Victoria Cazares of Pueblo (30) reaches out for a loose ball against the Flagstaff Eagles during the 2023 Class 4A state high school girl’s basketball championship game Thursday, March 2, 2023, at Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum.

 Patrick Breen, The Arizona Republic

PHOENIX β€” Despite the jitters playing before a big crowd in a historic arena. Despite the pesky Flagstaff defense and timely shooting. Despite it all, Pueblo was still within one possession of the elusive trophy.

β€œIt’s still a trophy,” Pueblo coach Izzy Galindo said after the No. 4 Warriors came up short, 68-65, on Thursday night in the Class 4A state girls high school basketball championship game at Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum.

β€œWe weren’t even supposed to be here,” Galindo said. β€œAnd we are here. It was good for our school, for our team, for our community, for our city. We were the last team in.”

Just as it had in Tuesday’s semifinal comeback win over top-seed Gilbert Mesquite, Pueblo (23-8) hustled all night to stay close. The Warriors played from behind from the outset but were within a point at 66-65 after Sara Galindo’s free throws with six seconds left.

β€œThe only thing is we started off nervous. You could tell in the first half,” Galindo said. β€œIn the second half, we were fighting back, and every time we caught up, they hit a shot. First half, jitters, nerves β€” whatever it was. Other than that we showed what we can do.”

Morning Honani hit a pair of free throws after Victoria Cazares fouled her to stop the clock with 4.8 seconds left for what ended up being the final margin for No. 2 Flagstaff.

Head coach Ismael Galindo gathers his Pueblo Warriors at center court after their 68-65 loss to the Flagstaff Eagles in the 2023 Class 4A state high school girl’s basketball championship game Thursday, March 2, 2023, at Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum.

Cazares went the length of the floor on the ensuing in-bounds play but was called for double dribble as she was double teamed about 25 feet from the basket in the final seconds.

β€œI feel like everyone was just nervous and scared because of the big crowd and everything,” the senior leader said. β€œBut once we got into the game, it was just a matter of who scored the most.”

Pueblo has come up short in both of its championship game appearances, losing to Chandler Seton Catholic in 2018. Flagstaff lost in the title game a year ago to Salpointe Catholic but won a β€œsplit” 4A title in 1992 when it won the winter championship (some schools played girls basketball in winter and some in the spring until 1993).

β€œJust the whole experience,” said a teary Cazares about ending her competitive career. β€œMaking it to the championship, and playing with my sister.”

Flagstaff (26-6) led 62-55 and then 64-60 with 1:50 to play after Unique Begishie followed an Eagle miss under the basket. America Cazares’ offensive rebound and bucket with 33 seconds left brought the score to 66-63. Victoria Cazares fouled 5-10 freshman phenom Bella Burcar, who missed the front end of a one-and-one with 16.9 seconds left. Burcar, daughter of Northern Arizona University basketball coach Shane Burcar, led the Eagles with 19 points and 11 rebounds.

Victoria Cazares led all scorers with 27 points, adding four steals in her final high school game. Freshman sister America Cazares added 18 points, five rebounds and a blocked shot.

Pueblo’s Victoria Cazares (30) shoots the ball while being fouled by Flagstaff’s Shandiin Lancaster (23) during the 2023 Class 4A state high school girl’s basketball championship game Thursday, March 2, 2023, at Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum.

Flagstaff led by as many as 10 early in the second half but the Cazares sisters sparked a 6-0 run to get the score to 38-37 in favor of Flagstaff with 2:41 left in the third. In the fourth, the Warriors ran off nine straight, capped by America Cazares’ 3-pointer to tie it at 52 with 5:21 remaining.

β€œI told them they have nothing to be sad about,” said Galindo, who also coached the Warriors in the 2018 state title game. β€œWe did what we had to do. We took it to them.”

Pueblo lost in the opening round of the open tournament to Salpointe, while Flagstaff lost in the second round, dropping both into the 4A bracket.

Pueblo’s 4A playoff run began Feb. 15 with a 53-29 home win over No. 13 Surprise Paradise Honors. The Warriors then defeated No. 5 Sahuaro 57-50 on Feb. 21, also at home. Pueblo next hit the road where it defeated No. 1 Mesquite in Gilbert Tuesday night, 52-48, before Thursday’s appearance at the Coliseum.

When all was said and done, Pueblo was the last Tucson-area team β€” boys or girls, at any level β€” to complete its high school basketball season.

β€œThe funny thing is in 2018 I said we would be back, and we’re back,” Galindo said. β€œI’ll say it again: We will be back.”

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