NAMPA, Idaho — The No. 3-seeded Bishop Kelly Knights held off a furious comeback attempt from the top-seeded Lewiston Bengals to win 59-58 in the 5A Boys Basketball State Championship Game on Saturday.

The Knights led by as many as 19 points and held on late to capture their third state title in school history.

Bishop Kelly stormed out of the gates as its offense piled up points in the opening period, going on a 10-2 run in the early moments while shutting down Lewiston defensively to take a 24-12 lead after the first quarter. The Knights continued their offensive surge in the second quarter, but Lewiston found a spark just before halftime when Jordan Walker converted a four-point play to bring the Bengals within striking distance at 43-29 heading into the break.

Lewiston attempted to chip away in the third quarter, but Bishop Kelly weathered the push and maintained a 55-42 advantage with eight minutes remaining. The fourth quarter turned chaotic as the Bengals mounted a dramatic comeback behind Royce Fisher, eventually taking a 58-57 lead late in the period by capitalizing on turnovers and fouls.

Bishop Kelly responded in the closing moments as Nick Hebert knocked down the game-winning free throws after Fisher fouled out with 11.9 seconds remaining, allowing the Knights to escape with the 59-58 victory.

Bishop Kelly head coach Andrew Amman reflected on his team’s resilience in the championship win.

“One word to describe this team is courageous,” Amman said. “This group never wavered, and we never felt like a three seed. I told them yesterday we would have to be present and give everything to beat Lewiston. We had a really hard road to get here — that’s a really tough team.”

Andrew Johnson was named the IdahoSports.com Player of the Game after producing 16 points and seven rebounds to lead the Knights. Conor Goss added 15 points, while Cash Davis contributed 11 points and five rebounds for Bishop Kelly.

“All four years it’s just been coach and my teammates believing in me,” Johnson said. “Even when I don’t do great or make a mistake, they still support me. It’s just a contribution to the team.”

For Lewiston, Fisher delivered a standout performance despite the loss. The LC State commit finished with 34 points and six rebounds before fouling out late in the game. Walker added 10 points for the Bengals.

“There were about 10 seconds left and we were just trying to get a stop,” Fisher said. “Unfortunately, that resulted in the foul.”