NAMPA − The only real competition the Preston High School boys basketball team faced Saturday night was amongst itself.

It was who had the best dunk on the night between junior Kasen Bryce, senior Jake Schumann or senior Reggie Larsen?

“I’m going to be biased and I’m gonna go with the one that I threw to Reggie,” said senior Cruz Harris when asked who had the best dunk of the night.

Larsen promptly thanked him with a fist bump.

But it was just another day at the office for the Indians. They racked up their 22nd double-digit win of the season via a 64-47 rout over Hillcrest in the Class 5A State Championship game at the Ford Idaho Center.

“It’s hard to get here,” said Preston head coach Tyler Jones who won his fifth state title at the helm. “That’s what makes each one so special, because you never know if you’ll get back.”

This year’s group knows that all too well.

Preston (25-1) was ranked in the top-5 in each of the two previous seasons. It beat last year’s state champion Pocatello not once, but twice. But the Indians were left home after losing to the Thunder in the district championship game. The 5A South East Idaho Conference only gets one bid to state with it being just a three-team league.

“We beat them twice, but we didn’t really beat them when it actually mattered,” Larsen said. “So that was all the motivation I needed personally.”

It showed.

Preston was the wire-to-wire No. 1 team in the state with an average margin of victory of 20.5 points coming in. It entered state on 14-game winning streak with its only blemish being a one-point overtime loss to Timberline, which took third in 6A.

And it was more of the same at state.

The Indians got to the finals with blowout wins over Jerome (31 points) and Bonneville (19). So they weren’t about to stop now.

Preston never trailed.

The Indians jumped out to an 11-3 lead on a Harris reverse layin less than five minutes into the game. Larsen then put them up double figures for the first time at 21-10 off a jumper with 48 seconds remaining in the opening quarter. They held that double-digit advantage for most of the game and led by as much as 19 points.

“We always focus on that every game,” Schumann said of getting out to a good start. “We knew with the state championship on the line, that was going to be one of our biggest focuses. If we can give the opposing team doubt, then we know we’re good.”

Hillcrest (20-6) did claw its way back with seven minutes left in regulation. Gage Blakeslee got the Knights back within single digits at 47-38. But the Indians slammed the door shut for good − literally − on a Schumann steal and dunk.

“I’m always trying my best on defense and dunks always get us going,” Schumann said. “I feel like it’s a big momentum changer. So I’m glad I could get that and get our team going.”

Including Larsen.

The senior put the cherry on top with a dunk of his own. It was all set up by an emphatic block by Schumann. Schumann then threw the outlet pass to Harris, who lobbed it to Larsen with a little more than three minutes remaining.

It was the perfect sendoff for the three senior leaders who were subbed out a few moments later.

“No better way to go out personally,” Larsen said. “I mean that’s something you see in college or even the NBA and it’s really cool that we were able to execute a sequence like that.”

Preston is now tied with Moscow, Idaho Falls and rival Pocatello for the second-most titles in Idaho history with 11. Borah and Lapwai are tied for the most with 13 apiece. Five of the Indians’ championships have come since 2016 alone.

“I just remember moving here in the seventh grade with Jake and then meeting Reggie my freshman year. We’ve grown together. Basketball is such a huge thing in our community,” Harris said. “I feel like that’s why Preston’s always been so good. It’s just been great to grow up with these guys.”

It was also Jones’ fifth title, which only trails Firth’s Scott Adams (7) for the most among active boys basketball head coaches.

But it was the first without his sister who passed away nearly a year ago to the day. Erin Hawkes lost a 12-year battle with breast cancer on March 10, 2024.

She was just 52.

Hawkes never missed a single one of her family’s games. Her father Terry Jones won six state titles at Malad. Brother Justin Jones is a three-time state champion with Rigby and Trevor Jones just guided the Malad girls basketball team to the title game a few weeks ago.

She was in attendance for every one of Tyler Jones’ previous state championships. So he made sure to thank her one last time with his closing remarks.

“All year it’s been something on my mind and I wanted to kind of celebrate her, as well,” Jones said. “She has always been our best cheerleader for all of my brothers’ games and family. She was the most selfless and kindest person I’ve ever been around.”

Harris led the way with a game-high 19 points on 9-of-12 (75%) shooting from the field. Larsen added 15 points on 60% shooting and Bryce, whose steal and dunk gave Preston a 45-30 lead at the 3:01 mark of the third quarter, rounded it all out with 12 points on 62.5% shooting. He also had five rebounds and four assists.

The Indians shot 62.8% from the field and 60% from 3-point range as a team on the night.

“This group is by far the most athletic team we’ve ever had,” Jones said.