AIA 6A playoffs: Dobson with 8 Diné girls take second

PHOENIX

It was clear from the get-go that Saturday’s 6A girls championship game would be physical.

The Dobson Lady Mustangs, a team with eight Navajo girls, were outsized, but it made the Valley Vista Monsoons earn the state title.

Valley Vista got the go-ahead basket from Olivia Arvallo with 14.6 seconds left to secure a 48-46 win, earning its sixth state crown in the last seven years.

“Their size was a problem for us,” Dobson head coach Henry Bribiescas said. “I thought we were able to neutralize them in the first half, and when they went on that run, they used their size.”

With its length, the Monsoons pounded the ball inside and opened the third quarter on a 13-2 run, which included three attempts at an and-1 opportunity for a 33-25 cushion.

“They were getting the ball inside, which we couldn’t stop,” Bribiescas said. “Their little guard was crafty, and they hit some shots.”

The Mustangs closed that eight-point gap to 33-30 behind a 5-0 run from junior Ahdiayh Chee. With 1:41 left, she scored on a putback, and with time running out, she nailed a buzzer-beating 3 heading into the fourth.

“We’re known for our defense, and our defense is fast,” Chee said. “Our defense is what brought us back, and we were able to stick with them.

“Their bigs were tall, but we have the athletic ability to be faster than them,” she said, “so I think our speed helps us out in the long run.”

The Monsoons pushed its lead to seven points in the fourth. Still, tempers boiled over that resulted in Valley Vista post Emma Dasovich picking up two consecutive fouls, which included a technical for elbowing Chee.

Chee’s four free throws pulled Dobson within 42-41 with 3:36 left in the game.

After a basket by Arvallo, Dobson senior Aaliyah Garcia put in five of her 15 points that tied the game at 46-all with 21.6 seconds left.

The Valley Vista guard then hit her game-winning bucket as Dobson called a timeout to design a play.

That final play did not materialize as the Mustangs had a costly turnover giving Valley Vista the state title.

“We were trying to look for a high ball screen for Garcia,” Bribiescas said. “She’s our best penetrator, and we wanted to get the ball to Chee for a either a 3 or the best shot we could get possible. We lost the ball, and that hurt us.”

Chee led Dobson with 17 points, while Garcia chipped in 15.

“That’s our 1-2 punch,” Bribiescas said. “Garcia is resilient, and she gets us going. She’s our motor, and she’s our best defensive player.

“Chee is right up there with her,” he added. “She can put the ball in from anywhere.”

Garcia said they came into the championship game as the underdogs.

“Look at our size,” she said. “We’re all under 5-foot-10, and we played against the three-time defending state champs, and they definitely took advantage of their size.

“We gave them a good game,” she added.

The Diné point guard said having eight Navajos on the squad made them that much closer. The rest of the Navajo members include Jaziah Billey, Amya Malone, Aliana Garcia, Shaylin Williams, Shaylee Peshlakai, and Philyndra Brown.

“We all talk on and off the court, and we all hang out,” said Garcia, who has roots in the Tohatchi area. “As Natives, we just stick around each other. We definitely have a sisterhood, and we’re going to continue to be sisters and continue to support each other.”

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