(Mark Adams)
AIR FORCE ACADEMY — What a way for the Holy Family girls basketball team to finish its run in Class 3A.
The Tigers, who move up to 4A next school year, capped off a string of six state titles in seven seasons on Saturday with a 52-45 victory over Pagosa Springs.
The Pirates made them work for it, however. They forced an uncharacteristic seven turnovers from Holy Family in the second quarter, allowing them to increase a 14-11 lead to 23-15 by the half.
The Tigers erased that lead by the end of the third, then retook it with a Lindsey Chavez 3-pointer 20 seconds into the fourth.
“(Coach Ron) Rossi said, ‘It’s not over (at halftime),’” sophomore point guard Katie Chavez said. “We did not want to give up.”
From there, Holy Family sealed the deal at the free throw line, converting 18 of 23 tries in the final quarter to edge away.
Key at the line was Katie Chavez. The sophomore point guard scored nine of her 15 points from the stripe
For Chavez, who struggled from the line in Friday’s semifinal win over Lamar, it was vindication.
“During our shootaround (Saturday) I worked on my form,” she said.
It paid off as she finished with 15 points.
“Without one of us playing strong, we’re not the best we can be,” Chavez said.
Equally effective was her sister Lindsey, who led all scorers with 19 points, 10 coming from the line.
Defense helped turn the tide for the Tigers in the second half.
“This is the best defensive team I’ve had,” Rossi said, which is saying something for a six-time title winner.
It was Holy Family’s second straight state title.
“Our philosophy las year was, Together we are better. This year, it’s, Together we are better, Part II,” Rossi said.
Katie Chavez was part of last year’s state title team as a freshman.
“It may be even sweeter this year,” she said of winning the gold ball emblematic of the state title.