On Friday, Concordia Lutheran, Second Baptist and The Woodlands Christian Academy added a trio of state championships to an already special boys basketball season for Houston-area squads. They join Houston Christian, who topped SPC in February.

The game of the night at the TAPPS’ state tournament was between Second Baptist and Cedar Hill Trinity Christian in the 5A title game. The Eagles battled with the Tigers throughout the match, but ultimately prevailed 60-57 on VYPE Player of the Game Max Modica’s game-winning three with 5.5 seconds left.

“I wasn’t really knocking down many shots early, but I know whenever it came down to crunch time that my team needed me,” the senior said. “I was happy that I was able to deliver that for them.”

Modica scored all his points in the final three quarters, and finished with 11. He was joined by the team’s leader in points Miles Goodman and Donovan Dastmalchian. Both added 14 in the win. Uzoma Dibiamaka and Cameron Fontenot also had important performances, adding nine and seven respectively. The team effort was too much for even the game’s leading scorer. Tyreek Smith led Trinity Christian with 23 points in the loss.

Right before that game, The Woodlands Christian Academy edged Arlington Grace Prep for a 79-76 double overtime victory in the 4A state title game. The Warriors stormed back in the second half to force the extra periods. VYPE Player of the Game Bakari LaStrap lifted his program to its fifth state championship with five critical points after regulation.

“That’s mesmerizing,” LaStrap said of the connection between his overtime point total and his program’s new title count. “Words can’t explain. That’s crazy!”

As important as LaStrap was, he couldn’t do it alone. Zach Baker recorded four in the extra periods, and Zach Golaszewski and Dawson Libonati added three each.

In the nightcap, Concordia Lutheran had an early cushion after a pair of runs (7-0 and 10-0) against district foe St. Pius X. The Crusaders kept a double-digit lead for most of the game, and breezed to a 70-48 TAPPS 6A state championship win.

VYPE Player of the Game Pierce Hellums finished with a game-high 23 points, and also had two important answers in the fourth. Pius had cut the Crusaders’ lead to nine in the early minutes of the period, but his back-to-back three-point plays were the final stand they needed to wrap up a 43-1 season, and complete the three-game sweep of the Panthers.

Hellums will be back to lead SaderNation in 2018-2019, but a number of his teammates won’t. Seniors Joshua Davis, Yosani Clay and Jaylen Reed contributed 10 points each.

“God blessed me with the greatest teammates I could have ever played with this year, and we’ve created a bond that will never be broken,” Hellums said. “We’ve created a legacy at Concordia now, and I’m going to really miss those guys next year. I don’t know what I’m going to do without ‘em.”

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