No one just let the St. Regis Tigers win a fifth straight District 14C boys basketball title, they had to go out and earn it the old-fashioned way, game by game. And earn it they did.

Earning their stripes yet again and capping a perfect 18-0 regular season, the Tigers nailed down a fifth consecutive regular season title last week by stopping second place Two Eagle River 61-44 in Pablo Thursday and following that up with a fourth quarter rally for a 55-42 win over Mineral County rival Superior in the season finale in St. Regis Friday.

Ranked No. 3 in the most recent C state power poll and finishing season play with a spotless 10-0 mark in 14C action, the Tigers now await the winner of Thursday’s first round District 14C tournament game between Noxon and Charlo in the tourney semifinals in Polson Friday. The top three 14C teams from Polson advance on to the Western C divisional tournament in Butte Feb. 26-28.

Although there would seem to be a lot to celebrate now, one gets a sense of unfinished business with Allan and his Tigers. “It’s great to get the perfect regular season and the fifth straight 14C title,” he said. “But our real goal is to finish the season right in the tournaments.”

The powerful Tigers finished the regular season in style with the big conference wins over Two Eagle and Superior, the No. 2 and 3 seeds for the 14C tourney.

The game in Pablo was close through the first quarter, before Conner Lulis, Chet Hill and Tucker Desoto scored the final six points of the frame to put the Tigers ahead 18-12 heading into the second quarter.

Lulis closed out the first half with two long 3-pointers, the second one at the buzzer, to send St. Regis into halftime with a 37-25 lead. Lulis scored 22 of those 37 points for the Tigers, 12 in the first quarter and 10 in the second.

With Nate Bohn, Isaac Kelly and Denver Thomas also all making contributions, the Tigers kept the Eagles at an arms’ length away the rest of the way and St. Regis efficiently put the game away in the second half.

Lulis finished with 29 points to lead the Tigers, Bohn and Kelly added 13 apiece, and Thomas, Desoto and Hill two each. Starter Barrett Bessette sat out the game in Pablo resting an injury.

Ryiley Gates scored 15 points, Kayson Gates 10 and Jayvian Burke eight for Two Eagle, which fell to 7-2 in 14C play and 13-4 overall with the loss.

In a more raucous atmosphere in St. Regis for their final home game of the year with rival Superior Friday, the Tigers watched the fired-up Bobcats challenge their 14C authority before finally putting their feet down in the fourth quarter.

After falling behind 36-33 early in the fourth, the Tigers outscored the Bobcats 18-6 after that to move to the win, securing the unbeaten regular season.

“Superior tested us, showed what they are capable of,” Allan said. "We had a nice run in the fourth quarter to finally get some breathing room.”

Lulis canned 24 points to lead the Tigers, Bohn added 13, the returning Bessette eight, Desoto seven and Kelly three.