High school basketball: Despite 4A championship loss, Sahuaro confident 'they'll be back' in title talk soon

To be sure, the Cougars did bring one back to Tucson from Phoenix, albeit the runner-up trophy and not the recognizable golden ball state title winners joyously thrust in the air at center court.

Despite leading by as many as six in the first half and battling back from down four with less than a minute to play in regulation to send Thursday’s state title tilt to overtime, fourth-seeded Sahuaro came up just short in its matchup with No. 3 Glendale Deer Valley. The Cougars ceded the 4A crown to the Skyhawks, 63-61, at Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum.

“Love these guys. They play so hard,” Henry said. “They’ve been finding a way to stick in games all season long.

“This whole playoff run has been so much fun,” he added. “This game has been exactly what the playoffs have been for. Every single game has come down to the wire. Unfortunately tonight, we just didn’t make the plays down the stretch that we have been.”

Sahuaro senior Nick Ponds, who made clutch shot after clutch play against Deer Valley — that included scoring the game-tying bucket with just seconds to go in the fourth quarter on a shuffling, off-balance leaning jumper — called losing Thursday “one of those moments where it stings, but you can’t be mad at it.”

Added Ponds: “We battled. Even though we were down four with a minute left, we still battled. That’s what this team is all about — never quitting. You make a mistake, you get back and you get a stop. And that’s why we made it so far.”

Talk this week of the long-proud Cougar program re-reaching Arizona’s high school hoops mountaintop centered on the connection the program’s current coach, a Sahuaro alum himself, and this year’s team have to legendary Cougars coach Dick McConnell and his multiple state-title-winning rosters.

Even in defeat Thursday, Henry, didn’t shy away from speaking in reverence toward the legacy McConnell created at Sahuaro, and his own desire to get the Cougars back to that peak.

“You know having coached with Coach McConnell and knowing the tradition that he sort of brought into what Sahuaro was – our slogan is “Sahuaro Basketball: Great tradition” — and to be part of that tradition now and to see how Sahuaro alumni have rallied around these guys,” Henry said. “Players from the ’70s, ’80s, ’90s all the way into the 2000s have been reaching out for the last couple of days supporting these guys. And it’s been fantastic to be part of the Sahuaro community.”

Thursday’s championship game itself started with a blur, as the Cougars and Skyhawks combined for 41 first-quarter points; Sahuaro led by three after one. But despite leading by six in the second quarter following a corner three by Jamal Ali — Ali had 11 points Thursday, all coming in the first half — Deer Valley (27-4) surged before halftime, taking a 35-33 lead into the break.

The Skyhawks led 48-45 after three, but it was Sahuaro (24-5) that won a sluggish fourth quarter; trailing 52-48 with less than a minute to play, the Cougars scored five of their eight total fourth-quarter points to knot things up and send the game to overtime. The shortened extra period consisted almost exclusively of Deer Valley forcing Sahuaro to try and play catchup, with the Skyhawks securing the title by a lone possession differential once the final buzzer wailed.

Ponds and sophomore Cisco Llamas paced Sahuaro scorers with 14 points apiece. Ponds also led Sahuaro with eight rebounds.

Deer Valley’s Travis Vasquez and Tyler Wenk each scored 13 for the Skyhawks, with Wenk and AJ Ajawin carding nine and eight rebounds, respectively.

While the championship game appearance was Sahuaro’s first since 2001 under McConnell, Thursday’s victory marked Deer Valley coach Jed Dunn’s own first title in his 17 years leading the Skyhawk program. Dunn had previously led Deer Valley to the title round three times without winning it all.

For Henry, Sahuaro’s bench boss the past 14 seasons, the drive to get back again sooner than later –and, of course, win it — is strong. The foundation is set, he said, although he’s sad his current seniors, like Ponds, won’t be on the floor to experience those expected riches.

“I feel for our seniors. They’ve put in so much work,” he said. “I feel for them, but I am ready to bring that junior, sophomore, freshman group back here next year. We’re ready to get back to work because this was a lot of fun and we want to be back here.”

Added Ponds: “You’ve got to be proud. First time we’ve been back (in a state final) in 23 years.

“But my boys back there, they’ll be back here next year. I’m not worried about that.”