Mesa High School gets pumped up before their game against Pinnacle High School during the MLK Classic at the Wells Fargo Arena in Tempe.

Laura Segall, For the Tribune

MAKING IT COUNT: Mesa High’s Aaron Fuller scores two of his 28 points Monday against Pinnacle during a game in the MLK Classic at Wells Fargo Arena.

Laura Segall, For the Tribune

Mesa High boys basketball coach Shane Burcar would have been as interested as the average fan to watch his forward, Aaron Fuller, do battle against Phoenix Pinnacle standout forward Taylor Rohde Monday afternoon.

“If I wasn’t coaching I’d be here to watch them for sure,” Burcar said after his Jackrabbits held off a late run by Pinnacle to post a 70-58 victory in the fifth annual Martin Luther King Classic at ASU’s Wells Fargo Arena. “But it’s teams that win basketball games. I thought we got a good team effort today.”

That Mesa did. Rohde, who is headed to ASU next fall, tallied a game-high 29 points and added 11 rebounds. Fuller, still uncommitted for college ball but pursued more and more every day by suitors, poured in 28 with 12 rebounds. The parts for Mesa added up to the whole victory.

Mesa (11-7) has now won its last four games in a row and each of its last seven wins have been by double-digits. Pinnacle (16-5) had a four-game winning streak end.

Fuller, a 6-foot-7 senior, scored 16 of his 28 in the first half. He made 7 of 11 shots from all over, including a dunk to open the second period that pushed Mesa’s lead to 16-5. The Jackrabbits’ lead reached its peak (26-11) late in the first half. From there, Pinnacle made periodic pushes at overtaking Mesa.

“I think the difference was our defense and the way we ran,” Fuller said. “We were taking quality shots. ... It was a big game not just for me, but everybody on our team. This was a statement game. It puts us on the map.”

Rohde’s day ended up big on the scoring end, but he started slow. He scored four points in the first quarter on 2 of 5 shooting from the field. He also was hampered by two fouls (both offensive) in the period. He ended up with nine points at the half. A 14-point outburst by Rohde that included two 3-pointers, helped Pinnacle even the game at 32-32 with 5:35 left in the third period.

Fuller’s supporting cast then helped Mesa regain control. Guard Ryan Salcedo, after a quiet first half with two points, hit two free throws to put Mesa ahead, 34-32. In the third, Salcedo scored eight of his 19 points and made a key defensive play that pushed the lead back to 10, as he blocked a shot, picked up the loose ball and fed Fuller for a layup that made it 46-36 Jackrabbits.

“Ryan had a nice second half,” Burcar said. “I thought it was big what Donte (Medder) did playing the entire last quarter with four fouls. Beau Gardner was the one defending Rohde. We only double-teamed a few times on him. I think Beau Gardner is one of the best post defenders in the state.”

Fuller picked up his fourth foul with 5:18 to go in the game, but a 59-47 Mesa lead seemed safe. Pinnacle forced three straight turnovers and scored six points in 30 seconds to cut the lead to 59-53. A 3-pointer by Pinnacle guard Xavier Cotton with 2:20 remaining pulled the Pioneers within 60-56. Fuller, who reentered after Pinnacle’s 6-0 run, scored six points in the Jackrabbits’ 10-2 finish.

Gardner added 11 points and Keelan Johnson eight for Mesa. Cotton scored 12 for Pinnacle and teammate Nuno Muandumba added 10.