By Don Ketchum

The visiting team, wearing blue, gathered one last time before taking the court. They all reached one arm in and yelled, “Our house!’’

It indeed was Phoenix Arcadia’s house. The team was sitting to the right of the scorer’s table instead of its traditional left. But the result was the same as it has been for most of the season.

Arcadia jumped out to a 12-0 lead, led 17-2 after the first quarter and never looked back, rolling to a 48-27 victory over Scottsdale Saguaro in Wednesday night’s (Dec. 28) championship game of the Lady Titan Winter Hoops Classic.

“It was definitely a different vibe at first,’’ said Arcadia coach Ives Machiz. “But it was the same feeling of wanting to win. The girls had the midset that it was their (championship) trophy to get.’’

Senior Gabrielle Evans drilled a 3-pointer for the first points of the game, and the race was on. She had seven points in the first quarter and finished with a game-high 15.

Three other players scored in double figures for the Titans (15-1). Junior Taylor Steger had 11 and senior Megan Gillespie and junior Kylie Herd had 10 each.

Saguaro (11-4) was led by sophomore Casey Rarrick, who had 11 points.

The Sabercats made an abbreviated run that closed the gap to 10 points late in the first half, but could get no closer.

“Hats off to Saguaro. They are a good team and we knew they would make a run at us,’’ Machiz said. “It was a game of making runs for both teams.’’

What is in store for Arcadia in 2012?

“We need to keep working on things and stay focused on the idea that we need to worry about us to be successful, not so much the other team,’’ Machiz said.