- Slug: Sports-Gilbert Perry Four-Peat. 1,000 words.
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By Jayce Cicinelli
Cronkite News
GILBERT – Applying the lessons of his father to chase a fourth straight title, Sam Duane Jr. is falling in his footsteps to the Arizona High School Coaches Hall of Fame.
The Pumas sit in prime position for a feat that hasn’t been achieved by an Arizona high school boys basketball program since 2012-2015, when Duane dominated as coach of Corona Del Sol with four consecutive 5A championships.
If the Pumas win again, it would give Duane eight state championships, which would tie him for second all time in Arizona for most state titles won by a high school basketball coach behind Jerry Mullin, who earned 11 state championships in the 1990s and early 2000s.
He credits his success to one man.
“My brother and I used to play with my dad and we grew up and lived in the gym,” Duane Jr. said. “When he was a college assistant, he would take me around so all the experiences and watching him as a coach, he is now my biggest fan and I owe it all to him as being a coach.”
With one regular season game remaining, Perry has a 21-2 record heading into Wednesday night’s game against Chandler as the No. 1 team in Arizona and eighth best in the country. The Puma’s only two losses this year came against out-of–state teams that are ranked as the top two teams in the country. The two losses came against Harvard Westlake High School in Studio City, California and Columbus High School in Miami, Florida.
Defense has been the Pumas’ bread and butter, as they have only allowed over 70 points in one game this season. In their first state championship season, the Pumas finished 25-7 and ranked third in Arizona. Two years ago, the Pumas went 31-1, were ranked first in Arizona, 12th nationally, and capture its second consecutive state title.
Last year, the team finished 24-6 and ranked first in Arizona again (32nd nationally) as the Pumas continued their championship ways to a three peat.
The dominance is highlighted by 6-foot-8 senior forward Koa Peat, a consensus five-star recruit who is rated as one of the top players in the country Peat is still uncommitted, but has narrowed down his commitment list to five schools: Arizona, Arizona State, Texas, Houston and Baylor.
“He is a tremendous teammate and knows that we as a team all need each other,” Duane Jr. said. “He has a very positive influence on campus and his teachers love him, students love him, and (he) just fits in and doesn’t put himself above others.”
As players come and go, one person remains constant: Duane Jr., the Perry coach for the past 10 years, rarely missing out on a chance to compete for titles no matter his stop over the past 27 years.
“Coach Duane is not only a great basketball coach when it comes to strategy, game-planning, breaking down film, using the right people, and coaching skills, but he also is a great leader who gets the best out of his players,” said Perry athletic director Jennifer Burks. “He does this by getting them to become a team where one person isn’t what we are all about, but everyone on the team has a role and his players love and respect him and he in return gives that love and respect back.”
Duane Jr.’s coaching tenure has taken him across the Valley, from Mesquite High School for five seasons, Corona del Sol High School for 12 seasons, and now 10 seasons at Perry. His previous stops include stints at Phoenix College and Mesa Community College as an assistant coach, and he was the first boys basketball coach in Mesquite High School’s history.
With an overall record of 492-204, he has eight state championship game appearances, nine Final Four appearances and named Arizona Coach of the Year five times and Region Coach of the Year nine times.
His greatest accomplishments could be when he was named the Max Preps National Coach of the Year, the NFHS section 7 Coach of the Year in 2018, or last year winning the NABC National Coach of the Year.
Perry’s coach learned the ropes from his father, Arizona coaching legend Sam Duane Sr., who has been his role model.
Duane Sr.’s resume is equally impressive, and includes him leading Tempe Union High School to two Class 4A state championships in 1980 and 1981. Duane Sr. moved to Corona Del Sol and added two 5A state titles in 1989 and 1994. He was inducted into the Arizona High School Athletic Coach Hall of Fame in 1999.
“I got lucky and won the lottery because I have so many great players and coaches,” Duane Jr. said. “We have a great administration here and it starts with them at the top and everyone here contributes to this wonderful school, so I’m just riding a wave, embracing it with the staff and players we have here.”
Senior point guard Dominic Avalos, who joined the team as a freshman and played a part in all three three prior championships, understands how each game is crucial and knows to not look ahead of the schedule.
“We just have to keep playing together as a team, whether it’s trusting our coach, our teammates, or our plays like we always have been,” Avalos said. “It’s more of understanding each season is different and we have to come ready to play and ready for the challenge.”
Nolan Brown, also a senior point guard, understands how each of the previous three seasons have been special, and comprehends the effect playing a lot of out-of-state games has on the team’s tough schedule.
“It takes a toll on us a little bit, but we love it and we know we are blessed and privileged to get these out-of-state opportunities,” Brown said. “Playing against those top teams with a lot of great players who will play at the next level prepares us and we know what it takes to fight back and never give up when we are playing from behind.”
Deandre Harrison, a 6-foot-5 senior forward, wants that fourth straight title.
“Well it’s even hard to win one let alone going back to back or three in a row,” Harrison said. “We seniors would love to win one every year in high school. For the team and for the next guys coming up, it’s continuing the legacy and making our school and community proud.”
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