No. 4 Paradise Honors upsets No. 1 Salpointe Catholic in 4A semifinals

Paradise Honors advances to 4A state title game after 56-54 victory over Salpointe Catholic

Published on Mar. 4, 2026

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No. 4 Surprise Paradise Honors upset host No. 1 Salpointe Catholic 56-54 on Tuesday night, advancing to the finals in the 4A state tournament. Paradise Honors will play No. 6 Gilbert Mesquite in the championship game on Thursday. Salpointe, which does not have a senior, finished its season 28-5, achieving the most wins in a season in program history.

Why it matters

This upset highlights the competitive nature of the 4A state tournament, with lower-seeded teams like Paradise Honors knocking off top contenders like Salpointe Catholic. The game also showcases the depth of talent in Arizona high school basketball, with young players like Salpointe's underclassmen making major contributions.

The details

Paradise Honors jumped out to an early 6-1 lead, but Salpointe battled back to make it a close game throughout. The Lancers were without starting junior forward Aryanna Kollasch, who was injured in the previous game. In the fourth quarter, Salpointe freshmen Erin Even and Kayla Del Rio made key plays to tie the game, but Paradise Honors was able to make enough stops and control the boards in the final minutes to secure the victory.

  • The game took place on Tuesday, March 4, 2026.
  • The 4A state championship game is scheduled for Thursday, March 6, 2026 at 6 p.m.

The players

Paradise Honors

The No. 4 seed in the 4A state tournament, Paradise Honors upset the top-seeded Salpointe Catholic to advance to the championship game.

Salpointe Catholic

The No. 1 seed in the 4A state tournament, Salpointe Catholic finished its season 28-5, achieving the most wins in a season in program history.

Aryanna Kollasch

Salpointe Catholic's starting junior forward, who averaged 9.7 points and 5.2 rebounds per game this season, was injured and missed the semifinal game.

Abuk Lual

Salpointe Catholic's 6-foot-4 sophomore center, who had 10 points, 12 rebounds and two blocked shots in the game, recorded seven double-doubles this season.

Erin Even

A freshman guard for Salpointe Catholic, she scored a team-high 15 points, including a key 3-pointer to tie the game late.

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What they’re saying

“This season, we started off with a young team. We've accomplished a lot, but we need to learn to stay calm and composed even in games like this.”

— Abuk Lual, Salpointe Catholic sophomore center (allsportstucson.com)

What’s next

The 4A state championship game between Paradise Honors and Gilbert Mesquite is scheduled for Thursday, March 6, 2026 at 6 p.m. at Phoenix's Veterans Memorial Coliseum.

The takeaway

This semifinal matchup showcases the depth of talent in Arizona high school basketball, with young players like Salpointe's underclassmen making major contributions. Despite the loss, Salpointe's historic season demonstrates the program's bright future as it continues to develop its talented roster.