GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Sam Duane Sr. takes the modest approach when discussing his impact on Sam Duane Jr.'s coaching philosophy.
Maybe there's a reason.
"He always says, 'What do you think, dad?'" Duane Sr. said. "Then I tell him and he says, 'I ain't going to do that.'"
Humor aside, there was no mistaking Duane Sr.'s influence after Tempe Corona del Sol defeated Laveen César Chávez 66-53 to capture the Division I boys state basketball championship Saturday at Jobing.com Arena.
The first reporter's question for Duane Jr. focused on his dad, who won 663 games and four state titles while the head coach at Corona. Before the response had escaped Duane Jr.'s lips, he broke down in tears, shielding his face from reporters as he tried to calm a cracking voice and stem the tide of tears.
"He's so supportive of me," said Duane Jr., who won his first title Saturday after a runner-up finish in 2006. "He's always there for me."
So were the Aztecs (32-1), who won an astounding 30 straight games after falling to Gilbert Mesquite in the third game of the season. Forward Avery Moss missed that lone loss, and anyone who doubted his value to Corona was reminded Saturday when he posted 18 points and an impressive 21 rebounds as Corona built a comfortable early lead against Chavez (27-6) and was never seriously threatened.
Moss said the loss of former junior varsity coach Troy Gray, who died of leukemia earlier this year, served as an inspiration for the Aztecs this season. The Nebraska-bound senior was a human highlight reel in Saturday's first half, grabbing 13 rebounds, including an offensive board on which he skied over an in-position defender for an easy putback.
"I was just determined," Moss said. "I couldn't get a dunk to go down but all that matters is we got the W."
Moss signed a letter of intent to play football at Nebraska this fall but he said Saturday that he is giving serious consideration to playing basketball for the Cornhuskers as well.
"I can't give up my first love," he said.
It would be accurate to say that's what pulled Duane Jr. back to Corona in 2003 after coaching five years at Mesquite. Duane Sr. was initially hesitant about the choice, worrying that his son would always be playing in his shadow -- and in a gym that is named after Duane Sr. But that task got a little easier after Duane Jr. won his first title Saturday.
Minutes after the clock had expired and his team began a raucous celebration, Duane Jr. made his way to the stands where his dad, mom, wife and other family members were seated in the front row, a few feet above the floor. He got to his dad first and embraced him for a moment before returning to the court and attempting to alter the course of the conversation.
"It's not about me or my dad," he said, pointing to his team. "It's about those guys right there who were on a mission to go out a champion. It's hard to go 30 in a row, taking everybody's best shot every night. You've got to give them credit."
There is no doubt about that, but on this night, the Aztecs had to share the stage with an equally compelling story.
Division II boys championship: Peoria 50, Tucson Amphitheater 48
Sam Engler’s layup with three seconds remaining was the finishing touch on Peoria's rally from a 14-point, second-quarter deficit to a Division II boys basketball state championship win over Amphi (31-4) on Saturday.
The win capped a drama-filled season for Peoria (27-3), which had to forfeit a game because all but three of its players were serving a one-game suspension for a bench-clearing brawl with Tolleson during a holiday tournament. The school is in the midst of an ongoing police investigation with longtime football coach Doug Clapp over alleged misuse of fundraising monies, and, last weekend, principal Kayla Carter suffered injuries in a car accident.
"We've gone through so much as a program and a school,” Panthers guard Dewayne Russell said. “We finally caught a break.”
