Last year after the playoffs, Phoenix Country Day was red with some anger.

After the 2023 2A championship game, it was tickled pink.

Losing in the 2022 first round to Arizona Lutheran, a team PCD defeated twice during the 2021-22 regular season, gave PCD plenty of motivation to train and train and train during the offseason. All that hard work paid off Saturday with a 54-43 championship victory over two-time defending champ Pima at Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum.

To celebrate the occasion, PCD coach Sean Newland donned a pink colored hat that belongs to PCD's Kimi Cahoon. The hat only makes appearances after big victories, and Saturday's win certainly classifies as that. 

“I’m so proud of the girls and the way they played,” Newland said.

Leading just 26-23 after halftime, Newland’s well-conditioned group began to run away from Pima in the third quarter.

An Olivia Owens’ three and two pointer in the final minutes of the third quarter pushed PCD ahead 37-29. Owens (13 rebounds, 17 points) held her own in the low post against a taller opponent.

“In that third quarter (PCD) came out and just hit shots,” Pima coach Roy Corona said. “I tried to go to a 1-3-1 zone, but (Owens) hit a three and we went back to man. (PCD) is good. The No. 14 (Aila Kaibara) drove on us.”

Kaibara went 9 of 12 from the field for a team-high 22 points.

Her sister, Nara, one of only two seniors on her team, made some big threes in the tournament, including in the semifinals.

Sisters Nara Kaibara (left) and Aila played key roles in helping Phoenix Country Day bring home a gold ball. (Photo by Jose Garcia/azpreps365)

“It just feels great to come out and (win) it,” Nara said. “We always talk about wanting to do it. But sometimes we falter on that. But it was really a team win. It was so exciting for all of us to do it together.”

Nara and her teammates helped their top-seeded program finish with a 29-2 record and win its first state title since 2000, the last and only other time PCD had appeared in a title game.

PCD, the only 2A team to defeat Pima this year, started the game running and pressuring, allowing it take a 9-2 lead.

But Pima (27-3) has reached three consecutive title games for a reason. It turned the tables on PCD and starting pressing to help it climb back.

It also helps to have probably the best post player in 2A this season, Ashlynn Chlarson. Charlson and her team may have lost, but they have a lot to be proud of.

During its past three 2A seasons, Pima went 76-5 and reached three titles games. (Photo by Jose Garcia/azpreps365)

In her final high school game, Charlson had a game-high 29 points to go along with 13 rebounds.

“(Pima) is big and strong and physical,” Newland said. “Their press gave us some issues, and they went on the run. We got sped up, which is unusual for us. But we took a deep breath and made them pay in transition. The conditioning will be a factor at some point. And we kept grinding and grinding. It was just a matter of time.”

Phoenix Country Day won its first title in 23 years. (Photo by Jose Garcia/azpreps365)