Tucson, AZ — Top-seeded Salpointe showed exactly why it’s built for a championship run Saturday night, rolling past No. 8 Cave Creek Cactus Shadows 63-42 in a 4A quarterfinal showdown. Young on paper but mature beyond their years, the Lancers relied on a true team effort — with 10 players contributing and seven scoring at least four points. Sophomore standout Abuk Lual led the charge with 15 points, 13 rebounds, and three blocks, while Jayci Nelson added 12 points to pace the balanced attack. “That’s the beauty of our team,” coach Joe Luevano said. “We have kids who come here to win and to be selfless. So many of them stepped up.” And that selflessness continues to define this group. Salpointe (28-4) now advances to face No. 4 Surprise Paradise Honors (24-6) in Tuesday’s semifinal at 7 p.m., carrying momentum built on grit and trust. This roster — five freshmen, five sophomores, and five juniors — has made stepping up a habit. When Cactus Shadows tied the game at 17 midway through the second quarter, the Lancers responded like veterans. Sophomore Aliyah Adger knocked down a clutch three. Freshman Erin Even converted a three-point play. Just like that, Salpointe ignited a 12-2 run. Even later sank two free throws before halftime to stretch the lead to 31-21. The third quarter was all Lancers. A Nelson three-pointer and a Lual finish off a Nelson assist pushed the lead to 36-21. Lual continued to dominate inside, helping extend the advantage to 46-29 entering the fourth. Cactus Shadows made one final push, cutting the lead to 11 early in the fourth. But once again, someone different answered the call. Sophomore Emily Martinez — who scored five of her seven points in the final quarter — delivered the dagger sequence. She fed Lual for a layup, then buried a three-pointer on the next possession to stretch the lead to 51-35. “A couple of games ago it was Kayla. Tonight it was Emily,” Luevano said. “That’s the beauty of this team. They’d be starting anywhere else. They came here to be part of something special.” That “something special” is fueled by grit — a word Luevano repeats often. “That was a grit game,” he said. “I’m blessed to coach them.” Nelson embodies that grit. After learning from last year’s senior class and drawing inspiration from her brother Evan — now a graduate senior guard at Arizona who led Salpointe’s boys program to its first state title — she’s grown into a leader of her own. “We all grew up in the gym together,” Jayci said. “Watching him has helped me become a better leader. He’s a really big role model in my life.” With balance, belief, and big-game composure, Salpointe continues to prove that age doesn’t define a team — culture does. And this one is built to win.