Highland takes 6A on 3-pointer in 2OT
There still was the main attraction, the first Open Division state championships, to be played Saturday.
But after Gilbert Highland outlasted Phoenix Brophy Prep in two overtime periods for a dramatic 63-61 victory for the 6A state title on Hayden Winegar’s 3point shot at Veterans Memorial Coliseum, how was the Arizona Intersholastic Association going to top that?
If ever there was a great opening act for the biggest game of the year, that was it.
And it couldn’t have been better scripted. Both No. 2 seed Brophy (24-9) and No. 1 Highland (29-3) came into the game with three state final appearances. Both were looking for their school’s first state boys basketball title. And both went to the very end with a couple of extra periods to decide it.
Highland’s Hayden Winegar nailed a 3 to seal the win.
Highland Coach Todd Fazio said the plan initially was to get the ball to either Brock Knollmiller or Noah Peterson, Knollmiller drove it to the baseline, which Brophy had sealed off. Out of the corner of his eye, he found Winegar way out in the perimter. Nothing but net with three second left.
“They did a good job finding Hayden. And he hit a big-time shot,” said Fazio, who won his second state title, first since leading Scottsdale Desert Mountain to the 5A crown in 2007.
Brophy had one last shot. The Broncos were hoping for another ending similar to Wednesday’s semifinal thriller over Boulder Creek, when Arman Madi hit from about 35 feet at the buzzer to get Brophy into the final. The shot landed on ESPN’s SportsCenter Top 10 plays.
But after hitting his shot, Winegar got back in time to throw his hand up on freshman Daylen Sharper’s 3-point try at the buzzer, which missed. Game over.
Highland players sprinted around the court, raced to their large student section and celebrated the greatest moment of their high school career.
“It was amazing,” said Winegar, who got to clip the first piece of the net at
Veterans Memorial Coliseum to keep forever. “They quadruple-teamed Brock. I was wide open. It was an amazing game.”
For an entire half, it was either Knollmiller or Peterson scoring for Highland. They combined for 49 of Highland’s 63 points. Winegar was 1 of 7 from 3 before his game winner.
“Crazy,” Knollmiler, who had 22 points, said about Winegar’s shot. “I’ll never forget that moment.
“It feels amazing to end my senior season this way.”
Winegar had a chance to break a 5252 tie with 54 seconds left in regulation but he missed the front end of a oneand-one. Brophy’s Arman Madi was called for reaching in, sending Isaac Kaps to the line with 3.2 seconds left. But he also missed the front end.
Madi, who made only 2 of 8 shots in his final high school game, fouled out with 3:15 left in the first OT. Peterson, who had 27 points, scored four straight points for a 56-52 lead. But Braeden Speed (22 points, 11 rebounds) took over for Brophy, making a 3 and one of two foul shots. to tie at 56 with 2:12 left.
Speed’s two free throws with 2:14 to play in the second OT gave Brophy a 6159 lead.
With 49 seconds left, Knollmiller made 1 of 2 free throws to get Highland within one.
Sharper, driving along the baseline, got tied up with 27 seconds to play. Highland got the possession arrow to set up for a last shot.
“It was a heck of a shot,” Brophy coach Matt Hooten said of Winegar’s 3. “I thought our guys did everything they could to scramble (back at Winegar). But, at the end of the day, one of these teams were going to walk away disappointed, and unfortunately it was us.”
Brophy was out of time outs after Winegar nailed the 3.
“I thought we had a good look at it, and that’s what we can live with,” Hooten said.