In terms of talent, even Apple Valley coach Zach Goring would admit that he’s had deeper teams. Talent doesn’t always win out, however, and the Eagles proved Saturday night that one amazing player and a bunch of selfless teammates is a tough combination to beat.

With Tre Jones doing everything the Eagles needed — hitting a big shot, grabbing a rebound, droppig a timely assist — Apple Valley defeated previously undefeated Champlin Park 60-54 at Target Center for their third Class 4A boys’ basketball championship in five years.

It’s the second time in three seasons that the Eagles have ended the Rebels’ shot at a perfect season. Apple Valley won the 2015 title by defeating a Champlin Park team that also was 31-0 at the time.

“I’m still a little bit in shock that we were able to do this with a different group of kids,” Goring said. “I thought we could get to the state tournament this year. After that, I didn’t know.”

If basketball were an eye-test, Apple Valley (30-2) should not have been close to Champlin Park and its cadre of exceptional athletes. Luckily for the Eagles, there’s no such thing as style points.

They were gritty and tough and efficient, and it worked. The Eagles scrapped and ran, elbowed when they had to and bumped when needed. They finished with a whopping 45-25 advantage in rebounds.

“That was the difference,” Champlin Park coach Mark Tuchscherer said. “We didn’t rebound nearly as well as we should have and they had too many putback opportunities.”

Jones finished with 24 points, 18 rebounds and five assists. He outplayed his counterpart, McKinley Wright, who made only four of 15 shots from the floor and finished with 14 points.

“Tre has been the leader of this group, the stick that stirs the drink if you will, but everyone else just fills in around him so well,” Goring said. “Tre just understands the game so well that he can put those guys in spots to be successful.”

As well as Apple Valley played, Champlin Park (31-1) led 49-44 with 5 minutes, 59 seconds left. It looked like the Rebels would finally bring home the first team championship in the school’s 25-year history.

Then Jones sparked the game-clinching 16-5 rally, getting six points, six rebounds and two assists down the stretch. Fittingly, he scored the most crucial basket, a layup with 50 seconds left that gave Apple Valley the lead for good at 56-54.

“Last year, we had maybe the most talented team we’ve ever had, but we just weren’t focused coming ready every day,” Jones said. “But this team, we were willing to work every day. By the end of the year, we knew what we had to do.”

Jones has now won two state championships at Apple Valley while older brother Tyus won only one. Tre Jones was asked if this gives him bragging rights at home.

Jones broke into a huge smile.

“No, he’s got a national championship,” he said, “so he’s still got me.”

Tre Jones is a wonderful basketball player, that much is given. The junior guard is also a terrific security blanket. When Apple Valley needs something – a big shot, a rebound, an assist – it’s Jones the Eagles look to.

Jones had 24 points, 18 rebounds and five assists to lead Apple Valley to 60-54 victory over previously undefeated Champlin Park in the Class 4A championship game. It’s the second time in three seasons that the Eagles have ended the Rebels’ shot at a perfect season. Apple Valley won the 2015 title by defeating Champlin Park.

If basketball were an eye-test, Apple Valley should not have been close to Champlin Park and its cadre of exceptional athletes. Luckily for the Eagles, there’s no such thing as style points.

It was gritty, it was tough, it was efficient and it worked. The Eagles scrapped and ran, elbowed when they had to and bumped when needed. They finished with a whopping 45-25 advantage on the boards.

Still, the Rebels (31-1) led 49-44 with 5:59 left in the game and it looked like the Rebels would finally bring home the first team championship in the school’s 25-year history.

Apple Valley rallied behind Jones and its slew of role players, finishing the game on a 16-5 run. It was Jones who sparked the run and scored the crucial basket, a layup with 50 seconds left that gave Apple Valley the lead for good. 

Mason Morse added 12 points for Apple Valley (30-2).

The caliber of the matchup was reflected in the announced attendance of 13,893 for the evening session of Class 3A and 4A games. It is believed to be the largest attendance for that session since 1997, when the tournament went to a four-class format.

Champlin Park led 27-25 at halftime, but it felt at that point like a victory for Apple Valley.

The Eagles’ lunch-pail crew on the front line wasn’t pretty but it was effective. The interior rotation of Spencer Rolland, Kevin Totusek and Morse battled Theo John inside for every rebound. Their activity allowed space for Tre Jones to work free for 10 points and eight rebounds. The Eagles outrebounded the taller, more athletic Rebels 19-17 in the first, 10-4 on the offensive boards.

That margin resulted in significantly more chances for the Eagles from the floor, but they missed far more than they made, shooting just 32.4 percent (11-of-34).

Meanwhile, Theo John was a force on both ends of the floor for Champlin Park. The 6-8 center scored 10 points, grabbed 7 rebounds and blocked five shots before halftime. His presence in the lane was a factor in Apple Valley’s shooting woes. Each time the Eagles came down with the ball, John was there to make sure they gave serious thought to going back up with it.

McKinley Wright spent the first half with Jones in his face and struggled to locate the penetration seams that he’s so adept at finding. Wright had eight points before halftime but was forced to work for them.

Wright never got fully on track and finished with 14 points, making just four of 15 field goal attempts. Marcus Hill led the Rebels (31-1) with 15 points. John finished with 12 points, 7 rebounds and 8 blocked shots.