Head Coach Derek Bean leads the Tigers to their second state championship in three years with a 45-43 win over Sandia Prep. #nmpreps

New Mexico High School State Tournament | Top Player Performances from State

Hot Springs Tigers Win

The Hot Springs Tigers have clawed and climbed their way back to the top of the 3A boys basketball mountain. After coming up a game short last year, losing to eventual champion Bosque 67-53 in the Final Four, Head Coach Derek Bean and his Tigers would not be denied this year. "It was something that stayed in our bellies, there was a bad taste in our mouth. We knew we didn't play well obviously and they [Bosque] played well and were a great team that went on to win state. But, it didn't sit well and we had a chip on our shoulder all season," Coach Bean commented afterward.

Sandia Prep, who lost to Bosque in last year's title game and was seeking their first blue trophy jumped to an early 6-2 lead and stretched their advantage to 11-6 with 2:02 left in the opening quarter. Hot Springs held the Sundevils scoreless from there and ended the quarter 5-0 to tie it at 11 heading into the second. The Tigers took their first lead of the game at the 7:23 mark in the second following a pair of free throws by Verrels Lukman. The lead would change hands a total of seven times in the period, and when all the seesawing was done, the Tigers headed up the ramp with a 23-20 edge. Aljon Pinili opened the second half with a trey to extend the lead to 26-20 for the Tigers. The defensive intensity picked up by both teams and neither scored a point for over four minutes following the Pinili three. With 3:01 Nick Chavez hit a three to get Sandia Prep going, on the next possession Sam Henderson stole the ball near midcourt and went straight to the cup, slamming home two points with authority to make a one-point game. Each team only scored two more points the rest of the way and it was Hot Springs with a 28-27 lead after three.

Hot Springs stretched the lead to 36-32 with 3:39, Henderson scored in the paint and followed that with a pull-up three to put the Sundevils ahead 37-36 with three minutes to go. Lukman took the lead back for the Tigers with a pair of free throws. Following a Ruben Garcia free throw to give the Tigers a 42-40 lead with 24.9 remaining it was Henderson finding Jaxon Feit in the left corner and Jaxon buried the three to give the Sundevils a 43-42 with 7.7. Hot Springs called timeout and when play resumed put the ball into Lukman's hands; Lukman went straight to the basket and drew the foul as he went up for the score. Lukman calmly hit both freebies with just 4.3 left on the clock to put Hot Springs up 44-43. "I wouldn't change it, we had the best kid [Lukman] in our program who was going to take that shot and he proved it today. This kid puts in all the hard work that every coach dreams of," Bean said.

Hot Springs stole the ensuing inbounds pass with only 0.3 left on the clock Randin Gossett made the first and then intentionally missed the second, time ran out and Hot Springs claimed the game and blue trophy with a 45-43 win. "It's creating a culture, these two [Lukman and Ruben Garcia] were the first two when I got hired and it's a sad day that I have to say goodbye to them. But it creates a culture for the young kids to mirror themselves after these two."Lukman led the Tigers with 14 points and right behind him was Pinili who added 11.

FINAL STATS

Hot Springs Verrels Lukman 14 points

Aljon Pinili 11 points

FG: 14-423

PT: 2-14

FT: 15-20

Sandia Prep

Sam Henderson 21 points

Cooper McWilliams 8 points

FG: 18-35

3PT: 4-10

FT: 3-8

Highlights by Devin Marquez