Chaparral's Maddie Vick (light uniform) defends Mesquite's Shaylee Gonzales (AzPreps365 photo)

Chaparral girls basketball coach Brian Porth doesn't like to use timeouts much. It seemed a couple times in the second half with defending champion Mesquite mounting runs that at least one breather would be in order. Not from Porth.

"I don't want them to see panic from me and I don't want them to panic," Porth said. "They were prepared for this game, and met the challenges all game."

Chaparral came out strongest by building a 14-point lead in the first half and staved off a more energized Mesquite a couple times in the second half to record a well-earned 63-55 victory in the 5A championship game at Wells Fargo Arena.

The victory gives Chaparral its first girls hoops title since 2001 and avenged a semifinal loss last year to Mesquite. Chaparral (26-5) i finished finished with 15 consecutive wins. Three of its losses were to Arizona schools. -- Seton, Pueblo and Gilbert. All state semifinalists or better. 

Mesquite (27-4) had its 15-game winning streak snapped and suffered its only loss this year to an Arizona opponent.  Mesquite played in its third title game in as many years, but settled for runner-up honors for the second time. The four-year careers of Shaylee Gonzales, Lindsey VanAllen, Natalie Weber and LonNae Johnson concluded, but not without a glossy record of 104 wins and 22 losses.

Chaparral got timely contributions from all its startrers and rarely used its bench. In the first half seniors Maddie Vick and Summer Menke carried the scoring load with 13 and 12 points, respectively. Chaparral led 34-20 at halftime. Vick tied for team-high honors with 17 with sophomore Anna Ostlie. Menke finished with 15.

In the second half Ostlie scored 11 of her 17 points and freshman Jess Finney all nine of her points.  As a team Chaparral shot 50 percent for the game and 45 percent from behind the arc. Mesquite could only connect on 30 percent of its shots. All that made for a tough recipe for Mesquite to handle.On the rebounding front, senior Brenna Doyle checked in with nine rebounds sharing the team lead for the night with Vick and Finney.

The biggest factor in the outcome was Chaparral taking away Mesquite's forte ,which is the transition game. The Firebirds committed just four turnovers in the first half -- Mesquite has been known to get four in a minute. Taking care of the ball was critical. 

"There were times in the first half we stood too much on defense," Mesquite coach Candice Gonzales said. "We missed a lot of layups early in the game and that hurt. We couldn't get some of those in the second half to drop. The second half was the Mesquite team I know. We were prepared. We knew what to do. But you can't get down 14 to a good team. It's very tough to come back."

 Mesquite rallied a couple of times in the third quarter cutting the 14-point deficit to six once and five as the third-period ended. Seniors and four-year starters Shaylee Gonzales and Lindsey VanAllen fueled the effort scoring 13 and 10 points, respectively, in the third quarter. Each was limited to five points in the first half.

In the final period a 3 by senior Hailey Walker (11 points) cut the lead to seven, but it was no go the rest of the way. Other than a three with four seconds leftt by VanAllen, Mesquite didn't score in the final 3:52.

 

The Chaparral girls won the 5A Conference title Tuesday at Wells Fargo Arena. Photo by Darin Sicurello/maxpreps.com