Flagstaff, Coconino Make Elite Eight Of The 4A State Girls Basketball Tournament With Wins Tuesday

Both the Flagstaff Eagles and Coconino Panthers advanced to the quarterfinals of the 4A Girls State Basketball Tournament with first round wins Tuesday night. Gracelyn Nez scored 25 points, 22 in the final three quarters, to lead the sixth-seeded Flagstaff Eagles to a 71-39 win over 11th-seeded American Leadership Academy Queen Creek in a first round game at home. Melinda Calnimptewa scored 17 points and hit five, three pointers to help the Eagles advance. Morgan Christensen led the Patriots with 22 points. The Eagles will take on third-seeded Tucson Sahauro, in Tucson Friday night. The Cougars beat Thunderbird 58-43 Tuesday. It was a back and forth battle but the ninth-seeded Coconino Panthers beat eighth-seeded Estrella Foothills 52-49 on the road in a first round game. The Panthers now advance to face top-seeded Seton Catholic, who beat Paradise Honors in the first round, 68-33.