Story and Photos By Cedric Cobb
Section 7, one of the premier scholastic summer basketball tournaments in the nation, returned to the Arizona Athletic Grounds in Mesa on June 13–14. The event featured elite programs covering seven states from across the country. The end result was a high-stakes title game between defending champions Etiwanda (California) and Lone Peak (Utah).
Etiwanda entered the tournament in a slight rebuilding phase after graduating two McDonald’s All-Americans — Grace Knox (LSU) and Aliyahna “Puff” Morris (Cal-Berkeley). Lone Peak, meanwhile, arrived riding the momentum of their recent Utah 6A state championship.
The game opened with a burst of energy from Etiwanda senior Arynn Finley, a top-50 national recruit, who scored the team’s first five points to give them an early 5–0 lead. Lone Peak quickly responded and cut the deficit to 15–12 midway through the first half.
However, Etiwanda ramped up its trademark defensive pressure and rattled off an 8–0 run, stretching their advantage to 23–12. With 2:27 left in the half, they held a solid 28–17 lead. But Lone Peak closed strong, scoring back-to-back buckets — including a dramatic half-court buzzer-beater by senior Kennedy Woolston — to trim the margin to 28–24 at halftime.
The second half followed a similar script. Finley knocked down a deep three-pointer to extend Etiwanda’s lead to 41–28 with just over 12 minutes remaining. Woolston kept Lone Peak within striking distance, hitting another three to make it 45–35. With seven minutes to go, junior Chasity Rice added a floater for Etiwanda, but Woolston answered again, bringing the score to 55–46.
Finley delivered once more with 4:08 left, pushing the lead to 65–52. From there, Etiwanda maintained control, managing the clock and protecting the ball. They closed out the game with a 71–60 victory, claiming their second straight Section 7 championship. Arynn Finley finished with a game high 28 points.
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