Betty H. Fairfax beats Chaparral to first boys hoops crown

March 4, 2011 by Les Willsey, AZPreps365


Talk about a battle for your first boys basketball title in school history. Chaparral and Betty H. Fairfax was just that Friday afternoon as Chaparral nearly four decades old and Fairfax four-years-old duked it out  at Jobing.com Arena.

Pierre Newton made free throws and reserve Jovan Wright several clutch 3s in regularion and overtimes as Betty Fairfax dealt Chaparral a second straight gut-wrenching 5A-II state title defeat, 65-60, in double overtime.

Fairfax (23-7), a No. 15 seed a year ago and playing with a senior class for the first time since opening in 2007, scored five quick points to open the second overtime period and take control. Wright keyed the swing connecting on his fourth and final 3 of the game to snap a 54-54 tie. Moments later his steal led to a possession that forward Marquice Coleman converted into a putback and a back-breaking 59-54 advantage.

"We've had kids stepping up all year," Fairfax coach Don Dominguez said. "Jovan Wright had an excellent playoff, especially here at the the arena."

Wright, who averaged around three points a game off the bench this season, tallied 15 points.Twelve of those 15 came in the fourth quarter and overtimes. Wright scored 12 in the semifinal triumph over Desert Mountain.

"I don't know I just like the arena and felt comfortable," Wright said. "This is probably my last basketball game and I wanted to go out with a win."

Newton the team's leading scorer at 17 points a game, finished with a game-high 26. He picked up the slack when point guard Lejon Johnson fouled out abruptly late in the third period. Netwon had 10 points in the fourth period and the overtime stanzas. Johnson, a three-point threat had already made three 3s in the game when he fouled out. He picked up three fouls in a 20-second span culminating with a technical foul.

That seemed to be the point where Chaparral (20-10) could take command.

"I think a lot of people thought that was it for us," Dominguez said. "But  these guys battled through it."

Chaparral did have its chancees. The Firebirds had the last shot at the end of regulation and at the end of the first overtime. Senior Zeke Chapman team-high 24 points) got the nod to take the final shot both times. His jumper in regulation fell short. A drive through the lane in traffic endied  with a  no-call atthe buzzer of the first OT.

"Disappointing, even more so than last year," Chaparral coach Aaron Windler said referring to last year's loss by one to Boulder Creek in the final. "...I guess it  wasn't meant to be again."