Style points isn’t what Pima was after.

It was that dang elusive gold ball.

After seven state semifinal exits in the previous eight years, Pima is finally a champ, 39 years after it hoisted the 2A basketball trophy the last time. Despite its semifinals setbacks, the program didn’t stray from its grind-it-out defensive approach under veteran coach Cliff Thompson.

It wore down Highland Prep in Saturday’s 2A final at Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum to win 47-37

“That’s what we do,” Thompson said. “It’s not going to be pretty most of the time. Although to us it is.”

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder after all.

As for history, it’ll be kind to Pima, which became the first 2A public school to win a basketball crown in 25 years. It did so with a tall, close-knit and multi talented lineup.

That height advantage allowed 26-3 Pima to outrebound Highland Prep 45-31 and outscore it 30-12 in the paint. Two of those bigs, twins Grand and Pierce Ashby, each had eight rebounds and a combined 18 points.

The Ashby brothers, Pierce (far left), Grant (middle) and Clark, helped Pima come home with the gold ball Saturday. (Photo by Jose Garcia/azpreps365) 

Teammate Garrett Curtis finished with nine boards and 11 points. Grant’s defense also helped limit Highland Prep’s leading scorer, Presley Ibeh, to only 10 points.

Grant and his brother were their region’s Co-Defensive Players of the Year this season. In the third quarter, when Pima began pulling away, the 6-7 Pierce (five blocks) altered a shot that led to a transition basket by another Pima big man, 6-6 Seth Russell (10 points, 9 rebounds).

Highland Prep then called a timeout trailing 32-22 with 4:56 left in the third quarter. Most of Highland Prep’s offense was generated by junior Kohen Hill (game-high 23 points).

It lost, but 23-7 Highland Prep should also receive kudos after reaching its first final in only its second year of varsity ball with the Arizona Interscholastic Association.

The 2023 Highland Prep Honey Badgers quickly rose to prominence. (Photo by Jose Garcia/azpreps365)

“I feel good where the program is going,” Highland Prep coach Trent Hill said. “I feel good where the kids are at. But we still don’t have that championship culture like a Valley Christian. I played against them this year. I just love the (swagger) of Valley Christian. We have to try to get there. But we are on that path.”

With the girls basketball team reaching a final and its football team also winning a title in the fall, it’s been a special school year for Pima so far. Eleven of Pima’s 14 basketball players also played football.

But the school year isn’t over. With a strong senior class, can Pima go for the trifecta and bring home a baseball title this year?

“Yeah,” said Pima guard/baseball player Coy Miller. “We should have a chance. Our whole team is returning. We were top-10 last year. We can make a run this year.”

See you in the spring.