Tucson has a state champion in boys basketball. And for the second time in as many years, The Gregory School is the best team in Class 1A.
The Hawks defeated Kearny Ray 79-51 in Saturday night's boys basketball state championship game at the Findlay Toyota Center in Prescott Valley, hours after winning the state semifinal game. The Gregory School finishes its season 29-4. It becomes the only Tucson team to win a state basketball championship this season. Pusch Ridge Christian's boys advanced to Saturday's 3A state final, but lost to Chandler Valley Christian. No other local boys or girls team advanced past the semifinals.
The second-seeded Hawks used an 18-0 run in the first half to take a lead that they would never surrender. Coach Craig Everson told AzPreps365.com that the team's full-court press was a spark.
"We felt we had the speed and skill advantage,” told the website.
Your final from the 1A boys championship is The Gregory School 79, Ray 51. The Hawks have gone back-to-back. #azpreps365 #azhs
— AZPreps365 (@AZPreps365) February 24, 2019
Twin brothers Demari Harris and Tomari Harris combined for 51 of The Gregory School's 79 points in the championship game. The win capped a hectic few days for the Hawks. The team was scheduled to play Fort Thomas at 9 a.m. Friday in the Class 1A state semifinals. However, Prescott Valley weather — there were more than 20 inches of snow over two days — threw a wrench in the tournament. The Arizona Interscholastic Association initially postponed the tournament indefinitely, with plans to eventually play the semifinals and final in Phoenix. The AIA reversed course later Friday, announcing that it would not play any games that day and had scheduled the semfiinals and final on Saturday. As a result, The Gregory School played at 1:30 p.m. and, after beating Fort Thomas 51-48, lined up against Ray at 6 p.m.
The Gregory School has now won back-to-back state championships for the second time in program history. It also won in both 2008 and 2009.
“The amazing thing about these kids is that they play for each other. They’re a tight-knit family," Everson told AzPreps365.com. "Even though this was a long week, having been here since Wednesday, those kids enjoyed every minute of it. And we’re going to stay one more night because they want to be together one more night."
