Jon Johnson Photo/Gila Herald: The recently refreshed “Welcome to Pima” billboard on the east side of town has been updated to honor its back-to-back 2A State Championship women’s basketball teams.
By Jon Johnson
PIMA – Those traveling west on US Highway 70 via Pima will have no doubt who currently holds state bragging rights for 2A women’s basketball.
The Pima Girls basketball team was memorialized on a “Welcome to Pima” billboard in recognition of their back-to-back 2A Girls State Basketball Championships in 2021 and 2022.
The “Welcome to Pima” billboards were originally installed/updated in 2005 on the east and west sides of the city, then given a facelift in 2014 while being sponsored by local businesses.
The team photo is located on the billboard on the east side of town, while the billboard on the west side of town is still the same but in better condition than its twin.
Pima has won its last two championships defeating Sedona Red Rock each time. In 2021, the Roughriders lost 1 in overtime when Aubrie Sherwood hit a 3-pointer off the sidelines with literally a tenth of a second on the clock to snatch the win, 50-48.
The teams met again in 2022, with the result once again coming down to the wire. Sedona’s stunning sophomore Rachel Roderick – Central Region 2A Player of the Year – grabbed a rebound with just seconds left in the game and took the rock coast to coast. With about 6 seconds remaining, she ran into Saydee Allred – the 2A East Region Player of the Year – who was just about defending the free throw line. Roderick lost a high dribble and Allred gave the ball to teammate Ashlynn Chlarson, who then passed it back to Allred. The senior guard walked to the court while watching the clock go down to zero and began to celebrate as Pima repeated as the 2A State Girls Basketball Champions, 38-36 against Sedona Red Rock.
The City of Pima and the Pima Booster Club sponsored the banner and it was installed by Frecklebarn. The Roughriders are coached by Roy Corona, with assistant coaches David Allred and Stephanie Hoopes.
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