The queen of Arizona’s biggest high school girls basketball conference will remain on its throne for another year.

In a rematch of the last season’s 6A state championship, and their second meeting this year, No. 2 seed Surprise Valley Vista (17-1) repeated its 6A title in a 49-41 victory over top seed Chandler Hamilton (19-2) at Gilbert Mesquite High School on Saturday.

Valley Vista senior forward and Washington-commit Marisa Davis led all players posting 21 points,12 rebounds and added a steal.

Hamilton senior and Hampton-commit Amyah Reaves led her team with 18 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals, and had a game-high 7 turnovers. 

“We’re one of those teams that I think we’re very smart defensively,” Valley Vista head coach Rachel Matakas said. “We can adjust to anybody and adjust our strategy to what they do, which creates a lot of our offense. Or what we do on offense creates a lot because we watch their defense.”

Hamilton trailed the Monsoon for most of the championship game after the Huskies staged a sluggish offensive start, down 13-4 in the first quarter, and trailing at halftime 23-14.

The Huskies surged behind senior guards Vanessa Washington (8 points, 4 rebounds) and Reaves in the third quarter. Also, Hamilton gained momentum from Valley Vista commiting six turnovers in that period.

Hamilton tied with Valley Vista twice in the fourth at 29-29 at the 6:40 minute mark and 31-31 within a minute later. But Davis, junior forward Mikela Cooper (10 points, 7 rebounds, 1 block) and sophomore guard Olivia Arvallo (8 points) fought, getting to the free throw line and getting many crucial defensive rebounds in the game’s final four minutes to stave off Hamilton’s comeback. 

With about 20 seconds left and Valley Vista up by 10, and after Reaves fouled out, Hamilton head coach Trevor Neider conceded by taking out his three remaining seniors Roybal, Washington and power forward Raegan Farrington out of the game.

Hamilton’s seven seniors on its roster appeared in the three consecutive state championship games, including the team’s 6A title won in 2019.

“They are great group of kids on and off the court,” Neider said in a text message. “They are the culture of how things should be done at Hamilton. They have set the bar extremely high for future players and they will be greatly missed.”

This Monsoon team is different from the one that  faced Phoenix Xavier Prep in both’s team’s first game of the season on Jan. 20, which Valley Vista won.

Valley Vista dealt with an altered schedule, having to sit out for as long as nine days and eight days between their first, and third games, respectively in January and early Februay. Several of their opponents had COVID issues, causing those gaps and lack of continuity.

Plus, they didn’t have any formal team practices until that Jan.18, the same day the AIA overturned its decision to have a winter season.

In the previous regular season meeting between Valley Vista and Hamilton on Feb. 12, the Huskies beat the Monsoon at home, 41-33.

“We just needed time with each other, and what we were gonna do for our mantra for the season,” Matakas said. “And as we kept going, and we lost Jennah on Monday, and we played Hamilton on Friday. So, Hamilton didn’t see the real Valley (Vista). They got, like, a facade.”

Valley Vista’s offense struggled against the Huskies in that game, namely Reaves and Roybal, one of the state’s best backcourt tandems. Reaves dominated both ends of the floor as she produced 11 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists and 4 steals. Roybal had 12 points, hitting 4-of-6 on 3s.

Valley Vista lost half of its own one-two punch in junior guard Jennah Isai for that regular season matchup with Hamilton. The Monsoon’s most prolific player was sidelined for the remainder of the season after she had need surgery earlier that week.

Davis vowed after the game that she and Valley Vista would never lose again this season. 

Living up to her word, Valley Vista ended the season on a 13-game win streak.

“This win means a lot because, honestly, I’ve always had to do it with someone with me,” Davis said. “Like Jennah last year, my freshman when we won I had Taylor (Chavez, now playing at Oregon), and this means the most because I knew deep down inside I was able to step up as a leader and lead my team and we were able to win.”

Have tips for us? Reach the reporter at [email protected] or at 480-486-4721. Follow his Twitter @iam_DanaScott.

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