If top-seed Mesquite was going to defeat No. 3 Hamilton in its rematch of an early December 70-53 loss, it had to find a way to control the Huskies in the paint.

There was lilttle to no evidence that was working in the first half Monday afternoon with Hamilton on top 29-22. The third period served to verify things weren't going to change.

Hamilton's dominance in size, in the paint and on the boards overwhelmed Mesquite for the second time this season as the Huskies notched their first girls basketball crown with a 56-46 victory over Mesquite at Gila River Aena. It was Hamilton's second title game. The Huskies were runners-up in 2012. Mesquite's trip to the final was its first. The Wildcats had a 16-game winning streak snapped with the defeat.

Six-foot-3 junior post Maya Banks scored the first basket of the third quarter inside and reserve forward Cardi Harris capped the quarter with a bucket off the offensive glass to accentuate what made Hamilton (26-4) the superior team this day. Harris basket made it 41-30 Hamilton heading to the final quarter. Mesquite wasn't able to threaten that lead the final eight minutes as the Huskies won going away.

"We didn't change our plan from the first time," first-year Hamilton coach Trevor Neider, who shifted over from Mountain Pointe to take over the program, said. "Our goal was to get the ball inside and shoot well."

Mission accomplished. Hamilton shot 52 percent from the field in the first half and 49 percent for the game. The Huskies almost doubled Mesquite in points in the paint (38-20) and owned a 46-22 rebounding edge. Those areas of dominance, plus neutralizing Mesquite's vaunted press made Mesquite play more of a halfcourt game. Not what the Wildcats are about.

Mesquite (26-6) shot 44 percent as a team this season, but that percentage suffered in this one -- 28 percent in the opeing half and 35 percent for the game. It was one of the rare games this season Mesquite was outscored in points off fast-break. Mesquite got only six points in transitiion.

Banks, who had nine points and 16 rebounds in the win over Mesquite in December, was equally effective in the rematch. Banks finished with a game-high 17 points and 14 rebounds. Harris wasn't shabby, either in a reserve role with eight points and seven boards. Throw in a hot start from junior Hannah White (all eight of her points in the first half) and the Huskies were able to secure the title for fallen teammate and senior Makayla Filiere. Filiere missed essentially the quarters, semis and finals with a fractured hand. Filiere and guard Payton Whitmore closed their careers on top after three prior varsity tries came up short in earlierr playoff rounds. No better way to go out.

"We were able to beat their press most of the time, at least enough that they couldn't get out on us very often," Neider said."They've killed a lot of teams with their press."

Mesquite's high-scoring sophomore duo of Shaylee Gonzales and Lindsey Vanallen were held under their scoring averages for the season. Gonzales had a decent game leading the Wildcats with 17 points (three below her average), six rebounds, three assists and four steals. Vanallen totaled six points -- none in the second half. That was 12 points less than her average. She connected on 2 of 11 shots -- both threes. 

Both teams certainly don't figure to be also-rans next year. Hamilton returns four of its five starters from Monday (Banks, White, leading scorer Maddie Frederick and Courtney Colleary). Frederick wasn't the focal point of the offense in this one, but contributed eight points, eight rebounds and five assists. Mesquite coache Candice Gonzales will return a pretty fair nuleus with daughter Shaylee Gonzales, Vanallen and three or four others who started at times or were top reserves.