Palo Verde’s quick start secured title

Adam Candee

Monday, March 1, 2004 | 9:46 a.m.

RENO -- They scramble to give each other credit, a mutual admiration society born of work ethic and respect.

Both Phil Clarke, the veteran coach, and Nate Schulte, his star forward, have plenty of reason to praise after Palo Verde won its first 4A state championship in boys' basketball Friday night with a 66-57 victory against Foothill at Lawlor Events Center.

Schulte and his teammates said they dedicated their championship season to Clarke, who has been battling non-Hodgkin's lymphoma since July 2002. Clarke's group made a surprise run to last year's state title game before losing to Cheyenne and the Panthers (30-6) vowed to deliver the coach his first state championship in 2003-04.

"It's all for coach Clarke," Schulte said.

Clarke points right back at Schulte's fiery determination as the reason for Palo Verde's emergence. Schulte scored 13 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in the state title game, teaming with senior forward Amir Ahmad's 19 points and 13 rebounds as the Panthers' inside muscle bulled over the smaller Falcons (27-7) en route to the title.

"He's driving the team and he's driving these young guys because if they don't work hard, they just won't be part of it," Clarke said of Schulte. "He'll run them out, I think. He's only a sophomore, I know, I know."

Next year's junior class includes P'Allen Stinnett and Luke Gums, along with senior-to-be Jarrell Harrison, there is more prosperity for Clarke to look forward to with Schulte as his leader. And in case there is any doubt if Schulte's focus will waver after winning the championship, consider his words as he stood on the court minutes after the celebration began Friday:

"Now I've just got to move on and focus for the next two," Schulte said. "I'm going to celebrate tonight. But then after that, go to work Monday."

The Panthers quickly went to work against Foothill, burying the Falcons in a 22-8 hole in the first quarter. The teams played a pretty even game from there, but Foothill never drew close after being shell-shocked.

"We saw that they looked scared," Ahmad said. "They looked like they were just happy to get here to the championship. We were there, so we know how it feels. We were like that last year. Now, we knew we were going to get it this year. We had to."

Said Schulte: "We knew if we give it to them quick, then they might give up. And that's what they did."

Foothill coach Kevin Soares felt his team played three good quarters, but its opening eight minutes were too much to overcome. The Falcons, who shot 33 percent from the floor, never drew closer than nine points until the waning moments of the fourth quarter.

"We dug ourselves a hole that was too deep to get out of," Soares said. "We had our opportunities. We blew a ton of layups. I can't even count how many we blew, and a ton of free throws."

Despite 18 points from senior guard Jamaal Smith and 15 points from senior forward Alan Potter, those continued lapses cost the Falcons in their first-ever state tournament final in any sport. The old saying goes that a team must first lose in order to learn how to win, and Clarke said the adage is true for Palo Verde.

"We knew we might have an advantage since we were here last year and they were so pumped up in a big game," Clarke said. "It made a difference. Our guys were relaxed."

Ahmad put it more succinctly.

"We came out here knowing we were going to win," Ahmad said.

Winning is becoming an expectation at Palo Verde, where Clarke likes the direction of his program. In addition to his strong group of varsity returners, even the freshman team went 28-0 this season.

"We're on a huge upswing right now, a huge upswing," Clarke said.