The Champlin Park boys basketball team entered the 2016-17 season with a long list of goals it wanted to accomplish this season.
The Rebels were able to scratch two goals off the list during the regular season, as they were able to win a Northwest Suburban Conference championship and piece together an undefeated regular season.
“We enjoyed this season and it was crazy,” Champlin Park point guard McKinley Wright said. “We have 11 seniors on this team and we’re going to miss this once these last six games go by.”
While the first two goals were important to the Rebels, Champlin Park head boys basketball coach Mark Tuchscherer knows his team has bigger goals it wants to accomplish this season.
“We just have to keep it going,” Tuchscherer said. “Our boys have kept it going all season long to go 26-0 and win a conference title, and that’s outstanding.
“These boys have more on their mind.”
After going undefeated in every game leading up to the state title game in 2014-15 before falling to Apple Valley, the Rebels are focused on remaining unscathed throughout the rest of the season.
“We are more hungry than we were before,” Wright said. “My sophomore year we were undefeated all the way there and we lost.
“We remember that like it was yesterday and we thought about it 1,000 times this season. It’s in the back of our minds every day, and we look forward to getting there again.”
Champlin Park closed out its season with an 85-75 win over Armstrong March 3, and, while the win sealed the undefeated regular season, the Rebels took just minutes to celebrate before turning their attention toward bigger things.
“I know it’s a good feeling, but this is just the start for us,” senior Brian Smith said. “With sections coming up, it’s win or go home, so everybody is 0-0 and it’s time to battle for a state championship.”
Armstrong, the ninth-ranked team in Class 4A, proved to be a good final test for the Rebels.
“To play a team like Armstrong in the last regular season is a great opportunity for us,” Tuchscherer said. “This is a good opportunity for us to ramp up for the playoffs and get ourselves ready for the first round.”
Champlin Park tied the Falcons 38-38 heading into the halftime locker room, and Armstrong took a 46-41 lead early in the second half.
Tuchscherer took a timeout to settle down his team, but the Rebels knew exactly what they had to do.
“Coach called a timeout early in the second half, and we said this was our house and we want to go undefeated for the rest of the year,” Wright said. “This was the second to last time playing on this court, so we came out and got stops.”
Champlin Park eventually battled back to take as much as a 15-point lead before securing the 85-75 victory.
“We haven’t had to see that adversity very often this season,” Tuchscherer said. “Maybe last season we wouldn’t have seen the response that we did.
“Our boys have matured and are led by 11 great seniors. They persevered and they changed their outlook on the game, and you could see the hop in their step.”
By the end of the game, Tuchscherer was able to insert most of his seniors into the lineup during the team’s Senior Night festivities.
“As a coach it is tough, you have to be that leader and the guy that keeps it together, but sometime sit is good to show your emotions,” Tuchscherer said. “I’m really proud of these boys tonight and I’m sure they have a lot on their mind as far as higher goals, but this is one we wanted to accomplish.
“We’re on to the playoffs now.”
Wright led the Rebels with 25 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists, while Theo John scored 17 points, including eight points on four dunks that helped shift the momentum toward Champlin Park.
“The momentum swings with the dunks and all that are huge,” John said. “We came back from that, picked it up on defense and took care of business.”
D.J. Hunter scored 16 for the Rebels, Smith scored 15 and Marcus Hill added 12.
The Rebels (26-0) opened the Section 5AAAA tournament against Irondale March 8. With a win, the Rebels will go on to play the winner of Centennial-Mounds View at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 14, at Maple Grove High School.
Contact Chris Chesky at chris.chesky@ecm-inc.com. Follow him on Twitter at @MNSunSports or @SunSportsChris.