Scottsdale Rancho Solano Prep built an 11-1 first-quarter lead Saturday and, after Fountain Hills closed to within six in the final quarter, the Mustangs made the necessary plays in the end to secure a 53-44 victory at Veterans Memorial Coliseum.

They won their third 2A boys basketball title, their first in five years, all under coach Aaron Trigg, whose No. 4-seeded team got to the final by knocking off top-seed Phoenix Country Day 47-45.

Last year, Rancho Solano Prep (20-10) had a 38-29 lead in the state final before Gilbert San Tan Charter went on a 28-3 run on its way to a 69-54 win and the 2A title.

"That was definitely in the back of our minds," Rancho Solano Prep forward Jayden Johnson said.

After Fountain Hills' Sam Barnard made a 3-pointer to close the gap to 44-38 with 3:15 left, Johnson, Wyatt Fulton and Ohio transplant Ethan Stokes made sure the title wouldn't slip away.

They closed it out by combining to score the Mustangs' final 10 points.

"We didn't talk about (last year) much," Trigg said. "We felt if we could defend the way we needed to, we had enough offense to carry us."

Guards Matthew Quinlan and Luke Larrabee carried Rancho Solano in the first half, when the Mustangs led 23-15. Quinlan ended up with 15 points, making 3 of 6 3-pointers. Larrabee finished with 10 points.

Stokes, held to two points in the first half, had nine of his 12 points in the third quarter.

No. 6 Fountain Hills (24-8), which escaped No. 3 Phoenix Arizona Lutheran 47-46 in the semifinals, made only 1 of 10 shots in the opening quarter and finished 17 of 38 (45%) for the game.

Barnard, who banked in a 3 as the game ended, led Fountain Hills with 16 points. Matthew Heaney had 12 points.

"It was hard not scoring the ball," Fountain Hills coach Jeffrey Bonner said. "We played defense, though, and I thought we had a shot to win the game."

Other than the uncontested 3-pointer from Barnard, Fountain Hills managed only one point in the last three minutes.

Rancho Solano outrebounded Fountain Hills 29-23 with Stokes grabbing 13 boards.

Stokes moved to Scottsdale from Ohio in early August.

"When I first got here, I didn't know what the competition was like," he said. "During the season, we had some ups and downs.

"I thought we didn't play well in the first half, even though we were up nine. Really, our goal was to come out in the second half and hit 'em in the mouth."