Koa Peat, one of the nation's top senior high school basketball prospects, helped
Perry (Gilbert) make history in Arizona on Saturday night with a 63-44 over
Sunnyslope (Phoenix) in the Open Division state championship game.
The victory gave Perry (27-2) its fourth consecutive championship in the state's highest classification. The Pumas, ranked No. 7 nationally in the latest MaxPreps Top 25, went 107-14 during Peat's four years in the program.
Making it all the more impressive, Peat was ruled out for the season a little over a week ago after suffering a broken hand. He missed a quarterfinal win over
Ironwood (Glendale) but surprised many by returning to score 16 points in a 76-57 semifinal victory over
O'Connor (Phoenix).
Saturday against Sunnyslope, Peat finished with 20 points in the victory while throwing down multiple slams despite playing through obvious pain.
Koa Peat celebrates with his Perry teammates after capturing a fourth consecutive state championship. (Photo: Jack Beasley)
Peat, a 6-foot-8, 235-pound forward, is regarded as the No. 8 prospect in the Class of 2025 by
247Sports. He is expected to decide between Arizona, Arizona State, Baylor, Houston and Texas later this month.
Corona del Sol (Tempe) was the last team to win four consecutive championships in the state's highest classification. The Aztecs did it from 2012 to 2015 while compiling a record of 126-8 over the span under head coach Sam Duane Jr., who now leads the program at Perry.
With his eighth state championship on Saturday, Duane Jr. tied Gary Ernst for the most titles in Arizona's highest classification all-time. Duane Jr., who just finished his 26nd season, now has a record of 490-204 and ranks 17th in state history in career wins.
His father, Sam Duane Sr. ranks seventh in the state's history with 883 career wins and also captured four state championships in 11 title game appearances across 37 seasons.
According to social media reports, Peat will undergo surgery on his broken hand on Monday after gutty semifinal and title game performances. The two-time reigning MaxPreps Arizona Player of the Year is in line for his third consecutive honor.
Perry joins Mesa (1923-1926), Pheonix Union (1958-1961) and Corona del Sol (2012-15) as the only teams to win four straight state titles in Arizona's highest classification. (Photo: Jack Beasley)
