Graford survives a thriller in OT to down Jayton and repeat as the Class 1A state champs

The Graford boys basketball team won its second consecutive UIL Class 1A state title by rallying from seven points down in the third quarter and then surviving overtime in a 49-44 thriller over Jayton on Saturday at the Alamodome.

“All we heard all year was that ‘oh, you lost four starters so you’re not going to be able to do it again’,” said Graford forward/center Colin Roberts, the championship game Most Valuable Player. “That kind of pushed us and we had a chip on our should all year.

“Even though we were number one all season we don’t talk about rankings in practice, we just get after it. We were climbing the mountain all year is what we were saying, but we were running down the mountain today to get that prize and we did.”

The game featured No. 1 Graford versus No. 2 Jayton and the game lived up to the hype.

“It was a rock fight,” said Jayton coach Ryan Bleiker, of the game that featured seven ties and five lead changes. “You don’t often get number one versus number two in the state championship game, but we got that today and overtime.

“Graford is just so well coached and so talented. They’re an extremely tough team and this game was everything that we thought it would be.”

It was nip and tuck for the first quarter, but early in the second period Graford (37-3) went on an 8-0 run to pull ahead 21-13.

That didn’t last long, however. Jayton freshman Sean Stanaland scored nine of his game-high 22 points in a span from 1:12 of the second quarter to 4:52 of the third quarter when the Jaybirds went on a 15-0 run to go from eight down to up by seven at 28-21.

From that point it was Roberts’ turn. The 6-8 senior, the only upperclassman on the Jackrabbits’ roster, score nine points himself to get Graford back in the game. His lay up with 7:27 left in the fourth quarter gave the Jackrabbits a 33-31 lead.

“We got down seven, but these guys just kept grinding it out and that’s what they’ve done all year long,” said Graford coach Jeff Bell. “They didn’t panic, that’s just not in us. The way we practice sets us up for these type of games.

“We knew that it was going to be a hard-fought game and I just kept telling them to stay the course, stay the course. They did and listened.”

Roberts finished with 20 points, 11 rebounds, and had five blocked shots and played every second of the game.

“If he was just 6-8 it would be one thing, but he’s also 6-8 and he’s physical,” said Jayton coach Ryan Bleiker of Roberts. “And then he’s 6-8, physical and talented so it’s extremely tough.

“I thought our guys did an excellent job on him and I’m so proud of the post defense that we played. He’s just a super talented player and we did what we could do, but all the credit to him for just being a stud.”

“In practice we preach about getting the ball in the paint because that’s how we’re going to win and it opens up the outside,” said Roberts. “I want the ball in my hands at all times if I can have it.”

In the overtime, Roberts gave the Jackrabbits a 43-41 lead with a lay up at the 3:29 mark and then it became a free throw contest for Graford. Jayton went 1 of 11 from the field in the extra period and was forced to foul, but the Jackrabbits hit six of seven foul shots in OT to seal the game.

Stanaland hit big shot after big shot all game for the Jaybirds and would have been the MVP if Jayton (38-3) would have wound up on top. Griff Reel added 10 points and 11 rebounds for the Jaybirds, who were looking for their first title in their third trip to the state tournament.

Christian Shea scored 14 points for Graford and McKennon Lemley had four points and dished out five assists for the Jackrabbits.

“Your gonna make me cry,” said Bell when asked about Roberts, the only senior on the team. “He’s a dream for a coach to be able to coach. Great kid, straight A student, he works his rear end off, says ‘yes sir no sir’.”

“I love him to death and I’m going to miss him so much. He’s been a great leader for us and a great example for our school. Colin Roberts will go down as one of the greatest players to ever play at Graford.”

Graford has been ranked No. 1 in Class 1A by the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches all season, but Bell still hasn’t felt like his team had earned the respect that they should, even after winning a state title a year ago.

It was Graford’s ninth appearance at the state tournament.

“I can’t say enough about this group,” said Bell. “We didn’t talk about it much because rankings are useless until you win it at the end. Now we are number one and they’ve earned that respect throughout the state of Texas, I believe.”