NAMPA — Derek Wadsworth held up three fingers on each hand before launching the basketball toward the ceiling of the Ford Idaho Center.

When the ball hit the ground, Preston was already celebrating at center court. The Indians jumped around and tackled each other until the team formed a dogpile as Preston’s fans sprung up from their seats, filling the arena with thunderous applause.

Preston beat Burley 61-56 on Saturday to win its third consecutive 4A state championship, capping a 26-0 season. The Indians are the first 4A squad to three-peat since the classification formed in 2001, and the first undefeated Idaho team since Capital went 26-0 in 2013-14. The Indians also end their season riding a 30-game winning streak and join 10 other Idaho teams that have worn the label of three-time defending state champions.

“All your hard work finally paid off,” Preston senior Kyler Burbank said.

“Everything is worth it. All the blood, sweat and tears, everything that comes with it, makes it great.”

Preston went 8 of 8 from the free-throw line over the final 1 minute, 25 seconds of the fourth quarter to keep the surging Bobcats at bay. The Indians, who were outscored 23-19 in the fourth frame, made 11 of 12 free throws over the final eight minutes, including a pair from Britten Atkinson with 10.5 seconds left in the fourth quarter to put Preston ahead 61-56 and seal the win. Atkinson went 2 of 2 at the line in the fourth, while Burbank and Derek Wadsworth went 4 of 4 and 5 of 6, respectively.

“We practice free throws all the time,” Preston’s Brayden Parker said. “We can’t leave (practice) sometimes until we make enough. (The coaches) make us run if we don’t. We just stepped up.”

With the score tied 25-25 at halftime, Wadsworth came out of the locker room and took the game over.

The senior guard scored 10 points in the third quarter on 3-of-4 shooting. He also made 4 of 4 free throws to help outscore the Bobcats 17-8 over the final eight minutes. He added seven fourth-quarter points.

Wadsworth finished the game with 19 points and nine assists. In the Indians’ three state tournament games, the senior guard dished out 32 assists.

“He was huge,” Preston coach Tyler Jones said. “I’ll take him over any point guard in the state. He is our leader. He was not going to be stopped in the second half.”

After leading for 1:23 in the first half, Preston never trailed in the second half and led from the 7:00 mark of the third frame until the final buzzer. Saturday was the only time at state this season that the Indians had to play from behind as Burley led by as many as four points in each of the first two quarters.

Burley shot 8 of 21 in the second half, turned the ball over five times and made 15 of 19 shots from the free-throw line.

Ryan Bagley scored 20 points to lead the Bobcats, while teammate Andrew Ferrin added 18 points and 10 boards.

“They are dangerous, and a really good team,” Jones said. “Bagley is so good at getting to the basket and in transition. They have the size to match ours.”

Preston’s six seniors scored 59 of the team’s 61 points, including 14 points and eight rebounds from Idaho State-bound post Parker. The group started playing basketball together in the fourth grade, and finished their prep careers with three state titles, two 4A District 5-6 titles and permanent spots in Preston High School and Idaho basketball history.

During the Indians’ three-year run of success, Wadsworth, Atkinson and Parker were mainstays. Preston went 72-8 during the last three seasons, and is the first team from east Idaho to go undefeated since the 2003-04 Preston squad went 24-0.

“This run is indescribable,” Burbank said. “I think, in my humble opinion, we are the best team that 4A has seen.”

Preston/Burley highlights