Nogales wasn’t expected to be a factor in the Arizona high school championship picture after being matched up with top-seeded Raymond Kellis in the semifinals, but after defeating Saguaro of Scottsdale 57-44 in the finals Saturday evening, the school has won its first state title since 1983.
Arizona Boys Basketball Playoffs: Nogales Upsets Saguaro 57-44 To Win 4A Division I Championship
“It’s unreal how excited these people are,” Nogales coach Ricardo De La Riva told the Arizona Republic. “It’s lifted everybody in the community. Our administrators were so supportive. Lastly, I want to thank God for keeping me here and winning a state championship.”
Nogales (25-5), a school south of Tucson on the Mexican border, trailed 22-18 at haltfime but scored the first five points of the second half to take take a 34-32 lead entering the final stanza in the game at the Jobing.com Arena in Glendale, a Phoenix suburb.
Nogales dominated from there as junior guard Joseph Moreal scored 14 of his 20 points to put Saguaro (23-9) away for good. It was Monreal’s second straight outing of 13-plus points in crunch time as he scored 13 of his 25 in the fourth quarter in the upset of Raymond Kellis.
Saguaro, which entered the game with a 15-game winning streak after an 8-8 start, was led by senior guard Jack Connors with 18 points.
Both teams were surprise finalists in Arizona's Class 4A Division I. Saguaro's tallest player is 6-5. Nogales' tallest is 6-3. Saguaro beat No. 2 seed Peoria 36-33 in the semifinals while Nogales beat No. 1 Kellis 63-60.
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