ension filled the air as Monterey’s double-digit lead dwindled in the second half.

Frisco Memorial stormed back from a 15-point deficit, tying the game in the final minute. With time slipping away, Aaliyah Chavez didn’t hesitate.

The nation’s No. 1-ranked junior raced down the floor, finishing at the rim to put Monterey back on top. Moments later, Ambrosia "Bro Bro" Cole iced the game at the free-throw line, securing a 60-57 victory in the Class 5A Division II state semifinal Tuesday at the Mabee Athletic Complex.

Chavez, who finished with 20 points, was held scoreless in the third quarter but delivered when it mattered most. Cole added 15 points, including three clutch free throws in the final 20 seconds.

The Plainsmen (36-5) led 40-25 at halftime before Memorial (33-8) came roaring back with a 10-0 run to open the third quarter, holding Monterey to just six points in the period. Memorial briefly grabbed the lead in the fourth, but Chavez responded with one of her four three-pointers to shift momentum back in Monterey’s favor.

Now, for the first time since winning it all in 1981, Monterey is heading to the state championship. The Plainsmen will face Liberty Hill (36-4) at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Alamodome in San Antonio, a moment they’ve been chasing for years. After falling short in the regional final last season, Chavez and her teammates are ready to seize their long-awaited opportunity.