The Valley Christian Trojan Boys Basketball team made history with their 3-peat 3A state championship title this past month. The undefeated Valley Christian boys basketball team took home their third consecutive 3A state title on Saturday, February 24th, making this the first boys basketball team to complete the 3-Peat attempt in school history. Two other teams in school history had attempted it, the 03-04 team tried after winning in 01-02 and 02-03, and the 07-08 team after taking home victories in 05-06 and 06-07, but neither could make it happen. The 23-24 team sealed the deal and was able to make history for Valley Christian Schools.  

This year's victory was the 9th state championship for the Valley Christian boys basketball program as a whole. As this is the school's 9th title, this was also Coach Haagsma's 9th state title as a the VC Head Boys Basketball Coach, making him the coach with the most boys basketball state titles in the state of Arizona – legendary.  

The boys started their playoffs on their home court on Saturday, February 17th and competed against the Florence Gophers. The Trojans' 96-59 victory was the start of the journey to their 3-peat championship. They then made their way up to Prescott on Tuesday, February 20th and played against Sabino at the Findlay Toyota Center. They came out on top once again with a 92-60 win.

 Caleb Danzeisen taking a break during the state basketball game. (Candace Hunsaker/AZPreps365)

Junior Caleb Danzeisen said, "It was a cool experience being up in a new stadium. It was a good game playing against Sabino and we expected to win by a lot. The only downside was that not a lot of fans were able to come support the team."  

That same day there was a battle between ALA Ironwood and Thatcher to compete against the Trojans in the semifinals. The Warriors got the victory against the Eagles, advancing to play the Trojans in the semis. On Friday, February 23rd the semifinal matchup took place, where the Valley Christian Trojans competed against ALA Ironwood in the Arizona Veteran's Memorial Coliseum. This game had a thrilling environment as it was filled with nerves and excitement for both the players and the fans. The Warriors came to fight as they had lost twice during the regular season to the Trojans. ALA Ironwood led the first half of the game, keeping Valley Christian on their toes. The Trojans were down 23-37 at halftime. The boys came back after halftime eager to get the victory. 
Carson Grier taking the ball down the court. (Candace Hunsaker/AZPreps365)

Junior Carson Grier said, "We were down at halftime and we needed to have more energy on defense. We definitely came out more energetic, ran around more, and got some steals which led to our offense coming back. The Warriors only scored five points in the third quarter."

The Trojans pulled through, played their game, and ended with a 61-57 victory over the Warriors. While this was a close and nerve-racking game, the boys never gave up and fought hard to the end.

Austin Wallace looking to pass to his teammates. (Candace Hunsaker/AZPreps365)

Senior Austin Wallace said, "We never put our heads down and we just kept playing. We knew we could still win because we've been in that same situation before. We had to stick to our game plan, make some revaluations at halftime, and go out and win the game."  

The next night the Valley Christian Trojans headed into the State Championship game competing against the Gilbert Christian Knights. Not only was this a big game because it was the state championship, but it was filled with lots of rivalry as Gilbert Christian and Valley Christian have had a long history of competing as two Christian schools. The championship game was held on Saturday, February 24th at 6:30 pm at the Arizona Veteran's Memorial Coliseum. This game was once again thrilling and nerve-racking for the players and everyone watching. The game started out going back and forth with a really tight score. The Knights were up 42-37 at halftime. After the break, the boys came out with determination and confidence and led the score the rest of the game. The final score was 81-65 with a Trojan victory, resulting in their back-to-back-to-back state championship win.

Luke Shaw looking to score during the state championship game. (Candace Hunsaker/AZPreps365)

Senior standout Luke Shaw said, "it was great playing with this group of guys. It was fun to compete for a three-peat because it has never been done before."

This was an amazing win not only for the team but for the six seniors this season. These senior have played a significant role in creating such a strong team for the Trojans.

Jake Harrison ready to run a play in the state championship game. (Candace Hunsaker/AZPreps365)

Senior Jake Harrison shared, "it was one of the best moments of my entire life. Spending time with my teammates one last time in the locker room before the game is something I'll remember forever."  

The Trojans worked their hardest and played their best throughout this whole season. All of the team's hard work paid off as they finished undefeated and got the three-peat they had been working towards since last February.  

Congratulations and GO TROJANS!

The Trojans celebrating with the trophy after their win. (Candace Hunsaker/AZPreps365)