ALBUQUERQUE — The embrace lasted only about a minute.

It was still far longer than it takes to change a life.

As Jenine and Justina Coriz, donning T-shirts with memorial pictures of Deshauna and Del Lynn Peshlakai, walked back toward their locker room following media interviews about their lopsided 62-42 win over Albuquerque Hope Christian in The Pit, Leona Chavez couldn't help but grab her daughters and give them a squeeze.

"It hit home big time," Chavez said, referring to the Friday car accident caused by a suspected drunken driver that took the lives of the Peshlakai sisters, a Newcomb High senior basketball player and a Class of 2008 Newcomb graduate.

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"You don't like passing up opportunities to hug them anymore."

The fatal accident occurred on Cerrillos Road in Santa Fe as the Peshlakai sisters and their parents were leaving Santa Fe Indian School, following a loss to the Lady Braves in the first round of the Class AAA Girls State Basketball Tournament.

The SFIS community and the Peshlakai family have embraced each other since.

Before and after Tuesday's game, the SFIS players welcomed into their locker room Shawn Begay, the 35-year-old brother of the Peshlakais. He led them in prayer.

"My sisters are now your sisters, too," Begay said while he and the SFIS players and coaches joined hands before the game. "You guys have been so good to us and to our family in this difficult time and I know they are watching you guys play and they want you to win.

"Please don't forget to tell those around you that you love them every chance you get."

The locker room emotions spilled onto The Pit floor when the Lady Braves (22-6), the tournament's second seed, erupted with a 23-4 first quarter, putting the seventh-seeded Lady Huskies (20-11) away before they even broke a sweat.

The lead grew to as many as 34 points by early in the fourth quarter and while Hope Christian cut the final score down to 20, the Lady Braves victory was never in doubt.

The win advances SFIS to a Thursday semifinal with No. 6 Lovington at 11:30 a.m. in The Pit.

The star of the show was Jenine Coriz, the junior point guard who toyed with the Lady Huskies throughout the night and poured in 24 points and eight assists.

"We can't take anything for granted," said Jenine Coriz. "We have to enjoy the moment and play the best we can every time out."

Jenine Coriz also admitted the death of the Peshlakais hit her hard as those basketball-playing sisters and teammates have the same age difference as the Coriz sisters.

For her part, Justina Coriz put on a show Tuesday as well.

The freshman sharpshooter drained all three of her 3-point attempts and scored nine points.

Forward Miranda Medina added 14 points and six rebounds in the game.

The Lady Braves' offense was set up throughout the night by their high-pressure defense that forced 27 turnovers, including 14 in the third quarter.

SFIS had a scoring run of 21-3 in the first quarter and a 19-0 run in the third.

"Playing basketball is just a release for them," said Cindy Roybal, SFIS head coach. "Getting on the floor and playing, that was the easy part ... I really think the spirit of the Peshlakai sisters were with them."

Contact Geoff Grammer at ggrammer@sfnewmexican.com.