News » Area & State Report

Tempe McClintock defeats Phoenix Sunnyslope 75-73, Arizona 4A D1 State Champs.

By: Jeff Meadows

In what was truly a hard fought battle of epic proportions and it all came down to literally the final seconds as McClintock’s Cameron Forte tipped the ball which landed in teammate Terrin Elim’s hands who scored the game winning basket with three seconds left in regulation to give Tempe McClintock high to a 73-71 over Phoenix Sunnyslope for the Arizona Class 4A Division I boys basketball title at Jobing.com Arena.

Elam's score with three seconds left Saturday lifted Tempe McClintock to victory over defending champion and top-seed Phoenix Sunnyslope for the Class 4A Division I boy’s basketball title at.

"That was all heart right there," said Elam, who spent much of the second half on the bench with four fouls.

"I never rebounded so hard in my life," Forte said of the last few seconds.

McClintock (25-6) captured its first state championship since 1986, behind 6-foot-5 junior swingman Forte's 39 points and incredible will on the glass.

Forte's four consecutive missed free throws in the final 1:06 allowed Sunnyslope (26-4) to rally, behind, who else, senior guard Royce Woolridge last year's Arizona Big Schools Player of the Year.  With 57 seconds left in regulation, Sunnyslope’s Royce Woolridge scored on a drive to the basket to cut McClintock’s lead to 71-66. He then stole the inbounds pass and nailed a 3 to make it 71-69 with 50 seconds left. A feed inside to a cutting Kurt Foreman tied it with 35 seconds left.

In the final three seconds, Sunnyslope tried to set up a shot for Kansas-bound Woolridge but he never received the ball. Great team defense by McClintock stalled freshman point guard Alec Wintering who fed the ball inside to Jesse Milleson as time expired before Milleson could get his shot off.

"We were trying to throw over and get Royce on a back cut, and it didn't happen," Sunnsylope coach Dan Mannix said. "I was kind of hoping he'd take a desperation shot."Woolridge had an excellent game scoring 22 of his 34 points in the second half. McClintock’s Cameron Forte had an even more impressive game by scoring a game high 39 points and grabbing 14 rebounds.