Rummel junior Tim Duhe scored his team’s first 12 points in the second half and senior Denim Smith scored the basket that put the Raiders ahead for good as they defeated Country Day 49-45, clinching the boys state championship Saturday at the Allstate Sugar Bowl National Prep Classic at the Alario Center in Westwego.
Duhe scored five times after Country Day tied the score or took a lead in the third in fourth quarters and finished with 16 points. This after he made the winning shot at the buzzer Friday in a semifinal win against Northshore.
“We knew it was going to come down to the wire,” Duhe said. “Coach had faith in me last night to put it in the hole. I’m just happy we came out with the ‘W.’ ”
Duhe made a 3-pointer that put Rummel (12-6) ahead 35-33 late in the third quarter. After Country Day freshman Kellen Brew scored off a pass from sophomore Hermon Dyson to start the fourth quarter, Duhe scored on a drive to the basket for a 37-35 lead.
Country Day junior Andrew Nelson made a free throw that completed a three-point play that tied the score at 38. Smith, who had 10 points and made a 3-pointer, drove for a basket that put Rummel ahead for good at 40-38. Duhe scored the next basket for Rummel to make it 42-38.
Rummel never gave up the lead as junior Ja’Mard Jones made a spinning move for a layup and Smith and Duhe combined to make 5 of 6 free throws down the stretch.
“(Duhe) does it on both ends of the floor,” Rummel coach Scott Thompson said. “He’s very selfless. … He plays with a physical manner. He’s humble. He’s very hungry. He just represents our school and our team with class.”
For Country Day (12-6), junior McAllister Callejo came off the bench for 10 points and made two 3-pointers. Sophomore Brennan White made two 3-pointers and senior Maddox Moss and senior Phillip Antis each made one.
“Defensively, (Rummel) just made us turn it over,” Country Day coach Mike McGuire said. “They contested everything at the rim. I thought they were good. (Jones) was really a factor inside and then (Duhe) controlled the ball. The rest of them are solid players, well coached and tough to beat.”
Rummel won the tournament after it finished a runner-up to Jesuit last season.
“We knew we wanted to win it this year,” Duhe said. “We were greatly prepared. All the credit goes to our coach.”
Rummel beat Northshore 45-44 in the semifinal Friday when Duhe made a running layup at the buzzer.
Duhe said Rummel “had a play drawn up” that “didn’t really work.”
“That’s another thing coach talks about: Us being able to play basketball, not be robotic, and work out of it,” Duhe said. “That’s what we did.”