Boys Basketball


Guard Jack Connors hits a three-pointer and two key free throws in the fourth quarter.

Red Mountain boys basketball coach Greg Sessions saw a film (actually a game) in November called The Battle of Red Mountain & North. He saw it a second time in December. Witnessed it a third time Wednesday night. He is still searching for the alternate ending. For the third time since just before Thanksgiving, Red Mountain had defending 5A-I state champ North on the ropes for a half or better. And for the third time Wednesday, North came back in the second half to turn away the Mountain Lions, 69-62, this time in the first round of the 2011 state tournament at North High School.

If there was any shred of doubt which team would win the 2A boys state basketball championship on Saturday night, Westwind Prep standout Demarquise Johnson put an end to that. Johnson put on a second-half offensive clinic as Westwind pulled away from a single-digit lead early in the third period to topple Thatcher, 82-63, at Tims Toyota Center in Prescott Valley.

After watching Fort Thomas score the first six points of the third period and take the lead 23-22, Gilbert Christian decided it was not going to allow the Apaches the momentum to pull off an upset. With senior Molly Van Rijn leading a late charge in the third period, the Knights wrapped up their second 1A girls basketball title in three years with a 44-31 victory over Fort Thomas at Tim\\\\\\\'s Toyota Center in Prescott Valley.