By Jon Johnson
PHOENIX – In a display of sheer dominance and sharpshooting prowess, the Fort Thomas Apaches boys basketball team captured its 13th Arizona 1A state championship with a convincing 77-45 victory over the St. David Tigers on Feb. 27, at Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
The championship is Fort Thomas’ first since 2020. The school has the most in Arizona prep history for small schools.
The top-seeded Apaches, who entered the title tilt unbeaten in conference play with a stellar 32-5 overall record, overwhelmed the No. 10-seeded Tigers (22-11), who had emerged as surprise finalists after a gritty tournament run.
The Apaches distanced themselves from the Tigers, starting with a 6-0 run at the end of the first that blossomed into an overall 18-0 run. Damarae Dosela sparked the run, tying the game at 9 and then giving the Apaches the lead for good. Dosela finished 8-15 from the field, including 5-9 from 3, for a game-high 26 points with 9 rebounds and 6 assists, and was named the MVP of the game.
Fort Thomas was 15-39 from beyond the arc for a shooting rate of 38.5 percent from deep. Michael Oliver contributed four of those 3-pointers on his way to a 16-point, 6-rebound night. Elijah Titla kicked in 12 points, and Malachi Johnson had 8 to help lead The Fort.
St. David jumped out to an early lead when Keston Richardson attacked Michael Olivar and sank a jumper. But Olivar fired back immediately, calling for the ball at the top of the key and draining a casual 3-pointer to tie it up.
Defense ruled the opening minutes. Malachi Johnson snagged a steal and pushed coast-to-coast, only to be swatted away by Braydon Posey’s massive block. Both squads struggled to find their rhythm offensively, but the Apaches persisted on the offensive boards until Damarae Dosela converted inside.
Chase Pacheco responded for the Tigers with a low-post score, keeping it close. After St. David missed a chance to regain the lead, Olivar secured the rebound and dished to Dosela, who found Elijah Titla for a jumper. Adrian Nuernberger drove through contact for St. David, adding the free throw to knot it at 7-7.
Posey then drove baseline for the Tigers’ lead, but Dosela answered with a spinning bucket that sparked an 18-0 Apache run, spanning two quarters. Dosela’s and-1 drive and Titla’s deep three gave Fort Thomas a 15-9 edge after one.
The second quarter saw the Apaches unleash a barrage from beyond the arc; Dosela assisted Titla for another triple, followed by Michael Olivar’s corner three.
On defense, Dosela drew a charge for a key turnover, but Jaxson Brogan ended the run with a jumper for St. David, and was answered right back when Titla quickly fed Kolby Hunter inside. Channing Wilson buried a trey, and after a steal, Olivar powered through contact for two.
The Tigers mounted a mini-run, led by Pacheco’s efficient 11 points on 50% shooting. But Wilson countered with a give-and-go layup assisted by Johnson, Justin Olivar splashed another long ball, and Dosela grabbed a rebound to push to Johnson for an and-1 bucket.
The Apaches’ explosive second quarter propelled them to a 42-19 halftime advantage. During the break, the program honored its 2001 state championship team, adding to the historic atmosphere. The head coach of the 2001 team, Terry Williams, serves as an assistant on this year’s team.
The third quarter was Dosela’s personal showcase. The wily guard pulled up for a three, then repeated the feat. Justin Olivar added a clean deep shot, while Posey answered with a finger roll for St. David. Michael Olivar, who finished with four threes, kept pouring it on.
Posey’s and-1 drive showed the Tigers’ fight, but Dosela donned his MVP mantle, nailing a dagger three. Posey responded with a trey, but Dosela fired back from NBA range at the logo, igniting the 10,000-strong Apache faithful. Channeling video game fire, Dosela drained three straight threes to balloon the lead to 65-34 heading into the fourth.
The final period ran under the mercy rule with a continuous clock, but play remained spirited. Johnson scored a layup, Richardson battled on the boards for St. David, and Olivar cashed in an easy bucket on a fast break.
The Tigers showed grit with Posey’s runner, Nuernberger’s putback, and Pacheco’s rebound score. But Fort Thomas’ three-point shooting proved insurmountable, as Olivar hit his fourth trey and Johnson added another.
Dosela led all scorers with 26 points on 8-of-15 shooting (5-of-9 from three, perfect 5-of-5 from the line) and was named tournament MVP. After the game, Fort Thomas head coach Matthew Dona was appreciative of the support the team received.
“I want to tell everybody thank you,” Dona said. “We had good fan support. We had a great year, and I’m excited to win the state championship.”
