Durango knocks off Liberty for first state title since 1996

By Mike Grimala (contact)

Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023 | 6:17 p.m.

With about 10 seconds to go in Saturday’s Class 5A boys’ state championship game, Durango senior point guard Tylen Riley wanted the ball in his hands. So, he got aggressive, waded into a crowd and elevated for a defensive rebound.

Once he got it, he didn’t know what to do with it.

Durango led by 10 points, and though Riley has closed out his share of games in his prep career, he didn’t quite have a plan to punctuate this one. He eventually dribbled out of the pack, weaved across halfcourt and started dancing.

Except when he picked up the ball and began high-stepping, there was still one second on the clock and Riley got whistled for traveling.

The referees judiciously waved off the violation, and Riley’s teammates swarmed the court to bask in their 59-49 victory over Liberty to clinch the school’s first state title since 1996.

After accepting the NIAA trophy and parading it in front of the Durango student section, Riley explained his premature celebration.

“My heart was racing,” Riley said. “I couldn’t believe it. The moment didn’t feel real. After everything we’ve been through, the coaches we lost, all the adversity. It just didn’t feel real.”

Riley played a near-flawless game for the first 31 minutes and 59 seconds, scoring 13 points and playing tough-as-nails defense on Liberty star D.J. Thomas. Nine of Riley’s points came in the fourth quarter, when the Trailblazers needed it most.

The game was tied, 33-33, early in the fourth, but Durango used a 10-2 surge to open some breathing room. Riley scored four points during the burst and assisted on a 3-pointer by Jevon Yapi that got the run started.

When Riley drove and knocked in a short bank shot with two minutes remaining, Durango had a 53-43 lead and the hardware was secured. All the was left was to run out the clock.

Riley took care of that, for the most part. And he wasn’t the only one who had an issue with the timing of the final buzzer.

Durango interim head coach Michael Lee didn’t even acknowledge the final seconds as they ticked away.

“I didn’t look up to the time until it was almost over,” Lee said. “Maybe two seconds, three seconds. I just couldn’t believe it.”

Lee’s disbelief was understandable. Less than a month ago he was a volunteer assistant, but when head coach Chad Beeten resigned mid-season, Lee was elevated to the top spot.

He guided Durango to an 8-1 record after taking over, earning praise for his calm demeanor on the sideline.

Riley credited Lee for keeping the Trailblazers together when the team could have easily splintered.

“The job he did, he was great,” Riley said. “When you think about what we had to go through — it was the hardest road. We had to go to Gorman and beat Gorman. We had to go to Liberty and beat Liberty. And then we had to face a team for the fourth time and beat them again. He’s a great coach.”

Lee deflected the praise to his talented roster, which features several Division-I prospects (including Riley, who has committed to Cal Baptist).

“This was a group effort,” Lee said. “It’s all about these guys. They were hungry as hell. The fought for this since Aug. 13. That’s how long we’ve been working and practicing every single day.”

Junior guard Taj Degourville led Durango with 16 points, while Mason Brown tallied 11.

Riley’s effort on the defensive end may have been the most valuable contribution in the win. Matched up against Thomas, the top recruit in the state, Riley used his wiry 6-foot-4 frame to cut off driving lanes and make Thomas work for all his scoring chances.

“Nobody in the country can hold him scoreless,” Riley said of his work on Thomas. “My job was to contain him and make it as hard for him as possible. I grew up with the kid, I know his moves a little bit, so I just tried to beat him to the spots and contain him.”

Durango finishes the season 21-6.

After guiding the team through the postseason and emerging victorious, Lee said he doesn’t know what the future holds for him and his interim tag.

“Nothing has been decided,” Lee said. “We don’t know if they want to hire us. Simple as that.”

Despite the uncertainty that loomed over the program for the final month, Riley said he and his teammates never doubted that they’d be crowned at the end — even if it came one second early.

“I felt like nothing could stop us,” Riley said. “Literally nothing.”

Mike Grimala can be reached at 702-948-7844 or [email protected]. Follow Mike on Twitter at twitter.com/mikegrimala.