Ten years after guiding Redmond High to its first and only boys basketball state title, Kelly Bokn nearly brought a championship trophy back to his hometown of Eugene.

Bokn, the Panthers’ coach for 14 years through the 2007-08 season, led Churchill to a 23-5 record this year and a runner-up finish at the Class 5A state tournament. Bokn’s Lancers lost 59-53 to Portland’s Jefferson High on Saturday night in the 5A final at Matthew Knight Arena.

A standout himself at Eugene’s Willamette High in the early 1980s, Bokn has taken Churchill to the state tournament in three of his first five seasons since returning to the Willamette Valley.

At Redmond, Bokn transformed a high school better known for its wrestling program into a basketball power. His teams made the postseason 13 out of 14 seasons, including eight state tournament berths. In 2003 the Panthers, led by junior Maarty Leunen, became the first school east of the Cascades to win the state’s large-school boys hoops title since Klamath Union was Oregon’s A-1 champion in 1965. Redmond advanced to the state final in 2004 as well, taking runner-up honors behind South Salem.

Not surprisingly, Bokn has quickly resurrected a Churchill program that won state titles in 1995 and 2001. After longtime Lancers coach John Roche retired following the 2001-02 season, Churchill cycled through four head coaches before Bokn decided to return to Eugene. In four seasons now with the Lancers, Bokn has a 90-42 record.

Former Storm coach leads Central Catholic to 6A final

Bokn was not the only former Central Oregon coach with a team in a state basketball final this weekend. Dan Munson, who guided Summit’s boys program for four years between 2007 and 2011, took Central Catholic of Portland to the Class 6A state championship game on Saturday in his second season on the Rams’ bench. West Linn defeated Central Catholic 45-41 at Portland’s Rose Garden in the 6A title game.

Tourney recap

Jefferson and Churchill both placed two players on the Class 5A boy all-tournament team, which was announced late Saturday night. Democrat senior wing Victor Sanders, who scored 22 points against the Lancers in the state final, was a unanimous selection, as was Silverton point guard Zach Gengler. Jefferson’s Silas Melson and Churchill’s Morgan brothers, Emanuel and Malik, also were chosen to the first team. Mountain View senior wing Mitch Modin was named to the all-tourney second team. … Two players from Willamette, which stunned league-rival Springfield 48-41 in the 5A girls championship game Saturday night, were chosen to the all-tourney first team. Wolverine players Lexi Bando, who scored 23 points in the title game, and Brittany Glassow both were first-team selections. Springfield’s Mercedes Russell and Ashley Richey and Hermiston’s Heidi Walchli, who scored 20 points against Bend in the quarterfinal round, also were chosen to the 5A girls first team. No Bend High players received all-tourney recognition, but the Lava Bears were awarded the tournament’s sportsmanship trophy.

Looking back

Athlete of the week: Mountain View junior Grant Lannin had 14 points, 11 rebounds, five steals and three assists in the Cougars’ 49-39 victory over Wilsonville on Wednesday in the quarterfinal round of the Class 5A boys basketball state tournament.

Contest of the week: Mountain View rallied back from a 20-11 halftime deficit against the Wildcats to advance to the state semifinals for the third time in school history. The Cougars finished the state tourney in fifth place.

Looking ahead

Today

Bend boys golf at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort in Bandon, 10 a.m.: The Lava Bears kick off the spring athletic season in style with a tournament at one of the premier courses in the country.

Wednesday

Sisters, Ridgeview, Mountain View, La Pine, Gilchrist at Mountain View Icebreaker track meet, 3:15 p.m.: Teams from six area high schools get together for the first track competition of the new season. Former University of Oregon decathlete Andy Young guides the Cougars this year.