Tucson, AZ — Salpointe is on fire. The Lancers stormed to a perfect 7-0 start after dominating the inaugural Cactus Clash, hosted on their home floor and supported by Tucson Federal Credit Union. The tournament brought serious firepower to Tucson, featuring top programs like 4A contenders Prescott (6-2), Mica Mountain (5-3), Kellis, Paradise Honors (5-2), 5A heavyweight Catalina Foothills (3-4), and 6A powerhouse and 2024 Open Division semifinalist Pinnacle (4-3). Salpointe rose to every challenge. After stunning Pinnacle 41-39 on a last-second game-winner in the semifinals, the Lancers carried that momentum into Saturday’s championship. There, they powered past Kellis 50-40 to claim the first-ever Cactus Clash title. Freshman phenom Jayda Nelson stepped up in the spotlight, dropping 15 points, while junior Jayci Nelson added 10 to help secure the crown. With this kind of talent and energy, expect the Cactus Clash — and Salpointe — to keep getting bigger every year. Kellis, now 6-1, returns home to host O’Connor (3-1) on Wednesday, Dec. 10. Meanwhile, the undefeated Lancers hit the road for a matchup at Nogales (3-5) on Tuesday.