(Editor's note: This story appears in the postseason bracket and was published before the first round)

There is a field of 16 teams that have a wide array of accomplishments this season, history of past success and an opportunity to put a Copper State champion banner in the gym.

The second year of the Copper State tournament, which brings together the top 16 teams overall in 1A to 3A based on power rankings, has the makings of an intriguing tournament over the next few weeks.

There’s the top seed that just might be better than even its record might suggest, there’s the perennial champion that is king until proven otherwise and other teams that feel like one hot streak matched with a ‘Why not us?’ mantra and that banner will be theirs to hang in the rafters.

When breaking down tournaments, it can be hard to look past the top seed like San Tan Charter after producing the season the Roadrunners have this year. They went 20-3 overall, 17-0 in the regular season games, including 11-0 in 2A Conference games.

The top seed is well-earned.

San Tan, which won the 2A state title in 2024, is the odds-on favorite considering the athleticism, size and season resume that shows the Roadrunners went 20-1 against Arizona teams losing 64-60 to 6A opponent Centennial.

“They are the team to beat,” Valley Christian coach Greg Haagsma said. “They’ve had a great season, and they are hard to match up with because of their size and athleticism.”

Yet, on the other side of the bracket lurks second-seeded Valley Christian and Haagsma.

The Trojans have won four straight state championships including last year’s inaugural Copper tournament. Dating back to 2002, Valley Christian has won 10 state titles all under Haagsma.

The Trojans are always a factor, and because of it, they know the likeliness that they will receive the opponent’s best shot is ratcheted up even more with thought of knocking off the premier program in the smaller conferences.

“We definitely start with a target on our backs because of the success we’ve had in the past,” said Valley Christian senior Colby Jessup said. “It’s why we have to bring it every game. It’s all about ourselves, and if we play our best we feel like no one can beat us.”

Valley Christian hasn’t had it usual regular season at 18-7, considering the Trojans lost a total of seven games over the previous three seasons.

A closer look shows the defeats were against some of the better programs from the bigger school conferences and out-of-state teams.  The Trojans, who enter with a 12-game win streak, truly found out what it can accomplish in a stretch of eight games in 17 days against some of the 3As better programs.

Valley Christian entered the year with a younger team than usual while also folding in transfer Calvin McCrory (12.6 points) from Horizon Honors. It meant there was a bit of transition period, but the Trojans seem to be humming along at the perfect time.

“I don’t feel bad that now because it prepared us for a great run in January,” Haagsma said about the tough December schedule. “We had a gauntlet of a run. I don’t think there is another team that played a stretch like that, and part of the success was because of the tougher games we played earlier in the year.”

It’s going take that and more to get past San Tan if both teams advance to the title game.

The Copper Division is down to the semifinals and the game will take place on Friday at Corona del Sol.

The Roadrunners are deep, hot, and seemingly scoring at will as they are entering the tournament on a 10-game win streak. The offense is averaging 97.3 points a game during the streak and overall San Tan has outscored opponents by an average of 36 points a game.

The offense is led by Peyton Lubash at 22.8 points a game, while three others are also in double figures in Kristo Jackson (15.5), Dylan Vargas (13.6) and Jase Benjamin (12.3).

Jachin Reynolds leads the team in rebounds at 6.9, while Benjamin and Vargas averaged 6.3 and 5.5, respectively. Tori Street leads in assists (4.6) and steals (2.8) with Jackson close behind at 3.1 assists and 2.6 steals.

“We are free flowing offense, score a lot on transition and everyone can get to the basket,” San Tan coach Kyli Crooms said. “We are really good defensively, and our offense usually feeds off the defense. The most points we’ve allowed is 66 and that was early in the season. We played good team defense and it’s more important than the offense this time of the season.”

While San Tan has been on good run the regular season ended with a closer than expected 40-37 win over Pima.

“It was a trap game, and I knew it, but we needed it,” Crooms said. “We had a good streak to end the year last year, not playing a game closer than 25 points, and when we got into a close game in the (Copper semifinals) we didn’t hold our composure.

“Playing a close game was important, and they found a way to get it done. (A loss) could have altered our postseason so it was good for them to have battle with something on the line.” 

There will be other challengers no doubt as No. 3 Benjamin Franklin, No. 4 Palo Verde and No. 5 Phoenix Country Day have to the ability breakthrough against one of the top two teams.

There’s something to be said for a 1A school hosting a first-round game as Seton Catholic of 3A travels to Fort Thomas after the Apache’s went 29-4 overall and 19-0 in regular season games.

If Fort Thomas makes a run in this portion of the tournament Channing Wilson (14.8 points, 6.3 rebounds), Michael Olivar (14.0 points, 8.5 rebounds) and Damarae Dosela (14.0, 11.9 rebounds, 5.0 assists) likely play a crucial role as the tandem has been one of the better duos in the smaller divisions.

Third-seed Ben Franklin is 25-4 as the journey begins with only two losses against Arizona squads including to No. 4 Palo Verde (19-5) on Jan 17.

It all adds up to an interesting run of games over the two weeks plus to crown the second Copper champion and if anyone knows how to be the team holding the gold ball at the end of the season, it is Haagsma and the Trojans.

“There is some luck involved in this,” he said. “More than anything, it takes being consistent. That’s where the defense is a big difference. If you show up defensively, you will give yourself a chance to win every night.

“It’s going to take a special night, make shots and do the little things very well. You have to be a smart in all facets.”