Less than 12 hours after surviving a one point semifinal thriller, Notre Dame Prep was back on the court with a championship at stake. 

But the Saints’ unexpected run through Section 7 came to an end Sunday afternoon, losing 72-54 to Colorado Cherokee Trail in the Huettner Family Bracket Championship at Arizona Athletic Grounds.

To earn its spot in one of the premier high school basketball showcases in the country, Notre Dame Prep first had to go through the Section 7 qualifier and win three games. 

With Section 7 featuring some of the top programs from across the West Coast, and as far east as Florida, Notre Dame Prep’s run represented Arizona well. The Saints rolled through the qualifier before winning three more games to make the title, finishing with a 6-1 record. 

Along the way, Notre Dame Prep defeated Nevada Sierra Vista 65-40, New Mexico Clovis 62-45, and California La Jolla Country Day School 73-72. The semifinal victory over La Jolla Country Day came Saturday night, setting up a quick turnaround for Sunday’s championship. 

“We’ve got to dig deep no matter what,” said Notre Dame Prep assistant coach Brandon Welch. “We were up late last night. We’ve got to be able to bounce back and I thought our guys battled hard today.” 

Notre Dame Prep is replacing its three leading scorers from last season’s 18-10 team, making this summer a key opportunity for players to settle into expanded roles.

“We graduated a lot of guys and we’re all figuring out our roles this year,” said Welch. “I think that this tournament gave us some exposure.” 

Junior guard Preston Bauer scored 15 points in the championship game, while Owen Pope added 11. Pope, a 6-foot-5 junior forward, is expected to take on a larger role after averaging 8.7 points and 3.8 rebounds per game last season.

“It was a great learning curve,” Pope said. “We just got a new offense, so we’re just getting the swing of things.”

Cherokee Trail started hot from 3-point range and built a 35-28 halftime lead. 

Its size advantage was decisive throughout the game, with 6-foot-5 forwards Jai Jegede and Levynn Wasike controlling the paint. 

Notre Dame Prep stayed within striking distance for much of the game, but Cherokee Trail’s ability to finish around the basket and convert second-chance opportunities proved difficult to overcome. Senior guard Jordan Mitchell scored 13 second-half points by attacking the rim and creating easy scoring opportunities for the Cherokee Trail frontcourt. 

The lead eventually grew to more than 20 points. Despite the loss, Notre Dame Prep’s championship-game appearance served as an early measuring stick for a team still finding its identity while gaining valuable experience against out-of-state competitors in its seven games. 

“We’re moving forward,” Welch said. “We’ve got a tournament in Sacramento. We're going to be rolling up there with players that are filling their roles and starting to play much better physically and mentally.”

For a team replacing much of last season’s production, Notre Dame Prep leaves Section 7 with valuable experience ahead of the 2026-2027 season, when they'll compete in the 5A division.