Mount Pisgah Patriots Take GISA Basketball Championship

Posted Monday, March 6, 2006

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The Mount Pisgah boys' basketball team won its first ever GISA AAA State Championship on Saturday night with a 58-52 win over Deerfield-Windsor. Ralph Sampson led the Patriots (23-3) with 14 points, nine rebounds and eight blocked shots.

“It feels great to win the state championship,” Head Coach Joe Marelle said. “These boys are great young men, the best I have ever been around in my life. People doubted these kids and did not give them their respect all year. They worked hard all year with the help of Coach Brannon, Coach Upshaw, Coach Pearson and Coach Favors to achieve their ultimate goal – a state championship.”

Mount Pisgah led the entire game, but with less than two minutes to go Deerfield Windsor had cut the lead to three points. Patriot guard Tony Marelle hit the front end of a one-and-one to put Mount Pisgah up four points. After missing the second shot, Sampson got the rebound and scored to give MPCS a six-point lead.

A Deerfield-Windsor basket trimmed the lead back to four. The Knights had a chance to
get even closer after senior Jazz Favors missed two free throws. However, Deerfield-Windsor was unable to score and Favors sank to next two free throws to seal the game
for the Patriots.

Rodney Favors scored 11 points for Mount Pisgah in the championship game. Marelle finished the game with 10 points, while Mike Dejworek scored nine points, grabbed nine rebounds and blocked five shots.

"Of course, our MVP goes to the MPCS student body, what an enthusiastic and spirited group. They were awesome,” Marelle commented.

In the semifinals Mount Pisgah defeated Southland Academy 61-44. Sampson again led the team in scoring with 15 points, eight rebounds and eight blocks. Dejworek finished with 14 points, nine rebounds and six blocks. Marelle added 11 points and Kevin Donnelly scored 10 points off the bench.

Congratulations to our MPCS 2006 State Champions: Josh DeGiorgi, Mike Dejworek,
Kevin Donnelly, Austin Dragoun, Jazz Favors, Rodney Favors, Benjamin Fitzhugh, Jeffrey Fulks, Taylor Hall, Tommy Hoffman, Tim Jackson, Najee Lenoir, Tony Marelle, Nathan Mozingo, Ralph Sampson, Christa Feinauer (athletic trainer), Cliff Brannon (coach), Donnie Upshaw (coach), and Joe Marelle (head coach).