From Sahuaro senior Nick Ponds' perspective, all the pressure fell on ALA Gilbert North Monday night. The No. 1 seed and home court advantage favored ALA, as did Sahuaro's two hour bus ride from Tucson.

But Sahuaro brought some of its storied basketball magic with it, as the Cougars used a late fourth quarter rally to knock off the Eagles, 55-51 in a 4A semifinal playoff contest.

Sahuaro used a 13-4 run in the in the fourth quarter to secure the upset, which sends the Cougars to the state championship for the first time since 2001. Sahuaro will face No. 3 Deer Valley Thursday night at Veterans Memorial Colisem. 

Guards Cisco Llamas and Ayumu Lara scored 12 points each, and sealed the victory with four big free throw in the game final 33 seconds.

"This just feels amazing," said senior forwrad Nick Ponds, who scored 11 points for Sahuaro.

"This wasn't easy playing in front of a hostile environment, but all the pressure was on (ALA) tonight. They were playing at home with the No. 1 seed...they had to win, and we had nothing to lose. So we just decided to go after it."

ALA Gilbert North (23-6) led for much of the game but never by more than six points. After Connor Morris knocked down a three-point shot with 5:52 left in the game, it gave the Eagles a 47-42 lead. 

But that's when Sahuaro (24-4) dug deep and locked in. Junior Jamal Ali hit a three on the ensuing posession before a defensive stop and two free throws by Llamas tied the score at 47. After an offensive rebound and putback by Ali, Ponds scored on a floating jump shot off the glass, Sahuaro had a 51-49 lead with 1:03 remaining.

ALA was forced to foul the rest of the game, and Llamas and Lara each converted foul shots from the line to ice the game. Jamal Ali scored seven of his nine points in the fourth quarter.

"Tonight's game really symbolized who we are," Sahuaro coach Jim Henry said of his ballclub. 

"They never quit. They never gave up. They fought every minute and every second."

The Eagles led by four at halftime (29-25) and four after the third quarter (44-40).  ALA connected on nine three-point field goals through the game's first three quarters, but cooled off in the final eight minutes.

Owen Bell led ALA Gilbert North with 17 points and Dylan Novak added 10. It was the ssecond straight year ALA Gilbert North entered the postseason as the No. 1 seed in 4A. Deer Valley knocked off the Eagles in last year's quarterfinals.

Sahuaro is making its sixth title game appearance. The previous five came between 1970 and 2001 when the Cougars were led by legendary coach Dick McConnell, who spent nearly four decades leading Sahuaro and winning four state championhips.