Zachary and Ruston battled back and forth throughout the fourth quarter in a tightly contested Division I non-select state championship game.

Over a three-minute stretch, the lead changed hands six times. With less than two minutes remaining, the Broncos leaned on their toughness and championship experience to close out the game.

Junior Ethan Kimmie attacked the basket and finished a layup to give Zachary a one-point lead. Moments later, junior Ian Edmond drew a foul and knocked down a free throw to extend the advantage. On Ruston's next possession with 1:22 remaining, junior Mason Newman stepped in and took a charge to give the Broncos the ball back.

Ruston committed another turnover late, and Zachary sealed the game at the free-throw line to secure a 63-60 victory Saturday at Burton Coliseum. The win gives the Broncos their second consecutive state championship and eighth overall title.

"When it comes to us, our resiliency," Broncos coach Jon McClinton said, "it's just something about these guys. There's no way that we're not tough and we don't come out victorious in that game."

McClinton credited the Broncos' depth as a key factor in wearing down Ruston throughout the game. While only three Bearcats scored, eight different Broncos contributed offensively.

"We want to wear you down so much that when that fourth quarter comes," McClinton said, "those legs are starting to get to you a little bit."

Edmond tied the game at 15-15 at the end of the first quarter, hitting a step-back fade away three-pointer as the buzzer sounded.

Zachary opened the second quarter with a 12-2 run to build a 10-point lead. Kimmie sparked the surge with back-to-back layups before Edmond and senior Kristion Brooks knocked down consecutive three-pointers to cap the run.

Ruston's Ahmad Hudson stopped the momentum with two baskets, but Zachary quickly responded when Newman connected on a three-pointer. The Bearcats answered with a 9-3 run to cut the deficit to four.

Zachary (28-2) carried a 34-28 lead into halftime after Newman grabbed a rebound and converted a floater just before the buzzer.

Ruston chipped away at the lead in the third quarter, using free throws to pull within one point. Edmond answered late in the period, weaving through defenders to push the Broncos' lead back to five.

With just three seconds left in the quarter, Brooks stole an in bounds pass and tipped it to junior Jerry Armwood. From just past mid-court, Armwood launched a three-pointer that banked in at the buzzer, giving Zachary a 48-41 lead heading into the fourth.

Ruston continued to fight back early in the final period. Hudson drew a foul on a banked jumper and completed the three-point play to cut the lead to three.

The Bearcats closed the gap to one after a floater by Darren Ford. Hudson then gave Ruston the lead with a put-back layup. Zachary senior Cambren Price responded by drawing a foul and hitting two free throws to put the Broncos back on top.

Newman attacked the rim for a layup to stretch the lead to three before Ruston answered. Hudson later slammed home a dunk in transition to put the Bearcats back ahead with 3:17 remaining.

Following a timeout, Kimmie briefly lost control of the ball but fought to regain possession and finished a layup, swinging the lead back to Zachary.

From there, the Broncos locked down defensively and held off Ruston in the closing moments to secure the championship.

"Us just playing together," Brooks said. "It means a lot because this is more than a team. It's a family."

Here is a link to the article written by Jackson Reyes