Tears, cheers, relief greet new champs after Cavs' historic win

YOUNGSTOWN

When the King hit the floor, tears in his eyes and triumph around him, the relief set in.

After 52 years of no championship titles and decades of disbelief in Cleveland, the Cavaliers finally put an end to it all with a 93-89 victory Sunday night over the Golden State Warriors in Game 7 of the NBA Finals.

Akron native LeBron James and his crew arrived home from California this afternoon to the thankful fans who believed in them from the start.

“We are ride or die,” said Jane Horne of Warren. “We have been with them from the beginning.”

Horne had her Cavaliers gear on Monday and ecstatically spoke of her team’s big win.

“We lost our voices from screaming,” she said. “If the house could shake, it was shaking. It is phenomenal.”

Horne believes the team coming together to play as one is what led to the miraculous victory. The Cavaliers are the only team in NBA history to come back in the finals after being down 3-1.

“It goes to all of them,” she said. “Even Coach [Tyronn] Lue made a significant difference.”

Horne will be at the parade Wednesday to celebrate with the Cavaliers. She was right there with them Sunday night crying in happiness like the players.

“It hit home,” she said.

Read more reaction in Tuesday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.