Ryan Meza is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Perry High School for AZPreps365.com

PHOENIX – Robson Gymnasium nearly held a capacity crowd on Friday night for the 6A semifinal matchup between Perry and Brophy. The Pumas entered the game with an 0-2 record against the Broncos this season; both losses exceeded 15 or more points. However, on Friday none of that mattered.

“We played really bad,” Perry junior guard Cody Williams said in regard to the Pumas' 61-46 loss at home to Brophy earlier this month, their second defeat to the Broncos this winter. “So, it also worked as an advantage because they don’t really know what to expect, considering how bad we played last time.”

The theme of Friday night’s game was composure, something Puma head coach Sam Duane Jr. said his team had lacked three weeks ago. Williams agreed.

“Keep our composure,” Williams said. “That’s one of the biggest things [the coaches] circle on that big board before the game, so it really helped us prepare because we knew it was going to be a close game, if not overtime.”

There is no better way to practice composure than a triple overtime game to advance to the state championship game and leave with a 49-47 victory over the boys of Brophy.

 

 

“[We] were composed tonight,” Duane Jr. said. “We had times when it got a little rocky, but our guys stayed the course and battled.”

The defensive intensity was on display in overtime as both squads were scoreless after the first overtime, tied at 43.

“Every time at the end of regulation and [both] overtimes, they had the last shot,” Duane Jr. said. “We dug in and got a stop…incredible toughness tonight.”

A big-time block from 6'8" Perry freshman Koa Peat in double overtime spoiled Brophy’s potential game-winning shot, which kept the score tied at 45 and forced a third overtime.

 

 

The Pumas walked to their bench excited. Duane Jr.’s message at the break amped up not only his team, but also the Perry fans as the entire crowd sitting behind the bench joined in by clapping their hands and cheering. “We got a stop in the second overtime,” Duane Jr. said. “I came in and I just said ‘That’s one hell of a stop! You dug in, you got this into overtime, that is one hell of a stop! Let’s go with it!'”

Perry sealed the game in the third overtime with four points from Peat and an even bigger block off the glass from the freshman with four seconds remaining in triple overtime.

“That’s honestly just sweet to get revenge on their home court and knock them out the playoffs,” Williams said.

“We won this game on toughness, straight-out toughness,” Duane, Jr., added.

This is Perry's first time playing for a state title, but lucky for them, their head honcho is a four-time 6A state champion. Before heading to Perry, Duane Jr.  coached at his alma mater, Corona del Sol, for 12 years and led the Aztecs to four straight state titles from 2012-2015.

As Duane Jr. prepares to return to the state championship game with Perry after a personal seven-year absence, he pointed at his team boarding the bus. “Them getting to experience it,” Duane Jr. explained as to what he is looking forward to most.

Perry will face a fellow Premier Region team in Hamilton on Wednesday night, but it hopes not to allow its two wins over the Huskies in the regular season give it a false sense of security. After all, Brophy defeated the Pumas twice.

“[We can’t] take them lightly,” Williams said. “We beat them twice, Brophy beat us twice and we ended up beating them, so we really got to be locked in.”

“I want to leave these seniors out on a good note,” Williams added. “We are not going to state to lose.”