After historic Deer Park win, Gentry: 'This is the most relentless team I've ever coached'

COLUMBUS - It was Saturday in "The Park" and might as well have been the fourth of July. Nearly five months after their journey began in early December, Deer Park High School finished off the improbable, a perfect 29-0 season.

Let the fireworks begin.

The Wildcats overcame a nine-point halftime deficit, outscoring Columbus Africentric 40-21 in the second half to win the Division III state title, 67-57. Senior Damani McEntire and sophomore Steven Gentry Jr. led with 14 points, senior Jalen Rose had 13 points and junior Joseph Hocker had his second straight double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

"Every time we're down, I tell my team, 'I'm not going to let us lose,'" McEntire said. "Every time I say that we never lose."

Added Rose who hit some big second-half threes, "Coach always said shooters shoot. Eventually, they're going to fall. It's the best feeling in the world. I'm just glad the last game of my career, we got a ring."

Deer Park came into the game as the last of the unbeatens. Canal Winchester Harvest Prep was 28-0 until they were knocked off by Columbus Africentric in Thursday's Division III semifinals. It was Africentric's third trip to the state final four. The Wildcats left as the only unbeaten boys basketball team in the state.

Deer Park held the first quarter lead 14-12 despite a sluggish start. In the second, Africentric playing in a full court frenzy just as the Wildcats have all year, was able to outrace their opponent for a nine-point halftime lead. With under 10 seconds, Jalen Rose missed a breakaway dunk, Africentric rebounded with Anthony Bowman getting off a shot. He was fouled by Dayshawn Blair at the buzzer and made all three free throws to make it 36-27.

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In the third quarter, Deer Park kept running with the Nubians of Africentric and whittled away at the lead. Down eight after Africentric's James Hodge hit a three at the 3:37 mark, the Wildcats rallied behind drives by McEntire and sophomore Mark Wise to get within a point. At the third-quarter buzzer, Joseph Hocker's putback gave Deer Park their first lead since early in the second quarter at 46-45.

"We're kind of a second-half team," Deer Park coach Steve Gentry said. "Their guys started to get tired. We sensed that and we cranked up the pressure a little bit."

The young men in white and red then hit the accelerator in the fourth quarter with 21 points. Africentric was forced to foul and McEntire was hitting his free throws when not stealing the ball back (game-high 6 pilfers). At triple-zeroes, Deer Park's fans went wild as Mark Wise was able to "Lambeau Leap" into the Wildcat crowd. The alma mater was next and center Hocker sat on the floor, mentally and physically exhausted.

"I wanted my uncle to come watch this," Hocker said. "I lost my uncle in December. A couple years ago I lost my brother. It's just hard. They're watching me now. They're in a better place."

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Deer Park's last state title was their 1977 baseball team coached by Hank Estes. The Wildcat ball yard is now named for him. Since '77, the Reds won a World Series, the Bengals went to two Super Bowls and there have been seven U.S. presidents. Coach Steve Gentry was still some 14 years from starting his college playing career at Xavier.

The last Cincinnati-area team to finish an undefeated season as state champions was 2007's Georgetown G-Men of Brown County. No Hamilton County team has accomplished the feat. The last Cincinnati Hills League state basketball champion was Reading in 2003. Among the Blue Devils on the court 15 years ago was former University of Cincinnati quarterback Tony Pike.

The Wildcats survived close-call games against Newport Catholic, Madeira, Indian Hill and Purcell Marian. Mariemont tried to hold the ball an entire quarter on them and still lost by 30. Then there was all of the OHSAA speculation with the new influx of players, which Gentry said he was commenting on for the last time after Thursday's semifinal win.

He held true to his word as the nets came down, enjoying a championship season with his own son delivering one of his best games ever.

"It's a blessing to have my son out there playing for a state championship," Gentry said. "It's a career accomplishment for everybody. This is the most relentless team I've ever coached."

Deer Park 14 13 19 21 67

Africentric 12 24 9 12 57

DP - Wise 3 1 7 Gentry Jr. 4 4 14 Rose 5 0 13 Hocker 5 0 10 Damani McEntire 3 8 14 Athie 4 0 9

A - Holloway 3 3 10 Baumgardner 7 0 17 Hodge 3 0 8 Davis 5 0 11 Bennett 2 2 7 Bowman 0 3 3 Figueroa 1 0 2