DES MOINES — The Bombers men's basketball team made program history Friday afternoon at the Casey's Center, defeating #2 ADM 43-39 in overtime to win the Class 3A state championship and secure the first boys basketball state title in school history.

The victory capped a remarkable season for Ballard, which finished with a 26-1 record and delivered the program's long awaited breakthrough on the biggest stage.

The championship game quickly turned into a defensive battle.  Ballard held a narrow 9-8 lead after the first quarter and built momentum in the second.  The Bombers outscored ADM 13-7 in the period to take a 22-15 halftime advantage.

ADM answered in the third quarter.  The Tigers tightened defensively and used a 14-4 surge to take a 29-26 lead heading into the final quarter.

Ballard fought back in the fourth as both teams struggled to find consistent offense.  The Bombers trailed late when senior guard Jude Gibson stepped to the free throw line in one of the biggest moments of the season.

After being fouled with just 0.2 seconds remaining, Gibson calmly knocked down two clutch free throws to tie the game and force overtime.

Ballard carried the momentum into the extra period.  The Bombers locked in defensively and found just enough offense to outscore ADM 8-4 in overtime to seal the 43-39 championship victory.

The defensive struggle produced one of the lowest scoring championship games in modern state tournament history.  The 82 combined points marked the lowest scoring Class 3A state title game since Iowa adopted the current four class format in 1993, breaking the previous low of 84 points set in 2015.

Senior Parker Miller led Ballard with 17 points and 9 rebounds, providing key scoring throughout the game.  Gibson added 14 points including the dramatic free throws that extended the game.

Ballard controlled the glass with 38 rebounds. Evan Abbott pulled down 9 boards while Easton Ersland added 8 rebounds and recorded 5 blocks to anchor the Bombers defense.

Despite shooting just 31.9 percent from the field and 11.1 percent from three point range, Ballard relied on defense and toughness to secure the win.  The Bombers finished with 11 steals and 6 blocked shots while consistently disrupting ADM's offense.

When the final horn sounded, Ballard players poured onto the floor in celebration as the Bombers completed a historic season with the first state championship in program history.

Photo Credit: Davidson Photography