Durango runs away from South Tahoe

Spencer Patterson

Friday, Feb. 25, 2000 | 10:50 a.m.

RENO -- One year ago, the Durango boys basketball team made a trip to see the governor's mansion in nearby Carson City before its state semifinal game against Cheyenne.

This time around, when Trailblazers coach Al LaRocque offered to take his players back, they flatly refused. After all, they figured, why risk a repeat of what happened the night after last year's sojourn -- a season-ending loss and the end of their state title hopes.

No problem, said LaRocque. If the players won't go to the governor's mansion, he'd bring the governor to them.

And on Thursday night, Gov. Kenny Guinn was indeed in attendance at the Lawlor Events Center, where he met Durango's players before the game and then watched as the Trailblazers advanced to tonight's state championship game against Bishop Gorman with a 74-54 win over South Tahoe.

Despite the final score, the game was not without its tight moments for the Sunset Region champs, who led by just six points, 51-45, with 6:30 remaining.

"That was the closest 20-point game you ever saw in your life," said LaRocque, whose team scored 28 points in the final quarter to run away from the Vikings.

"We've played 32 games this year, and that's probably the toughest team we've seen. They executed, they're disciplined. It took a strong effort for us to win."

Once again, Durango (25-7) was led by guard Jamaal Brimmer and center Martrel Johnson, who combined for 53 of their team's 74 points.

Brimmer was the key man for the Blazers in the first half, pouring in 16 of his 26 points in 16 minutes of unexpected end-to-end action. The Vikings (27-5) opted to forsake their traditional deliberate offensive style in favor of up-tempo basketball, as the teams traded baskets and the lead early on.

With South Tahoe guard John Giannoni (17 points) pushing his club upcourt on every opportunity, the Northern Region champs built a 21-19 lead early in the second quarter.

They never led again.

Brimmer tallied nine points in a six-minute flurry that gave the Trailblazers a 32-29 halftime edge. And from there, Johnson was simply unstoppable.

The rock-solid 6-3 sophomore dominated the low post down the stretch, scoring 15 of his game-high 27 points in the fourth quarter to help Durango pull away. Even a hard fall on his left hand didn't slow Johnson, who remained in the contest despite being in obvious discomfort.

"I'm a man-child, that's my nickname," Johnson said. "I didn't want to come out of the game. I wanted to make sure I was in there."

Tonight, the Blazers will take on rival Bishop Gorman for the fourth time this season for this year's 4A state title. Durango, which won back-to-back state championships in 1995 and '96, holds a 2-1 series edge this season on the Gaels, who last won a state title in 1997.

"Five points separated the two teams in our three games this year, and I don't expect this to be any different," LaRocque said.

"It comes down to who executes the best. That's what basketball is supposed to be all about."