It is difficult enough to come back from a double-digit deficit once in a game, but to do it twice and win – that just doesn’t happen very often.

The girls’ basketball team from Phoenix Thunderbird had that distinction on Monday night (Jan. 28).

The Chiefs trailed visiting Glendale Cactus by 15 points midway through the second quarter. They tied it early in the third but fell into a 14-point hole late in the third.

In the fourth quarter, the defense toughened up and freshman guard Ozahria Fisher went to work, scoring 18 of her 23 points and the Chiefs rallied for a 61-57 victory.

Thunderbird raised its record to 25-2. Cactus fell to 18-7. The teams will be involved in Division II sectional play starting next week.

“I’m a lot happier now than I was at the end of the third quarter,’’ said Thunderbird coach Barry Ringel, whose team trailed by 11 at that point.

Fisher scored nine of Thunderbird’s 12 points in the first 2:04 of the fourth quarter, including a 3-pointer.

Fisher hit another trey, from the corner, to give Thunderbird a 57-55 lead with 1:55 left in the game, but a jumper by Cactus post player Monique Smith tied it at 57 with 1:41 left. Cactus would not score again.

Jessica Franco hit a pair of looping rainbow free throws with 1:06 left to make it 59-57, and Fisher finished things off with two free throws with 6.3 seconds left.

“After we did it the first time and then gave it up (another big Cactus lead), I told one of my assistants (coaches), “I hope we can come back. I hope we have it in us,’ ’’ Ringel said.

Thunderbird had defeated Cactus twice previously this season – 52-39 at Cactus on Jan. 18 and 53-42 in the Moon Valley tournament on Nov. 23.

At the break between the third and fourth quarters, Ringel talked about toughness, “and playing one possession at a time, on both offense and defense. We worked hard to come back. They’re (Cactus) a good team, athletic and quick.’’

It also proved to be a good comeback for Fisher. She only scored two points in the first half and appeared frustrated with herself at times and when situations didn’t go right in general.

“You have to remember she is just a freshman, and that’s one of the things we are working on,’’ Ringel said.  “I took her out of the game for a minute and told her to stay in the game, “because we are going to need you later on.’ ’’

Fisher had three 3-pointers for the game. Franco chipped in with 11 points.

Levette Jiles led Cactus with 22 points, including three 3-pointers in the third quarter. Smith finished with 16 points.