By Don Ketchum

With 3:23 left in the third quarter, Phoenix Alhambra point guard Blanca Perez was lying on the court, wincing in pain after suffering a leg injury.

She returned shortly thereafter and played most of the fourth quarter of the Lions’ Class 5A Division I first-round game against visiting Tucson High on Tuesday night (Feb. 22).

If the leg still bothered her, she didn’t show it, particularly in the closing seconds.

The score was tied and Tucson had the ball. But one Alhambra player tipped it away to a teammate, who tossed the ball to Perez out in front on the break. Perez drove for the basket and scored with 5.8 seconds left, helping the Lions turn back a valiant comeback by Tucson for a 48-46 victory.

Alhambra (24-4), the eighth seed, now must travel to play top-seeded St. Mary’s in a quarterfinal game on Friday night (Feb. 25).

“We are going to enjoy this right now and go to work tomorrow,’’ Alhambra coach Andy Fraga said on Tuesday night.

“We really have nothing to lose. There’s no real pressure on us. They’re (St. Mary’s) the ones who are supposed to win. We will just show up and do the best we can.’’

Alhambra jumped to a 32-21 lead at halftime, thanks primarily to the long-range shooting of Daesha Jackson. She had five of her six three-pointers in the first half, including one as time expired at the end of the first quarter.

Tucson tightened up its defense in the third quarter, coming out on Jackson whenever she touched the ball. She still managed to hit one super shot. Tucson cut the lead to four entering the fourth.

The Badgers (17-9) took a 44-43 lead with 3:50 left in the game on a three-pointer by Holly Bolen and increased the lead to 46-43 on a basket by Erica Cebreros.

Alhambra, which only scored 16 points in the second half, tied it at 46-46 on three free throws by Anna Rodriquez, one with 2:44 left and two more with 1:55 left. The teams traded possessions as the clock continued to wind down, setting up the final sequence.

“We’ve been doing this the whole season,’’ Fraga said. “I tell them (players) if we play hard for 32 minutes, we’re going to have a chance.’’

Jackson had 20 points to lead Alhambra and Janie Featherstone had 10. Tucson had balanced scoring. Raja Moreno scored 100 and Sharna Singleton and Tracy Valdez had 10 each.