The stage was set for an exciting contest for this year's 5A State Championship game between the two top teams in the division, #1 seed Ironwood High School and #2 seed Casteel High School. Both programs have had excellent high school seasons this year, although Ironwood came into the game as the favorite, after posting an impressive 26-3 overall record on the season. Highly successful veteran Head Coach Jordan Augustine and his experienced staff have been here and won it before, so confidence on the Ironwood side of things was riding high, while Casteel (23-6) was looking to win their first ever state title in the program's fourth year of varsity basketball.
This was also a rematch of an earlier season match-up between these two teams - a game which was won by Ironwood, 62-54. Casteel would look to avenge the earlier season loss, and also do something their program has never done, win a state championship. Ironwood had previously won the 5A State Championship in 2020, when they defeated then #1 ranked Millennium High School, 78-70. This time around, Ironwood would be the #1 ranked team coming into the game, and they would also possess the game's best player - 6-foot-3 gifted senior guard Noah Gifft (Embry Riddle signee). Gifft has developed right before our eyes over the past (4) seasons, as he has turned in a storied high school career at Ironwood. A 5A State Championship would definitely become icing on the cake for Gifft.
Gifft would get right down to business in this contest, as he would knock down back-to-back three-pointers and score his team's first (9) points in the contest. It would be a low-scoring affair in the first period, and ultimately the game, as Ironwood, behind Gifft's scoring outburst, would lead Casteel 9-7 after the first quarter.
In the second period, Ironwood would get it going behind consecutive three-pointers from 5-foot-9 junior guard I'yar Shadowvine and 6-foot-1 senior guard Blake Carrabio. After a strong driving layup and a foul by Shadowvine, which turned into a 3-point play, Ironwood would take a 18-10 lead with 6:20 to play in the first half. Then Noah Gifft would knock down a long three-pointer from the wing to put Ironwood ahead 21-12 with 5:08 remaining.
Casteel would remain tough though behind the defense of talented 6-foot-5 junior Amare King. After a basket by King and then a driving basket in the lane by 6-foot-2 senior Aidan Schmidt, Casteel would narrow the Ironwood lead to 2 points, 21-19 with 1:45 left to play in the first half. But Ironwood would finish out the first half very strong, after a three-point play from 6-foot-3 sophomore Cayden Whetsel, and then an impressive length of the court driving layup at the buzzer from I'yar Shadowvine. Ironwood would take a low-scoring 26-21 lead into halftime.
The third period would kick off almost instantly with a three-pointer from Noah Gifft from the wing, which would put Ironwood ahead 29-21, and also give Ironwood serious momentum in the game. With 4:55 left to play in the third, Gifft would knock down yet another three-pointer , this time from 30+ feet, to push Ironwood ahead 35-25, their biggest lead of the game. On the next possession, Shadowvine would connect on a three-pointer. Ironwood would finish the third period with a 38-27 lead.
In the fourth period, the game would blow wide open for Ironwood, after a strong driving layup and 3-point play from 6-foot-1 senior guard Jadden Jones. The three-point play would give Ironwood a 41-27 lead. With 2:45 left to play in the period, Gifft would score on a driving layup to push Ironwood ahead 53-30. In such a low-scoring affair, this advantage would be too much for Casteel to overcome, as Ironwood would win the 5A State Championship.
Noah Gifft would finish the game with a game-high 21 points in the victory - capping off an excellent high school career for himself and winning a state championship. I have spoken all year about how much I like Gifft as a college prospect and feel he is one of the most underrated prospects in the West. This state title and the manner in which he did it in his senior season, only proves that.
For Head Coach Jordan Augustine, this is only another example of the amazing job he has done as a Head Coach over the Ironwood basketball program. Augustine has built a consistent winning program in an area that lacks much growth. Augustine is one of the best in the business and I want to extend a congratulations to him and his staff from our Arizona Preps' staff.
Casteel High School will be back next season, as the program has a lot of young talent. Led also by longtime successful Head Coach Aaron Windler and his talented staff has a promising future ahead.