The Pima won the coveted 2A Boys’ Basketball State Championship on Saturday, wearing down the surprise Highland Preps with their size and defense en route to a 47-37 win at the Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
It was Pima’s first provincial title since 1984 and eleventh overall. At half-time, Stan his Smith team in 1973 was awarded the Pima Championship to mark his team’s 50th anniversary. This was the last of his five consecutive titles, a run that included his 75th consecutive win, which is still a state record.
But as more and more private and charter schools join the Arizona Interscholastic Association, especially in 2A, it’s become harder for public rural schools to top the title in recent years. In seven of his last eight years, Pima, a native of Graham County in southeastern Arizona, had just reached the state semifinals before failing to reach the finals after falling to private or charter.
The 1998 superior team, which went 27-0, was the last public school to win a 2A title before the Pima won the title on Saturday. That good team also celebrated his 25th anniversary at halftime.
This Pima team defeated the biggest, most determined and resilient team in 2A, moved the board, scored second chance points and left 6-foot-5 senior guard Grant Ashby on the offense. .
Ashby scored 12 points on 5-of-8 shooting, but it was twin brother Pierce’s defense against Highland Prep’s most athletic Presley Ibe that was key to the championship. Pierce, who is 6-7, blocked 5 shots and scored 3 steals for his Ashby. Grant Ashby recorded his two stolen bases.
“Their team as a whole is pretty good, so they had to play hardcore defense,” said Grant Ashby.
This Pima team is made up of senior citizens, most of whom were part of the Roughriders State Championship football team in the fall.
By the middle of the third quarter, however, Pima began to pull away from high and prep. High and Prep is the team that qualified for his AIA in his second year and his first State Championship appearance.
The Honey Badgers tied the score at 19 with guard Cohen Hill’s 3-pointer and jump shot with 6:28 left in the third quarter.
Grant Ashby, the football team’s wide receiver, scored on the drive. After Seth Russell followed up with a missed shot, Ashby hit his 3 to make him 26-19 and he had 2:21 left in the quarter.
Hill closed out 26-22 on 3, but again Pima dominated the offensive grass and Garrett Curtis scored on a second-chance basket to close out the quarter.
Hill led Highland Prep with 23 points. But the Badgers turned the ball over 21 times for him and outbounded 45-31. Roughriders’ Seth Russell and Garrett Curtis each had nine rebounds.
Pima shot just 29.8% of the Highland Prep games. Pima’s shot completion percentage saw him only 33.3%, but he scored 16 haste points and 10-second chances to score his points from turnovers.
Highland preparation coach Trent Hill said, “Their physicality, strength and maturity on the board bothered us.” The shots they used to get could be blocked from behind.They dominated the board.If you want to win a basketball game, you have to win the rebound.”
This has come a long way for Pima coach Cliff Thompson to finally retain the gold ball. He credited the final eight teams for helping the Roughriders get there.
“We were always there,” Thompson said. “I’ve had a lot of other schools say, ‘I’m rooting for you. I hope.”
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