ERIC NEWMAN Sun Sports Editor
What proved to be an historic season for the Flagstaff girls basketball team fell just one game short of ultimate glory Monday, as the No. 5 Eagles fell 65-48 to the No. 2 Salpointe Catholic Lancers in the 4A Conference title game in Phoenix.
In front of a Flagstaff-heavy group of supporters in the Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum, the Eagles played their typical, fast, scrappy style, but could not overcome the Lancers’ significant size advantage in the paint and on rebounds.
The Eagles fell behind by 17 points at halftime and fought back but could not score enough to overcome the deficit. With a roster that had a major height advantage at nearly every position, Salpointe Catholic out-rebounded the Eagles, 52-24, which meant that even on the best defensive possessions by Flagstaff, the Lancers would come away with second, third or more chances to increase the lead and keep the clock running.
“They’ve got a lot of athletes, they’re well coached and they’re quality basketball players. So in a situation like that we can’t afford to make those mistakes, some of the turnovers and stuff like that because they were going to capitalize. And ultimately that’s what they did,” coach Tyrone Johnson said.
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Johnson, in his first title game at the helm, said he was still proud of Flagstaff’s effort throughout the season, just to get to this point. And the experience of participating in the title game was memorable.
“It didn’t end how we wanted but you still enjoy the moment getting here. We had great crowd support. There were former players that flew in just to see the program, that’s awesome. This was an amazing experience,” he said.
The Eagles started hot, utilizing their energy and pace as it appeared both teams were still feeling the game out. Capitalizing on six steals that led to some easy transition baskets, they took a 9-7 lead in the first quarter. Sophomore Alyssa Harris had four of her 14 total points in the period, hitting a solid layup and knocking down a couple of free throws. She scored the second-highest total of the night, eclipsed only by senior Gracelyn Nez’s double-double of 22 points and 10 rebounds.
Nez, after leading the Eagles in this game and all season, reflected on her season after the title game.
“It was definitely a ride. It was a different team, a different atmosphere. You could tell because it was the only team that made it to the championship game. We got to the semifinals before but never over that little hump. We just couldn’t finish it,” Nez said.
The second quarter was all Lancers. After taking some time to adjust to the stage, they looked much more comfortable on the dribble and made far fewer mistakes in passes to the middle. They scored 23 points compared to Flagstaff’s four, leading 30-13 at the break.
Flagstaff went on another hot streak in the third quarter, cutting the lead to single digits momentarily, led mostly by scoring from Nez. She had 11 of her 22 points in the period. But the Lancers made their own run late in the quarter, continuing to dominate inside, and led 46-33 heading into the final period.
The Eagles continued to battle, shooting 3-pointers to try to cut back into the deficit quickly. But, holding a double-digit lead in a game with no shot clock, the Lancers slowed down the pace and played long possessions that ended with enough scoring to hold on. The clock kept running, and the Eagles had some solid scoring opportunities, but there simply was not enough time left to mount a significant comeback as the Lancers kept milking the clock.
“We didn’t give up, it just didn’t end how we wanted to,” Nez said.
The Eagles finished the season with a record of 19-3 (12-0 Grand Canyon) with a roster full of young girls. They won the Grand Canyon Region in dominant fashion, and also took first in both of their exhibition tournaments throughout the season. Three non-seniors, including Harris, played in the starting lineup, and many more were contributors with major minutes.
Johnson said that he has high hopes for Harris, who had a solid offensive game, moving forward.
“I think if you follow us you’ve seen glimpses of that all year, what type of athlete you can be. She’s going to be great for us,” he said.
The Eagles will return a large core of their girls in an attempt to get back to the title game next season. Replacing Nez will be a tall task, but Flagstaff appears in good shape for the future, despite a setback in the title game.
“They’re going to be good, next year, the year after that, always. Coach J always has a plan, and even when they graduate it will keep building,” Nez said.
“We’re definitely going to come back even hungry next year,” Harris added.
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