That winning feeling

POST FALLS - Post Falls winning the state 5A boys basketball championship on Saturday had a lot to do with history.

It was the Trojans' first title in the sport in 46 years.

On the court, some believe it was won with Post Falls' history of tough practices.

"When we got to state, we were in better shape than the other teams," Mike McLean said on Monday following a school assembly recognizing the state champions. "If you're not playing tired, you can stay mentally focused."

Donning sweatshirts with "State Champs," the team, which defeated top-ranked Eagle 68-60 in the championship, showed off the state championship banner and presented Principal Dena Naccarato with the trophy in front of the student body.

"I can't tell you how proud I am of you and your coaches," Naccarato said.

Some observers were as impressed with Post Falls' attitude and how they handled themselves off the court as they were with the Trojans' up-tempo game.

Naccarato read an e-mail sent to her by a Meridian parent, praising the team for not criticizing calls and being well-behaved overall.

"High schoolers don't normally act that way, and I believe it was from the coaches," the e-mail stated.

Allen Hildebrant played on the Trojan team that won back-to-back state titles in 1963 and '64 and went to the championship in 1962. While at the state tournament in Nampa, he was given the opportunity to hold the trophy and stand by the banner with the team to soak in the special moment again, except 46 years later.

"I'm just really happy for them," Hildebrant said. "They've worked really hard and were the fastest team down there. They peaked at the right time."

Hildebrant said that once you win a state championship, it becomes a craving and he believes Post Falls has the talent to win it again.

"It's like an apple pie," he said. "Once you take a bite, you want more. If the sophomores coming up buy into (McLean's) program of all-out hustle, I think they've got a good chance again next year."

McLean said he realizes the talent of this year's team, led by the big four consisting of seniors Shawn Reid and Malcolm Colbert, junior Connor Hill and sophomore Marcus Colbert, will be difficult to match.

The team, which finished at 22-4, also had a lot of grit overall.

"They're driven," said McLean, a former Trojan who graduated in 1995. "If you tell this bunch that they can't do something, that's huge motivation."

McLean said he demanded perfection in practice.

"I told them that they're not going to remember playing silly games in practice, but they will always remember a state title," he said.

Malcolm Colbert, named MVP of the state championship, said tough defense and unselfish offense made the difference at the state tournament.

"We played defensively as hard as we have all season," he said. "And when we spread the ball around on offense, there's not really anyone who can play with is."

McLean said losses to Coeur d'Alene during Senior Night and to Lake City in the regional championship made the team refocus mentally, but the Trojans' game plan was not changed.

"I told the players the past two weeks that you've worked too hard to let this slip through your fingers," he said.

The Trojans took the words seriously against Coeur d'Alene in the state play-in game and during their three games at the state tournament.

"We played our best basketball (at the end)," Colbert said.