Photo by Rob March '11 - Sai Tummala '11 tries for two points March 4 in the state championship game against Mountain View.
Mesa Mountain View 50
Brophy 29
By Justin Janssen ’11
THE ROUNDUP
One day after Brophy’s basketball bunch (21-8) chalked up a season high 96 points in the semifinals versus Mesa, they tallied just 29 points March 4 against Mesa Mountain View (27-3).
One day after never trailing, the Broncos never led.
“The best team won tonight,” said Brophy head coach Mr. Tony Fuller. “We scored 29 points tonight and that’s not going to get it done.”
James Harper ’12 led the Broncos to a tie ballgame after the first quarter by scoring seven of his team-high 11 points in the frame.
But then the game turned drastically.
Mesa Mountain View rode a 13-0 spurt lasting most of the second quarter all the way to their state championship.
After taking a 25-12 lead moments before halftime, the Toros led by double digits throughout.
Brophy’s best shot at making a comeback occurred early in the fourth quarter.
But after Brophy scored four quick points to start the quarter, the Broncos could not keep the momentum going.
Sai Tummala ’11 finished with eight points, while Fred Gammage ’12 scored six points and registered a team-high six rebounds from the point guard position.
Mountain View’s Camryn Boone led all scorers with 12 points and Mark Mazzucco added 11 for the victors.
“(The Toros) were tough and strong,” Fuller said.
Photo by Rob March '11 - Kevin Donley '11 yells after a foul against Brophy March 4 in the state championship game at Jobing.com Arena.
The No. 6 Broncos needed three playoff wins to get to the championship game. In the first round, Fuller got his first playoff victory as head coach for Brophy by hanging on to a 61-54 win over No. 11 Cesar Chavez at home.
Then, Brophy upset two-time defending state champions No. 3 North 69-61 on the road. In the semifinals, the Broncos scored a season-best 96 points in a 96-82 victory against No. 2 Mesa at Jobing.com.
With the Friday night victory, the Toros have won four state championships in the last seven seasons.
Brophy’s basketball team is still searching for their first ever basketball championship. They have lost in the title game three times now: 1986, 2001, and now, 2011.
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