Pleasant Grove’s game plan going into Saturday’s Class 5A girls basketball championship against Arab at BJCC Legacy Arena was simple.

The quicker Spartans wanted to harass the Knights early and often.

Pleasant Grove scrapped, slapped and constantly pressured Arab into a slew of turnovers on the way to a 53-36 victory and its first basketball state championship.

“They’re so hard to prepare for,” said Pleasant Grove coach Walter Hicks. “They’re really good shooters and well-coached. We wanted to use our quickness and pressure and affect their shots with an up-tempo game. We wanted to press the ball and guard the 3-point line.”

Fourth-ranked Pleasant Grove (29-6) did most of its damage early, forcing 18 first half turnovers that led to 13 points and 32-17 lead at the half after a 9-all tie in the first quarter.

“They’re tenacious,” said Arab coach Brad Kitchens. “I told them in the locker room that we played some physical teams this year, we played some quick teams this year. But they were physical and quick. They were just tenacious.”

The Spartans also used 11 offensive rebounds in the half for eight second-chance points and held Arab to no 3-point baskets and only 5-of-12 shooting in the half.

The Spartans offense went through 6-foot junior Tamya Smith.

“We wanted to play inside-out,” said Smith, who earned MVP with 27 points. “We wanted to get it to the post and open it up for our guards.”

Smith also converted a pair of early 3-pointers.

“They started in a zone and those 3-pointers opened it up and forced them to go to a man defense,” Hicks said. “We knew we could take advantage of some things with our guards.”

Arab (22-13) had no answer for Smith.

“We tried several different things on her, nothing seems to work,” Kitchens said. “She’s a phenomenal player. I was proud of our girls. We tried a smaller player on her, a bigger player on her. She’s just quick.”

Star of the Game: MVP Pleasant Grove’s Tamya Smith scored 27 points on 10-of-16 shooting, including 2 of 2 from 3-point range, 5-of-10 free throws, adding nine rebounds, two blocks and four steals.

Stat sheet: Pleasant Grove – Ashaunte Monday 14 points, eight rebounds, two assists and five steals.

Arab – Sydney Ferguson eight points, three rebounds, four assists; Bennett Elrod seven points, four rebounds.

By the numbers: Pleasant Grove – Shot 19-of-47 (40.4 percent) field goals, 4-of-16 3-pointers, 11-of-18 free throws, 31 rebounds, five assists, 16steals.

Arab – Shot 10-of-34 (29.4 percent) field goals, 2-of-12 3-pointers, 14-of-23 free throws, 31 rebounds, five assists, six steals.

They said it: “I already knew. I prayed for this.” – Pleasant Grove’s Ashaunte Monday about the win.

“Party in Pleasant Grove tonight, everybody invited.” – Pleasant Grove’s Omaya Nelson.

“For the last 4 or 5 years we’ve been knocking on that door. Last year we were one shot away from being here. We’ve been so close, and to finally knock that door down feels great. Our philosophy was that once we got here, we were going to play to win, have no mercy, so to speak.” – Pleasant Grove coach Walter Hicks.