

“I loved how hard we played tonight. I thought we did a great job with that,” head coach Lucas Ramirez said. “Coming off a heartbreaking loss at the buzzer last night, we tried to keep the guys positive, and they were able to overcome tonight.” 

The first half could not have been more evenly matched, with Combs taking a two-point advantage into the locker room at 33-31.

Seniors Matt Robles and Kamden Sekaquaptewa led the way for a balanced Saguaro attack, with nine and eight points in the half, respectively. Fellow senior Simpson, usually a big factor in the Sabercat offense, got in foul trouble in the first quarter and didn’t see the floor until the closing seconds of the half. Junior Tristan Monday recorded seven of his 13 points in the first half, supplementing his usual dominating presence on the boards. 

“We knew we had to come in and win this game. Coming off three straight losses it was really important,” Monday said. “We all know what our goal is, to make a deep run in the state tournament. We’ve known that since day one. We’re going to do what it takes to win. It might not be pretty but we’ll get it done.” 

Saguaro used a 13-2 run in the third quarter to take a 46-37 lead. Seniors Kamden Sekaquaptewa, Matt Robles and Simpson got hot in the period, opening up the Sabercats’ largest lead of the game. 

A late rally from Combs got the Coyotes back in the game, down just three points at the end of the third. 

“Caleb and I had a great conversation this week about leadership,” Ramirez said. “He responded to being in foul trouble early and came up big at the end. I couldn’t be more proud of him.” 

Saguaro’s offensive efficiency did not accompany them into the fourth quarter, as the Cats were held scoreless until the 3:05 mark. The dry spell allowed Combs to retake the lead, and the teams would trade buckets until Simpson’s dramatic 3-point play put Saguaro ahead for good.

A missed free throw from Combs with Saguaro up 54-53 allowed Simpson to gobble the game, sealing the rebound before icing it officially with two free throws of his own with a single second remaining. 

‘It’s great to have a collective effort, real team win,” Ramirez added. “We have a big weekend coming up with senior night on Friday, I’m excited to see how we come out.”