The Gregory School wins thriller over North Valley Christian for 1A boys basketball title
The Gregory School, the little 1A school in Tucson, got to hoist its fifth state boys basketball championship on Saturday night at Findlay Toyota Center in Prescott Valley after beating No. 2-seed Anthem North Valley Christian for the second time this season.
And, once again, it was a thriller.
With 59 seconds left, sophomore guard Jackson Dickinson hit a 3-pointer that ended up being the game-winner in a 55-52 victory for No. 1-seed The Gregory School, which was the No. 1-ranked team by The Arizona Republic in 1A from the season's beginning to end.
Coach Craig Everson said that Dickinson's shot was set up by junior guard Justus Turner's dribble penetration and kick pass to the open Dickinson.
Dickinson's game winner: The Arizona Republic's top high school boys basketball players of the week
The Gregory School held No. 3 Sells Baboquivari to 42 points in the semifinals in a three-point win. Its defense was huge in the tournament.
Everson credited the defense of senior David El, who held Baboquivari's best scorer, Devin Antone, to 10 points, in the semifinals. Antone was averaging 23 points.
"He played all playoff with the most 'refuse to lose' senior attitude I've ever seen," Everson said. "He was a defensive beast and offensively so efficient, filling the stat sheet."
El had 11 points in the championship game. He hit a half-court shot at the buzzer to cut a five-point deficit to two entering halftime against North Valley Christian.
"It was the momentum we needed to win the second half," Everson said.
Earlier in the season, at The Gregory School, the Hawks (28-3) held off North Valley Christian for a 65-63 victory that felt like a prelude to the 1A state final.
"They hit some key shots in the last minute," North Valley Christian coach Randy Walker said about the final. "Our kids played really hard and gave us a chance to have success.
"I would have liked to have done a few things differently on my end but it was their time and congratulations to them. We controlled most of the game but in the end they came out on top."
On Saturday, Turner had seven points and three big assists late in the game. His 3-pointer with about two minutes to play gave the Falcons a two-point lead.
The Gregory School made 10-of-19 3-pointers. Freshman post player Razin Smith, who is 6-foot-5, had 11 points and 12 rebounds in the semifinal game, and followed that up with eight points and eight rebounds in the final, before fouling out.
1A Girls Basketball
No. 1-seed St. David defeated No. 2 Joseph City to win the girls 1A state basketball championship on Saturday at Findlay Toyota Center in Prescott Valley, 49-39.
The Tigers were led by Anissa Jacquez, who scored 16 points in the win, according to the AIA.
The teams had met Nov. 20 in a holiday tournament, a game also won by St. David, which is located in southeast Arizona, 49-41.
To suggest human-interest story ideas and other news, reach Obert at richard.obert@arizonarepublic.com or 602-316-8827. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter: @azc_obert
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: The Gregory Schools edges NVCA in thriller for 1A boys hoops title
