Coolidge struck first. Senior Preston Dees opened the game with a layup on the Bears' first possession, briefly energizing the underdogs.
It didn't last long.
Peyton Lubash responded with three consecutive three-pointers — the third coming from just inside the logo across halfcourt — forcing a Coolidge timeout and instantly swinging momentum. The burst set the tone for the night and added to Lubash's growing national profile. He now has 121 made threes this season, tied for 8th in the nation and just five behind Scottsdale Christian's Huddy Novak (126) for the Arizona lead.
Coolidge regrouped out of the timeout and trimmed the deficit, closing the first quarter within striking distance at 19-15.
After both teams traded defensive stops to begin the second quarter, Jachin Reynolds delivered a momentum sequence — a block on one end followed by a layup on the other — igniting an 8-2 run that included a three from Jase Benjamin. The surge pushed the Roadrunner lead to 27-17 with six minutes remaining in the half.
The Bears continued to battle. Preston Dees finished a tough layup over Reynolds to cut the lead to 32-25, and a layup from his brother Porter Dees brought it to 33-27 with 3:00 left. But San Tan closed the half on a 7-3 run, with baskets from Benjamin and Kristo Jackson giving the Roadrunners a 40-30 halftime advantage.
San Tan's defense tightened to open the third quarter, allowing just two points in the first four minutes. With both Dees brothers dealing with foul trouble, the Roadrunners capitalized inside. Reynolds scored twice in the paint and Dylan Vargas added an offensive rebound put-back to stretch the lead to 48-32.
Freshman Turner Armstrong answered with a corner three to cut it to 48-37, but Lubash quickly responded with a pull-up three from the left wing. San Tan carried a 53-41 lead into the fourth quarter.
Coolidge made one last push early in the fourth. A layup from Porter Dees cut the deficit to 58-47, the closest the Bears would get in the final period.
San Tan answered immediately. Jackson attacked the rim for a driving layup, and moments later Lubash delivered a sharp pass to Tori Street for a layup that extended the lead to 60-47 with 3:48 remaining.
From there, the Roadrunner defense locked in. Multiple stops allowed San Tan to control tempo, manage the clock, and close out a 68-52 victory to advance to the AIA Copper semifinals.