Las Vegas Sun

March 19, 2024

high school basketball:

Clark basketball gets revenge against Desert Pines, wins second straight state title

Clark vs. Desert Pines for state title

Richard Brian / Special to the Sun

Clark High School point guard Colby Jackson, second left, gets emotional after defeating Desert Pines in the Division I-A Nevada high school basketball state championship game at the Orleans Arena on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2015.

Colby Jackson and Carter Olsen were determined not to have a repeat performance.

When the Clark High basketball team’s 12-point lead against Desert Pines to open the fourth quarter today in the Division I-A state championship game was trimmed to six, the senior guards didn’t panic. Instead, they used their state championship game experience to lead a 13-2 scoring run to put the game out of reach, giving the Chargers redemption against Desert Pines and their second straight title with a 62-46 victory.

In the 2013 state championship game, when Jackson and Olsen were sophomores, Clark blew a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter against Desert Pines in a tough-to-stomach loss. Like today, that game was also played at the Orleans Arena.

“I don’t know about everyone else, but I felt we owed (Desert Pines) one in this arena,” said Jackson, who scored 16 points.

Clark vs. Desert Pines for state title

Clark High School forward Ty'rek Wells (13) grabs a loose ball against Desert Pines during the Division I-A Nevada high school basketball state championship game  at the Orleans Arena on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2015. Launch slideshow »

Keyshaun Webb, who scored 16 points, started Clark’s decisive rally with a 3-point play with 4:21 remaining for a 45-36 lead. In the next two minutes, Jackson had three points and a pretty assist to Olsen for a layup in transition, Ty’Rek Wells muscled his way for a dunk and Darius Jackson scored a basket.

Soon, Clark had a 55-37 advantage. Problem averted.

“I couldn’t be more happy for Carter because two years ago in this same building, I know how bad he felt when we had a similar situation,” Clark coach Chad Beeten said. “It was almost going that way. I called him over and I said, ‘Listen, don’t lose confidence in yourself because I have confidence in you. You are going to redeem from a few years back.’ I knew he would. I knew he would settle down. He was trying too hard to make plays.”

While seniors Jackson and Olsen usually get most of the accolades, and Wells was again a force on the inside with 11 points and 11 rebounds, Clark’s underclassmen deserve significant credit for today’s win.

Desert Pines led 11-9 lead after the first quarter, but Clark freshman James Bridges made a trio of 3-pointers in the second quarter to give the Chargers to the lead for good. Two of his 3-pointers rattled in.

“In the last four years, this is our least talented team from top to bottom,” Beeten said. “But it is our best team overall. Capital letters team.”

In last year’s state championship game win, Clark limited Elko to just 25 points.

Clark’s defense was again the difference by holding Desert Pines to just two points in the second quarter. Desert Pines led 9-3 midway through the first quarter but managed just four points in nearly 13 minutes before halftime.

“We played great defense like we did all season. Stop the shooter and box out, that’s how we played them,” Webb said.

Coby Myles had 18 points for Desert Pines and Jalen Graves scored 11. Graves scored seven points to open the fourth quarter and Myles followed with five in cutting the Clark lead to six points. That was as close as Desert Pines would get.

Jackson, Olsen and Co. wouldn’t be stopped. After being held scoreless in the first half, Jackson scored all 18 of his points in the second half to carry his team to the championship.

“I learned a lot from that game and (Desert Pines guard) Julian Jacobs,” Jackson said. “I remember how he controlled the tempo and never gave up. He led them to a ‘W.’ That’s what I wanted to do for my team.”

Ray Brewer can be reached at 702-990-2662 or [email protected]. Follow Ray on Twitter at twitter.com/raybrewer21

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