This year’s Martin Luther King Basketball Classic at Well Fargo Arena in January culminated in a pair of thrilling boys and girls games that put the icing on a great day of basketball.

Mesa Dobson and Tempe Corona del Sol showcased their girls teams in the 1 o’clock opener, with Dobson getting the first win of the day, 68-43. Boys’ games followed, with Gilbert Mesquite using its size advantage for a 64-44 victory in the second game, and 5A defending champion Mesa Mountain View used a 11-3 run during the final minutes to win over No. 3 Desert Vista, 58-53, and avenge a December loss.

By evening, the stage was set for another edition of the age-old rivalry between Brophy and St. Mary’s. A large and loud crowd watched St. Mary’s guard, Jerryd Bayless, score 49 points in a losing effort, as the Broncos held on to pull out a 79-76 win.

The St. Mary’s girls took over for the final game in a match-up between the No. 1 ranked St. Mary’s and No. 2 ranked Mesa Red Mountain. The Mountain Lions overcame an early 14-1 deficit to squeeze out an exciting down-to-the-wire 55-53 win.