Paul Watson leaped high to grab the basketball after the missed free throw.

The buzzer sounded, and moments later, he was clutching the real prize – the gold-ball trophy that signified Phoenix Paradise Valley’s Division II championship.

The long road finally was complete.

All the hard work, all the bumps and bruises obtained through a tough sectional season, had paid off.

Watson and the Trojans held on to defeat Tucson Salpointe Catholic 45-39 on Saturday (Feb. 23) at Jobing.com Arena in Glendale.

Paradise Valley, the fourth seed, finished 26-7. Salpointe, No. 6, finished 23-11.

PV pride flowed afterward.

The title probably meant the most for coach Mark MaGowan. He graduated from PV in 1984, played for former coach Bill Farrell and was an assistant when Farrell led the Trojans to a state title in 1997.

“It’s a great feeling. My family is here, coach Farrell is here. It means a lot,’’ MacGowan said.

Farrell, after whom the school’s gymnasium is named, was proud to watch this one.

“He (MacGowan) is like a son. He has worked a long time. He has worked hard. He deserves this. I am proud to tears,’’ Farrell said. “We had that other title, but that was in the 90s. They have this one they can talk about now.’’

Playing a tough sectional schedule that included Phoenix Sunnyslope and Phoenix Shadow Mountain helped Paradise Valley emerge from the state-tournament gauntlet.

And there were the players, led by the 6-foot-6 Watson, a Fresno State signee.

He scored 20 points, grabbed seven rebounds, had five steals, three assists and one blocked shot. He scored 13 in the second half to help PV hold off the Lancers.

“Coach told me to do what I could to help us win, help my teammates win,’’ Watson said.

There was a point in the season, Watson said, where the team chemistry wasn’t quite where it should have been.

“After we went up to the Prescott tournament, we came back and talked about what we needed to do,’’ he said. “We started coming together more as a team.’’

And what was the feeling like, now that the Trojans had finally won it all?

“It’s mind-boggling,’’ Watson said.

Fellow senior Ryan Finley also played a key role with 13 points, including a pair of 3-pointers. He is headed to Boise State to play quarterback.

“It’s amazing to come out on top at the end,’’ Finley said.

He said the Trojans played some of their best basketball in the tournament.

“You could feel it,’’ he said.

PV had about one day to prepare for Salpointe.

“They are big and strong. They are a pretty good team,’’ Finley said. “But if you are playing as a team like we were, it doesn’t matter who you play. You are concerned more about what you do well.

“I was playing with a lot more confidence. Our whole team did.’’

Junior guard Cam Denson had a fine game for Salpointe, scoring 18 points and coming up with four rebounds and four steals.