12:45 AM CST on Sunday, March 12, 2006

By TIM MacMAHON / Staff Writer

AUSTIN – Plano pulled off the unbelievable.

A heart-pounding comeback against defending UIL Class 5A champion Kingwood allowed Plano to become the first Collin County school to claim a boys basketball state title.

Plano erased a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter on the way to a 60-58 overtime victory in Saturday's 5A final at the Frank Erwin Center. And Plano held on for the win despite missing six consecutive free throws in the final 1:09 of overtime.

"This team has the most heart of any I've ever played on," said Plano junior point guard John Roberson, named the game MVP after scoring a team-high 24 points. "We just held them and held them, missed some free throws, and held them some more."

Plano players and fans breathed a big sigh of relief and started celebrating when Kingwood point guard Nic Wise's 3-point attempt rimmed out and two tip attempts missed before the final buzzer.

Wise, an Arizona recruit who was MVP in last season's state final, dazzled the crowd with a 32-point performance. He answered every time Plano (29-8) seemed to be on the verge of seizing momentum in the third quarter.

Wise hit a 3-pointer – one of seven he made – on the first possession of the fourth quarter to stretch Kingwood's lead to 10. And then Plano made a run that will be remembered for years to come.

Plano outscored Kingwood (36-6) 14-4 over the remainder of the fourth quarter to force overtime. Roberson scored Plano's final five points of regulation, making two free throws to tie the score with 27 seconds remaining.

"John Roberson is just really big time," Plano coach Tom Inman said. "If there's a better point guard around, I want to meet him."

Roberson's 3-pointer at the 2:35 mark of overtime resulted in the last points for either team. Roberson, Landon Skinner and Joseph Fulce each missed two free throws down the stretch. Plano made up for the misses with suffocating defense, including two big blocks by the 6-7 Fulce.

"We just wanted it," said Fulce, a senior forward who finished with 16 points. "We just had to win it."

Fulce, a Texas A&M recruit who underwent midseason knee surgery, was one of three key Plano players to miss several games this season because of injury. Plano got healthy and peaked at the right time, finishing the season with a 12-game winning streak.

The last one was the most exhilarating and unforgettable.

"We had so many good things happen with all of these guys coming back from injury," Inman said. "It almost makes you think it was destined to happen."