PHOENIX — Fort Thomas left no doubt Saturday afternoon.
Behind a dominant second quarter and balanced scoring throughout, the Apaches rolled past St. David 77-45 in the 1A Boys State Finals at Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
Fort Thomas took control early and never let go. After leading 15-9 at the end of the first quarter, the Apaches exploded for 27 points in the second to build a commanding 42-19 halftime advantage. They stretched the lead to 65-34 after three quarters and led by as many as 35 in the fourth.
Damarae Dosela delivered a monster performance, pouring in 26 points on 8-of-15 shooting, including 5-of-9 from three-point range. Michael Olivar added 16 points and six rebounds, while Elijah Titla scored 12. Malachi Johnson chipped in eight points, five assists and four steals as Fort Thomas’ pressure defense dictated the tempo.
The Apaches shot 41 percent from the field and knocked down 15 three-pointers, finishing 15-of-39 from beyond the arc. They also forced 18 St. David turnovers and turned those into easy transition opportunities, holding a 18-5 edge in fast-break points.
St. David struggled to find consistent offense, shooting 36.7 percent from the floor and just 2-of-9 from three-point range. Braydon Posey led the Tigers with 12 points, while Chase Pacheco added 11 and Adrian Nuernberger finished with five.
Fort Thomas controlled the paint and dominated the glass early, setting the tone in a championship performance that secured the 1A state title.
This is the 13th state championship for Fort Thomas boys basketball and their first since 2020.
