Casteel survives double OT with Canyon View to make state

QUEEN CREEK - Casteel and Canyon View boys basketball saw the opportunity to make a  first state title game within their grasp most of Wednesday night.

Perhaps that's why both teams battled so hard throughout - and beyond - regulation play of the 5A semifinal. Just as the game clock was about to hit zero, Canyon View found themselves in some trouble.

With no other choice, junior guard Denali McNeal went for a 3-point shot, but the ball bounced out. Junior guard Quincy Kirk was able to recover the ball, and sank a game saving 3-point basket for Canyon View at the buzzer, sending this game into overtime.

The teams remained tied at 56 after one extra period. #2 Casteel eventually pulled away to win 67-60 in double overtime.

“I feel very fortunate. Our kids were just resilient, they fought through it. I am so proud of them, I am proud of our coaches,” Casteel coach Aaron Windler said.

Following this battle of two of Arizona's youngest large public schools, Casteel was able to make this dream into a reality. The Colts will be making their first state championship appearance, in only eight years of varsity boys basketball.

Casteel faces off against top seed Ironwood (26-3) in the 5A championship game at 8 p.m.  Friday, March 1 at Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Phoenix.

Even though Casteel lost to Ironwood earlier on in the season the team is very optimistic, about bringing some shiny new hardware to the schools trophy case. On Dec.19 Casteel fell short against Ironwood 62-54, but the team has prepared since the loss.

Senior forward Aidan Schmidt, a Colts senior averaging 19.3 points per game this season, said he won't settle yet.

“We lost a close one to Ironwood, but we were winning most of the game… we can do it,” Schmidt said.

Playing a game at home did not seem to be an advantage for Casteel, as they were down seven at one point. #3 Canyon View (25-6) was led by Kirk's 20 points and five rebounds, and a hobbled McNeal's 19 points.

This is only the fourth season of varsity basketball at the Waddell school and the Jaguars' first state semifinal appearance.

Windler is in his fourth year as head coach. As the team was back and forth between cheering and biting their nails Windler said he had no doubt in his team.

While this may be a huge accomplishment for Casteel as a school, this experience has already left an irreplaceable mark on the players and coaches.

Kaelum Brown, a senior center, will be heading into the biggest game that he has ever been a part of in the next few days. He said he hopes to leave just one thing at Casteel as he walks off of the court one last time.

“What I want to leave at Casteel is what I brought to the program, definitely my energy, and the leadership I brought is what I am happy to leave here at Casteel,” Brown said.

Alexandra Medina is a sports journalism student at Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at ASU.