Holbrook wins with 4th-quarter comeback

The Holbrook Roadrunners did their homework even before knowing they'd match up with the No. 2 Fountain Hills Falcons for the 3A state title over the weekend.

"I talked to other coaches and they all told me the same thing," said Holbrook's 10-year head coach Raul Mendoza. "They told me what they did to be effective so we were aware of our obstacles."

The Roadrunners ultimately aced their task before an estimated crowd of 17,000 fans as they snatched their first state championship since 1971 after overcoming a 15-point deficit in the final quarter.

From the tip of the ball, the teams traded baskets and leads. But big three-point plays by Holbrook senior guards Kory Koerperich and Blake Maestas within the last minute of the first quarter sent the crowd to their feet and pushed Holbrook to the lead, 13-5.

With Fountain Hill's towering posts - 6-foot-9 Nick Baker and 6-foot-8 Tyler Bode - dominating the boards offensively and defensively, the Falcons managed to close in on the Roadrunners and snatch the lead and end the half on top, 21-20.

"We tend to play hard, get a big lead and then relax," Mendoza said, "and I think that's what happened."

Fountain Hill's dynamic guard Jeffery Bonner made a statement in the third quarter scoring 8 of his total 14 points and helping his team keep Holbrook scoreless for seven minutes to extend their lead by the end of the third, 36-23.

"They said they were ready but we didn't see it on the court," Mendoza said of his team. "We didn't shoot the ball very well and didn't score when we had the chance."

Despite the noisy crowd, the majority of whom backed Holbrook, the Falcons extended their lead in the final quarter and appeared to seal the win.
But the intensity of the game and the crowd only increased and with 6:30 left to go in the game, Holbrook trailed, 40-25.

"We've been in situations like that before," said Mendoza. "It was just a matter of convincing them that we would be fine. But we hung in there and they were very determined.

"I knew that if they played, they would do it," he added. "I have a lot of faith in the guys on the court and believe in their capabilities."

Fountain Hill's Bonner was carried off the court due to an ankle injury and the Roadrunners took advantage, shutting down the Falcons' towering posts and working for open shots.

"What we really knew was that they had two big guys and a good guard," said Holbrook four-year letterman Kory Koerperich. "We knew we had to run with them to wear out the big guys and play good defense on the guard.
"We didn't run as much as we wanted to," he added, "until the last five minutes - that's when we started playing Holbrook basketball."

Mendoza said getting the posts off their feet was key.

"Ball fake," Mendoza said. "We knew we were going to get looks if we moved the ball and they like to jump so we wanted to get them in foul trouble."

Shots by junior guards Rashaun Baldwin, Torrian Epps and Jalen Jackson, who also managed a steal, put the Roadrunners back in the game with only 2:30 left in regulation. The Roadrunners trailed, 40-39.

The Falcons turned the ball over four times in the last 3 minutes and their shots did not fall as the Roadrunners poured in 11 points in the last two minutes to win the game, 49-43.

"They knew they had the whole rez behind them," said Mendoza. "We aren't on the reservation but I knew they were going to back us. It was like playing at home - the team was bigger but we're at home."

This is Mendoza's first state title in his 15 total years at Holbrook.

"When I first started coaching, it was one of my desires, my whole motivation," he said. "As I began to mature as a coach and person, I realized that wasn't the most important thing - it was to be consistent and competitive each year.

"Even now that we won, I'm happy for the kids. But I was content with just seeing the kids express their emotions - some cried," he added. "The emotional aspect was the biggest thrill for me. It was an experience."

Holbrook ends their season 30-5 and 8-1 in the 3A North conference.

"We were hopeful," Koerperich said of their fourth-quarter deficit. "We believed in each other, in our talents and what we could do, and it didn't hurt to have all those people supporting us and cheering us on.

"Overall it was an amazing once in a lifetime experience," he added. "It was unreal that we came back but I'm glad we got to experience it with over 16,000 fans, whether they were there watching it or seeing it online."

Koerperich, originally from Kansas, said family and friends watched the game online.

"It's still sinking in," he said. "It's the gift that keeps giving. That was the ultimate goal and only one team gets to say they won the state title."

Next season, the Roadrunners will return seven juniors from the state championship team, including starting guards Rashaun Baldwin and Jalen Jackson.

"We have a good nucleus coming back next year," Mendoza said. "Jalen is probably our most talented on the team and he can score."

Potential starters for next year include juniors Bryson Keoni, Dakota Lester and Torrian Epps.

Of the championship game, second-year player Keoni said, "We wanted to make a difference in Holbrook basketball. I remember our coach asking us at the beginning of the game what we were there for and what we wanted out of it. Most of us said, 'To be remembered.'"
Keoni admitted to being intimidated by Fountain Hill's height but said it was all mental.

"When I first got the ball, I drove in," he said. "They actually weren't as quick as us. So that helped me. The experience was great and it was like nothing I have ever experience before. I've never played in front of a crowd that big."

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