If there was any shred of  doubt which team would win the 2A boys state basketball championship on Saturday night, Westwind Prep standout Demarquise Johnson put an end to that.

Johnson put on a second-half offensive clinic as Westwind pulled away from a single-digit lead early in the third period to topple Thatcher, 82-63, at Tims Toyota Center in Prescott Valley.

Westwind (29-2) won its first ever state title after losing in the finals a year ago to Scottsdale Christian. Thatcher (28-3) was making its third championship game appearance in the last four years, but fell short of a title again. Its last title came in 1995.

Johnson, a 6-foot-6 junior, scored 13 points in the third period and 21 total in the second half to finish with a game-high 26 points. Johnson scored from all over, making some short perimeter shots, a 3 and four three throws.

Westwind was more content in the first half to settle for perimeter shots and that was effective as the Warriors took a 34-22 lead to halftime. Westwind knocked down five 3s in the first half, three from way out by Juwan Moody (17 points).

Coach Gary Trousdale had his players thinking to attack the basket more as the third period began. After Thatcher hit the first two buckets of the third period to cut the lead to 34-26, Westwind hit a couple threes -- one each by Moody and Stephen Topercer (17 points). The rest of the onslaught came from charging the basket no matter the player. Westwind went to the free-throw line 12 times in the quarter and made all 12. By the start of the final period its lead had grown to 61-41.

Thatcher managed to stay within striking distance until the middle of the third period thanks to Mitchell Goodman (16 points), Ethan Bryce (11 points) and reserve Nick Orr (eight points). In the end there was just too much for Thatcher to defend, especially as well as Westwind shot from the perimeter in the first half.