Staff Reports
WINSLOW — The Pima Roughriders girls basketball team’s spirited march through the 2026 AIA Arizona Copper Division playoffs came to a halt Saturday evening, Feb. 21, as the No. 3-seeded Roughriders fell 51-73 to No. 2 Tuba City at Winslow High School in the state semifinals.
The roughly 3,000-seat arena was filled to capacity, with about 95 percent of the crowd cheering loudly for Tuba City.
Pima finished the season at 25-5, a remarkable campaign that included a strong 6-1 region record and the program’s deepest playoff push in the Copper Division in recent memory. But the Lady Warriors (27-3), riding a 20-game winning streak entering the contest, proved too much in the “neutral site” showdown, advancing to face No. 1 Snowflake in the Copper championship on Feb. 28 at the Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Phoenix.
The Roughriders’ journey began with authority in the opening round. On Feb. 11 at home, Pima dispatched No. 14 Alchesay 58-43 behind a dominant family performance from the Ashby trio. Page Ashby poured in 11 points with early three-pointers and put-backs, Taylor Ashby added 11 more — including two corner threes that had the home crowd chanting “Trey Trey!”—and cousin Hanna Ashby contributed 10 points, plus multiple assists, steals, and coast-to-coast drives. Morgan Russell led all scorers with a game-high 12 points while anchoring the paint with blocks and transition assists. Macy Allred chipped in 7, Cheyanne Alder 3, and Jacey Tilley 4 as Pima connected on five three-pointers.
Three days later, in the quarterfinals at Safford’s Norma Bellamy Gymnasium, the Roughriders rallied past No. 6 Window Rock 48-42 in a thriller. Hanna Ashby led the way with 14 points, showcasing elite ball-handling against the press, key drives, blocks, and assists. Cheyanne Alder drained three timely three-pointers for 12 points, including a contested bomb that sparked a decisive run. Morgan Russell added 9 points and crucial rebounds, including a put-back and-and-1, while Macy Allred and Taylor Ashby each scored 5 and 4, respectively. Page Ashby contributed 4 points and key screens. Defensively, Pima held Window Rock scoreless for nearly five minutes in the fourth quarter to seal the victory. Window Rock was paced by Kourtney Bitselley’s game-high 16 points and Tiana Edison’s 12.
In the semifinals, however, Tuba City’s balanced, relentless attack overwhelmed Pima. The Lady Warriors posted 73 points on 15 assists and 35 rebounds, showcasing both sharpshooting and interior dominance. Freshman sensation Layla Curtis — already a 500-point scorer this season and the catalyst for Tuba City’s 3A North title run — continued her playoff dominance after dropping 23 points in the regional final and 21 against St. Johns in the quarterfinals. Senior forward Aubrey Begaye, a physical presence who added 15 points in the St. Johns win, provided veteran leadership and interior scoring.
Pima battled throughout, with the Ashby clan, Russell, Alder, and the rest of the roster refusing to yield. Hanna Ashby, Morgan Russell, and Cheyanne Alder once again shouldered much of the offensive load, but Tuba City’s defensive pressure and transition game created separation in the second half. The Roughriders’ season-long strengths — gritty rebounding, timely threes, and family chemistry on the floor — were on display, yet the Warriors’ depth and experience at the state level proved decisive.
Pima head coach Roy Corona expressed pride in his team’s resilience after the game, noting the group’s growth from a 12-1 stretch down the regular season into a playoff run that will be remembered for years. For Tuba City, the victory sets up a marquee Copper final against Snowflake, whose own stars Josie Clare and Ranell West powered them past the opposite bracket.
The Roughriders’ 2025-26 season ends with heads held high. A program that entered the playoffs as one of Arizona’s top 2A teams exits having proven it belongs among the state’s elite small-school squads.
For seniors Alana Apodaca, Macy Allred, and Maddi Dwyer, it was a good run. With key contributors like the Ashby trio (Hanna a junior, Taylor a freshman, Page contributing as well) and Morgan Russell returning or developing, Pima’s future in Copper Division contention remains bright.
