PHOENIX โ Before heading to Phoenix for the Class 3A boys basketball championship game on Thursday, Palo Verde High School boys basketball coach Anthony Smith brought his players to the school's main office.
There sat last year's runner-up trophy. As they stared at it, Smith said, "That's the wrong one, guys."
They headed home with the right one, after beating Coolidge 52-41 at Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum for the school's first state boys basketball title.
Palo Verde Titans' Loki Norris Van Der Zee celebrates his teamโs victory against the Coolidge Bears at the 3A state championship game at Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Phoenix on March 5, 2026.
Last year, the Titans lost to Pusch Ridge Christian in the 3A final. Before that, their only other state final appearance came in 4A in 2000, losing to Sahuaro.
Legends were going to be born, Smith told the players during their championship season run this year, which included a 54-43 win over Coolidge on Jan. 8.
This year's title game was played five days later than originally scheduled. The Arizona Interscholastic Association rescheduled it after Coolidge obtained a last-minute court injunction that allowed it to continue playing. They defeated Snowflake on Feb. 28 in a semifinal game, which also had been rescheduled.
Last week, all of Coolidge's athletic programs were placed on a one-year probation by the AIA after an investigation into complaints that spectators directed verbal taunts toward Chinle players in the Feb. 20 quarterfinal game at Coolidge. The probation bans all teams from postseason play for a year, but the AIA said it might revise the matter next month.
The injunction allowed the basketball team to continue playing but did not affect other sports programs.
"We kind of expected a strong game from Coolidge," Smith said. "Coach (David) Glasgow is a great coach. I expected everything from them. They were going to fight. They fought to get here, and rightfully so."
Palo Verde Titans' Kristian White dribbles against Coolidge Bears' Preston Dees during the 3A state championship game at Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Phoenix on March 5, 2026
The mid-afternoon game Thursday was no problem for the Titans.
"We talked about the difference between heroes and legends," Smith said. "Legends, they'll remember forever.
"We're the first to win, so, no matter how many more are won at the school, they will say we were the first."
The Palo Verde Titans celebrate their victory against the Coolidge Bears in the 3A state championship game at Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Phoenix on March 5, 2026.
Point guard Kameron Pippen took that to heart. He had five of his 10 points in the final minute when the Titans put the game away. He had five assists in the first three quarters and helped the Titans thwart a 10-0 run by Coolidge to start the second half that erased Palo Verde's 10-point lead.
"We just want to be legends now," Pippen said. "They'll talk about us. We've got the best coach in the world."
Smith turned forward Rashad Ortiz loose. He had nine of 19 points in the opening quarter, securing the game's MVP honors.
Palo Verde Titans' Rashad Ortiz goes for a layup against Coolidge Bears' Julian Escalante during the 3A state championship game at Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Phoenix on March 5, 2026.
"This was really big for us," Ortiz said. "It's amazing. My coach told me to take the ball hard to the basket, and that's what I did. I took it to heart."
