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Tucson standout forward Brian Hill wanted no part in the Brendon Lavender show.

Lavender, a Mesa Mountain View combo-guard and UA basketball signee, wanted to use Monday's showdown against stumbling Tucson as his personal highlight tape — with a live television feed capturing the performance.

Instead it was Hill, Tucson's 6-foot-3-inch defensive specialist, who hounded Lavender all evening as the Badgers (13-7) snared center stage at McKale Center — shutting down a future Wildcat on his soon-to-be home court — en route to shocking the 5A-I defending state champion Toros 54-47.

Lavender finished with 17 points, six coming with the game already decided. He also hit 5 of 6 free throws, and all four of his field goals were three-pointers.

"I wanted to put on a show for the fans here, but I couldn't get comfortable with what (Tucson) was doing, sending guys at me from all over," said Lavender. "I was feeling the pressure just being here. Then (Tucson) put added pressure on top of that."

Hill, who had 11 points, said the Badgers' strategy involved more than containing Lavender. The object was to keep the ball away from Lavender.

"The thing we wanted to do on defense was to make it difficult for (Lavender) to even touch the ball," said Hill. "And when he did get it, we did anything we could to make it tough for him to do what he does."

● GIRLS: Flowing Wells 51, Sahuaro 23: Flowing Wells sprinted to a 23-5 lead early in the second quarter and for the third time in 24 days beat rival Sahuaro with ease.

The Caballeros (24-1) kept their poise while playing for first place in the 4A Kino Region. They are 6-0 in region play, thanks to a game-high 16 points by Azya Peoples.

Sahuaro is 20-1 against other teams but again failed to figure out the Cabs. The Cougars, 4-2 in the Kino, were led by Logan Hall's eight points.

● BOYS: Santa Rita 63, Palo Verde 52: Five Santa Rita players scored in double figures, led by Terrell Stoglin's 13 points, to maintain a firm hold on first place in the 4A Gila Region.

Stoglin, a UA recruit, was in charge of a fast-paced offense that fed off the Eagles' smothering defense and never allowed Palo Verde to make a real threat.

"They have the same athleticism that we do, but they don't play like a team as well as we do," said Stoglin, who recently was offered his first Division I scholarship by San Diego. "Everybody's confidence is really high right now."

Center Darnell Shumpert triggered the Eagles' defense with 10 blocks and narrowly missed a triple double. He added 10 points and nine rebounds.

Adam Hall and Daryl Littleton led Palo Verde with 15 points apiece.

● BOYS: Canyon del Oro 66, Catalina Foothills 50: CDO's Daniel Nicholas does not know how to define his position.

On the offensive end, the 6-4 Nicholas hovers near the perimeter. On defense, he is usually defending one of the opposition's big men down low.

Whatever you want to call him, he scored 24 points against Foothills, including nine points during a 16-6 run to open the game.

"Wherever they put me, that's where I am," said Nicholas. "It doesn't matter to me what I'm doing out there."

Charlie Spector had a four-point play to give CDO a 30-15 lead to start the second half and finished with 25 points.

● GIRLS: Salpointe Catholic 57, Ironwood Ridge 46: Melissa Stachovic's six third-quarter points helped break open a tight game and led Salpointe to a nonregion victory.

Stachovic had the hot hand in the second half, and her breakaway layup late in the third gave the Lancers a 37-27 lead. Stachovic scored 12 of her game-high 17 points after halftime.