At first, D’Aundre Samuels thought it was over. It was the same ankle. The right one. The one he’d injured three or four times already at East, including earlier this season.

“Always the same ankle,” Samuels recalled with a bittersweet smile after he’d helped to lead the Angels to the program’s 12th state basketball title Saturday afternoon. “The right leg. Always.”

Despite twisting that same ankle during an awkward landing that sent him writhing on the Denver Coliseum floor in pain midway through the third quarter, the senior guard poured in 25 points as East pulled away late from Fossil Ridge, 82-61, to notch the Class 6A boys’ basketball state crown.

A gimpy Samuels still finished with eight rebounds and seven assists — including a handful of helpers to teammate Jack Greenwood, who connected on five 3-pointers and finished with a game-high 27 points. Classmates Gil Gonzalez and Austin Mohr chipped in with 11 points and nine points, respectively, to pull East into a tie with Manual for the most state boys’ basketball championships in Colorado history (12).

Saturday’s title was also coach Rudy Carey’s 10th, moving him into the No. 1 slot in that category, all-time, in the state boys basketball record book. The Denver hoops icon entered the weekend tied with Ron Vlasin of Merino for the most coaching titles in Colorado prep boys hoops history. Carey this past Dec. 13 broke Dick Katte’s all-time Colorado prep career wins mark with a 93-60 victory over Palmer.

“It means a lot,” said Samuels, who said he’s the fifth family member to win a title with Carey, following in the footsteps of his grandfather, Darryl Collier, who played with Carey at East more than five decades ago. “Now, (this team), we’re part of his legacy.”

Saturday’s crown was doubly sweet given that East’s last loss came at the hands of this same Sabercats roster, all the way back on Dec. 2.

Fossil Ridge (25-3) humbled East by 23 points in that game, forcing Carey to make a lineup tweak after an 0-2 start. The Angels didn’t lose again.

The taller Sabercats hung tough with East for more than three quarters, thanks to 26 points by forward Nick Randall and six boards apiece by Colin Hayes and Matthew Boldt.

But ironically, what could’ve been a turning point in the game — Samuels’ injury with 4:40 left in the third period — instead spurned the champs to kick things into another gear.

The Angels led by 10, 41-31, when Samuels hopped off the court at a near-sprinter’s pace on his one good leg — the left one — all the way to the East bench on the other side of the floor. While their star guard received treatment on the sideline, East more than held serve, expanding their lead to 47-35 at the 2:08 mark of the third quarter, when Samuels re-entered the game, Willis Reed-style, to a thunderous ovation from the East cheering section.

“My uncle Josh (on) the sideline, he told me, ’They need you, you’ve got to get back in there,’” Samuels recalled.

Any fears of Samuels’ ability to explode off the dribble were quickly cast aside as he cut through the lane for a reverse layup just 21 seconds after returning to the game. That bucket put East up 49-37 with 1:49 left in the third quarter.

“MVP!” the East students chanted as Samuels and Greenwood turned the game into a rout. “MVP!”

Samuels, who averaged 20.5 points and seven assists at this year’s Final Four, scored nine points and collected four rebounds during the fourth quarter on one working wing.

After rapturous celebrations on the court and a run of selfies next to it, Samuels felt the joy sink in, and the adrenaline melt away.

While the senior was looking to celebrate being a part of Denver history a half-hour after the final horn, that same ankle — the right leg, always — was in no mood to party.

“It hurts,” Samuels laughed. “I want to get off of it.”

Rudy Carey stands alone

Denver East’s Rudy Carey has surpassed Merino coaching legend Ron Vlasin for the most state titles won by a Colorado high school boys basketball coach. Here’s a look at the top five:

Carey’s two stops

Rudy Carey won state titles with both Denver East and Manual. Perhaps not coincidentally, those two schools are now tied for the most boys’ basketball state titles.

Source: CHSAANow.com.

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