Time seems to be standing still — fortunately — watching Jim Rosborough serve as a Pima Community College women’s basketball assistant in his 11th year with the Aztecs, 55th overall as a coach.
In reality, the Aztecs’ staff that includes longtime coaches Todd Holthaus (the head coach), Rosborough and Pete Fajardo are standing the test of time.
When Holthaus became Pima’s coach in 2007-08, his oldest daughter Makayla was 6 years old and his next child, Annalise, was 2.
Holthaus, starting his 18th season as the Aztecs’ coach, was in the same gym Monday coaching for the last time a game that included Makayla and Annalise with Makayla a fifth-year senior completing her college career at Ottawa in Phoenix.
“It’s pretty awesome; I’m very proud of them,” Todd Holthaus said. “They play the game the right way. They play with respect. They play with heart.
“Just couldn’t be prouder of our family’s journey. Basketball has been the common thread for all of us. I’m very blessed.”
.@PimaWBB coach @AztecCoachTodd with his daughters Makayla of Ottawa and Annalise of the Aztecs. Makayla is a fifth-year senior and Annalise a sophomore. A lot of the Holthaus family was at the Aztec West Campus Gym to watch Makayla and Annalise compete on the same court with… pic.twitter.com/8nfF87k5a3
— Javier Morales (@JavierJMorales) October 15, 2024
Makayla has already earned a bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science and has started her master’s degree courses in Leadership and Management. Coaching could certainly be on the horizon, drawing from her dad’s experience, but she wants to get into athletic training.
Annalise, a sophomore with the Aztecs, suffered a right ankle sprain in the second half of Monday’s scrimmage with Ottawa (an NAIA school), but she should resume playing for the Aztecs soon.
She is an Ironwood Ridge graduate like her sister and she is majoring in Liberal Arts at Pima with the hope of getting into architecture.
Makayla and Annalise boxed out on rebounds against each other a few times.
Annalise showed a sense of confidence playing physical against her older sister and Ottawa’s interior players — just what the elder Holthaus wants to see.
“I’m so proud because she’s way better than what she gives herself credit for,” Todd Holthaus said. “That has really shown itself the first part of the season. … As soon as she starts believing in herself as much as I believe in her, she’s going to be really special.”
Annalise is an example of how Pima has shifted this year from being guard oriented in recent years to having more of a post presence in 2024-25.
She is one of seven Aztecs who are at least 5-foot-11.
Former Arizona State post player Kiley Sours-Miller is a freshman with the @PimaAthletics program. A standout from Surprise, she did not play with the Sun Devils last year. Sitting out tonight’s exhibition with a minor injury. She’ll be a force inside for Todd Holthaus. pic.twitter.com/tJOCtFLUNN
— Javier Morales (@JavierJMorales) October 15, 2024
Pima’s post includes a formidable duo of redshirt freshmen — 6-foot-1 Gabriela Sanchez of Tucson High and 6-3 Kiley Sours-Miller, a former prep-school standout with Dream City Christian in Phoenix before enrolling at Arizona State last season.
Sours-Miller has kept her freshman status because she did not play with the Sun Devils last season. She wanted to play close to home in junior college and chose Pima over Eastern Arizona because of Holthaus and her background with the dad of former Flowing Wells post player Sydney Lomeli-Capen.
Lomeli-Capen, now a sophomore at Wilmington (Ohio) University, an NCAA Division III school, played on the same youth basketball club with Sours-Miller when they were in middle school.
“I think we’re going to be pretty good,” said Todd Holthaus, who is 367-170 in his career at Pima. “The coaches are doing a good job of getting the kids in the right spots. I think there’s things to build on.
“It’s really early still. We’ve got work to do but we’ll be all right.”
The Aztecs play an exhibition Saturday against Fort Lewis at Fort Defiance, which is located in the Navajo Nation within Apache County in the northeast part of the state near the New Mexico border.
Ottawa and Pima gather for a prayer after their exhibition and then gather for photos. With Jim Rosborough are former Pima guards Luisa Chavez and Angel Addleman. Pima coach Todd Holthaus is with his daughters Annalise (left) and Makayla. Annalise mentioned the injury she… pic.twitter.com/bajWi5zaTf
— Javier Morales (@JavierJMorales) October 15, 2024
Holthaus’ staff includes Rosborough, who was Lute Olson’s right-hand man at Arizona from 1989 to 2007.
He and Fajardo have been with Holthaus since the 2014-15 season.
Fajardo, Pima’s recruiting coordinator, coached the Salpointe girls basketball team from 2002-06, Sahuaro boys from 2007-09, and Catalina Foothills girls from 2009-14. In 2002-03, in his first season as a head coach, he led Salpointe to a 31-2 record and spot in the state championship game.
Holthaus’ staff also includes Felicia Greenhouse, at Pima since the 2022-23 season, and former Aztec All-American Syndi Stallworth, in her second season on the staff after starring at Pima from 2015-17.
Stallworth, who went on to play at Alaska-Anchorage, was one of many standouts for Holthaus who played guard, with the list including J.J. Nakai (went on to play at NAU) and Rylei Waugh (now at San Jose State playing for former Arizona assistant April Phillips after an All-American season last year as a freshman with the Aztecs).
Together again:
Angel Addleman (left) and Luisa Chavez graduated from high school the same year after playing each other – Addleman at Palo Verde and Chavez at Rio Rico – and then played three years together with @PimaWBB because of the COVID-19 year in 2019-20 and now are… pic.twitter.com/rUewBSdmCB— Javier Morales (@JavierJMorales) October 15, 2024
Two more of Holthaus’ stellar guards are now teammates together at Ottawa — Palo Verde graduate Angel Addleman and Rio Rico alum Luisa Chavez. Addleman and Chavez, who played at Pima from 2020-23, are together at Ottawa for their fifth and final year of college, using their extra year of eligibility because of the COVID-19-impacted season of 2020-21.
Chavez transferred to Ottawa after playing at Fort Lewis last season.
“It was exciting with all the feelings,” Chavez said of returning to the West Campus Gym. “There were really good memories here.”
“I’m excited we get to finish out together,” Addleman said. “It’s been a cool story.”
“We’re just trying to end on a good note,” Chavez said, “and make something special out of it.”
Great to see two local standouts being on the court together with @PimaWBB this season after recent injuries – Mattanaya Vital of Amphi with a knee two years ago and Gabriela Sanchez of Tucson High with her back last season. Vital made three 3-pointers tonight in an exhibition… pic.twitter.com/CrmPsyHEKR
— Javier Morales (@JavierJMorales) October 15, 2024
Two more players from the Tucson area are making the most of their opportunity with Pima after battling through injuries.
Amphi graduate Mattanaya Vital, in her third year in the program after having to redshirt as a freshman in 2022-23 because of a knee injury, and Sanchez (redshirted with a back injury last year) figure to be significant contributors for Holthaus and Co.
Vital made three 3-pointers and Sanchez was a force inside against Ottawa.
“It’s been a process … it’s been a grind but I definitely appreciate it, just looking at how all the work and positivity is working for me now,” Vital said of slowly getting back in the flow last year and now playing at full speed this year.
“It’s kind of touch and go sometimes,” Sanchez said of her injury, of which she is still playing through occasional pain. “The surgery altered my body a good bit. It’s been feeling good.
“We have a great program here. I’m grateful for the trainers. I’m grateful for the team and the coaches. They’re all a great support system.”
The Aztecs play their last exhibition game Oct. 26 against Arizona Christian at the West Aztec Gym at 4 p.m.
They will have an Alumni Game on Nov. 2 at the West Aztec Gym at 6 p.m.
Pima’s season opener is Nov. 7 against Colorado Northwestern in the Eastern Arizona Classic at Thatcher.
PIMA 2024-25 WOMEN'S BASKETBALL ROSTER
Head coach: Todd Holthaus (18th year, 367-170)
Assistant coaches: Jim Rosborough, Pete Fajardo, Felicia Greenhouse and Sydni Stallworth
| No. | Name | Pos. | Cl. | Ht. | Home/Previous |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | Katie Burns | G | So | 5-7 | Tucson/Catalina Foothills |
| 1 | Reece Niemann | G | So | 5-11 | Cody (WY)/Cody |
| 10 | Amelie Buffill-Gutierrez | G | So | 5-6 | Tucson/Sabino |
| 13 | Kennedi Niemann | G | Fr | 5-7 | Cody (WY)/Cody |
| 15 | Ahdiayh Chee | G | Fr | 5-4 | Queen Creek/Dobson |
| 20 | Cassie Coolidge | G/F | Fr | 6-0 | Tucson/Sahuaro |
| 22 | Kiley Sours-Miller | C | Fr | 6-3 | Surprise/ASU |
| 24 | Melicia Nelson | G | Fr | 5-9 | Window Rock/Window Rock |
| 25 | Keira Beall-Gleason | F | Fr | 5-8 | Kirtland (NM)/Central |
| 30 | Rori Hoffmeyer | F | So | 6-2 | Yuma/Cibola |
| 32 | Sofia Cambridge | G | Fr | 5-10 | Page/Page |
| 33 | Tayden Hanks | F | So | 5-11 | Los Lunas (NM)/Los Lunas |
| 35 | Lucy Land | F | Fr | 5-10 | Yucaipa (CA)/Yucaipa |
| 42 | Noheah Aberle | G | Fr | 5-9 | Holbrook/Holbrook |
| 44 | Annalise Holthaus | F | So | 5-11 | Oro Valley/Ironwood Ridge |
| 45 | Gabriella Sanchez | C | Fr | 6-1 | Tucson/Tucson |
| 48 | Mattanaya Vital | G | So | 5-5 | Tucson/Amphitheater |
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ALLSPORTSTUCSON.com publisher, writer and editor Javier Morales is a former Arizona Press Club award winner. He is a former Arizona Daily Star beat reporter for the Arizona basketball team, including when the Wildcats won the 1996-97 NCAA title. He has also written articles for CollegeAD.com, Bleacher Report, Lindy’s Sports, TucsonCitizen.com, The Arizona Republic, Sporting News and Baseball America, among many other publications. He has also authored the book “The Highest Form of Living”, which is available at Amazon. He became an educator in 2016 and is presently a special education teacher at Sunnyside High School in the Sunnyside Unified School District.
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