La Joya boys build special bond during their 18-game win streak
La Joya Community might be the best-kept secret in Arizona high school basketball.
Located in Avondale, this has never been a magnet program attracting elite-level players in pursuit of college exposure and championships.
But coach Roger Lefebvre has something special going on in the midst of a school-record 18-game winning streak that has seen the Fighting Lobos go from way off the grid to ranked No. 2 in the 6A Conference and No. 5 in the Super 10 (combining all conferences) by
They’re 20-3 and have not looked back since point guard Nahshon Harper, with everybody clearing out, beat Phoenix St. Mary’s 75-74 with a last-second basket on Dec. 21 for the championship of the Phoenix Horizon holiday tournament.
“I felt like there was something there,” Lefebvre said. “But I wasn’t sure. Then I’m looking at our height (a roster of 6-foot-3-and-under players), and I don’t know. We’re going to have to play fast, turn it up another notch of speed.”
After going 2-2 in a season-opening tournament at Sierra Vista Buena, Lefebvre felt his players were doing the right things.
Then, in the first game in December, La Joya lost 59-55 to Phoenix Trevor Browne, which is now 9-15.
Thud.
“We had a come to Jesus meeting,” Lefebvre said. “I said, ‘You guys thought (ESPN’s) SportsCenter was walking through that door and and they’re not.’
“From that point on, we won one after another after another. And when we beat St. Mary’s ...”
Lefebvre claps his hands to emphasize how his team took off since the St. Mary’s win.
This streak has been driven by nine players with the leadership of three seniors: Harper, Ty Hightower and Tre’ Lefebvre (Roger’s son).
Harper developed from a shy sophomore hesitant to take big shots to a fearless leader his senior season, knowing when to take over, averaging 18.4 points, six rebounds, 3.8 assists and 2.5 steals. He leads the team in all three categories.
Hightower’s jumping ability wows, and it happened almost overnight. He is averaging 10.3 points, 4.6 rebounds and two steals.
Tre’ Lefebvre, who plays anywhere from guard to center, averages 6.2 points and three rebounds. His value goes beyond the court, into the locker room and away from the gym, when the players get together to bond.
Tre’ Lefebvre’s mom died from cancer when he was 6. A strong connection between father and son grew from that.
He started earlier in the season, before becoming ill and missing a practice.
Now Tre’ comes off the bench, giving La Joya a longer player at 6-3 who provides grit and toughness.
Devin LaPrade, a 5-11, kept the starting job over Lefebvre after playing so well in the St. Mary’s game having to guard 6-foot-9, 250-pound Jeremiah Cherry.
Twins Teontrae and Tentra’veon Cowan, 6-1 junior wings, have provided a spark, along with 5-11 junior Keon Joubert (13 points a game), and 5-10 senior Arthur Mugisha (10 points a game).
‘They love each other’
“‘I believe this in my heart of hearts, we are winning because of our character,” Roger Lefebvre said. “I made a conscious effort at the end of last year that I’m not keeping any knuckleheads. I’m keeping nine to 10 guys that will play. And the rest will be JV kids who will fill the roster spots for practice.”
He said he addressed the JV players’ roles with their parents before the season, so that varsity playing time wouldn’t become an issue.
“Because of it, they’re a team,” Lefebvre said. “They love each other. They do things together off the court. They bought in. I’ve had the most fun this year than I’ve had in a long time. It’s been fun.”
Tre’ said he saw this history-making team coming together when he was a freshman.
“Just growing up together,” Tre’ said, nodding over to Harper and Hightower, “seeing how talented they were, I knew this season was going to happen for us.”
Harper has emerged into one of the state’s elite guards at 6 feet, after averaging 12 points on a 16-win team last season.
“Because I’m a senior now, I have to lead,” he said. Hightower is counted on to do a little bit of everything, especially finishing on transition and playing tough defense.
“We know we can count on each other on defense, and it just leads to offense,” said Hightower, who is 6-3.
La Joya finishes at Surprise Valley Vista on Friday and at home next Tuesday against Tolleson before the state tournament begins.
Coach Lefebvre said his last two teams were more talented, but he calls this the best team, with the emphasis on “team.”
“It’s the definition of synergy, it really is,” he said.