Reno boys win state title

Appeal Staff Report

The second time around was just as sweet for the Reno High boys basketball team. And for the Northern 4A, it's now a three-peat.

Reno won its second NIAA 4A State title in three years with a 76-72 win over Cheyenne on Friday in the championship game at Lawlor Events Center. With Galena winning the state title in 2007, that marks three straight years in which the Northern 4A has won the state crown.

"The second time is just as sweet," said Reno junior guard Austin Morgan, who led the way, scoring 37 points. Morgan also hit a clutch, long-range three-pointer with less than two minutes left to help keep Reno ahead.

It didn't look good early for the Huskies, who trailed 22-8 after one quarter. But Reno battled back and ended the first half on a high note on Olek Czyz' slam dunk. Czyz was fouled and converted the three-point play to bring Reno to within 33-32 at halftime. Czyz scored 18 points.

"This is the best feeling in the world," Czyz said. "This was just beautiful basketball. I'm just so happy."

Elijah Johnson scored 19 points for Cheyenne.

"This team was built to win a championship," Reno coach Kyle Schellin said. "We built it from the ground up. No one worked harder than us."

Schellin also expressed how sweet it was to win at Lawlor. "This is our house," Schellin said.