(TUCSON, Ariz.) No. 9 Gilbert Christian went on the road and delivered a statement win in the opening round of the AIA 3A Boys Basketball State Tournament, knocking off No. 8 Pusch Ridge 55-43 in Tucson.

The Knights faced early adversity, trailing 8-2 after the first quarter, but responded with a dominant second-period surge. GCHS outscored the Lions 23-9 in the period, flipping the momentum and taking control heading into the break. From there, the Knights edged Pusch Ridge in the third, holding on in an evenly played second half to secure the double-digit victory.

Senior sharpshooter Taylor Abrahamson and freshman Jacob Jensen led the offensive effort with 12 points apiece. Jensen also paced the Knights on the glass with seven rebounds.

Freshmen Hudson Noll and Trey Cicerelli provided a strong supporting presence, adding nine and eight points, respectively, while sophomore Huck Lang chipped in six. Lang went 2-for-2 from behind the arc in the affair. 

Ball movement and disciplined play proved key, as Abrahamson, senior Kamari Stansbury, and Cicerelli each recorded three assists. Stansbury, named the 3A Metro Region Defensive Player of the Year, anchored the defensive effort with three steals.

Gilbert Christian drained ten 3-pointers in the contest. 

With the win, Gilbert Christian improves to 13-8 on the season and advances to the state quarterfinals, where the Knights will face No. 1 Palo Verde Magnet on Friday evening at 7:00PM back in Tucson.