Lewis-Palmer guard Jonathan Scott (5) looks for an open player in the post during Tuesday’s win over Pueblo East. (Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)
MONUMENT — If basketball teams around the state weren’t aware of Lewis-Palmer, they are now.
Behind Jonathan Scott’s 21 points, the No. 10-ranked Rangers (3-2 overall) dismantled No. 7 Pueblo East (3-1) 65-39, giving the defending state champions their first loss on the young season.
“We weren’t a one or two-hit wonder, we’re a good program and Pueblo East is a good program,” Rangers coach Bill Benton said. “That’s good basketball team that our guys came out and played really well against. We knew we were going to have to fight and we had to do all the little things right.”
The defending champs found themselves off to a shaky start as the Rangers opened with an 11-3 run to start the game, forcing coach Mike Massaro to burn an early timeout.
The first quarter went through Scott as he accounted for 11 of the Rangers’ 19 points, including two big three-pointers.
“Whatever my team needs is what I’ll give them,” Scott said. “They were sinking off of me and the three was open at first. Then they started closing in on me so I went with the drive and pull-up. They were trying to take charges.
The Eagles found some defensive stability in the second quarter, holding the Rangers to only three field goals the entire period. But they couldn’t find the offensive output to close the lead. Despite allowing the three field goals for Lewis-Palmer, Pueblo East only managed one basket on offense — a three-pointer for Jon Whatley. The game went to halftime with the Rangers holding a 28-18 lead.
“We were attacking the basket and got a lot of good looks,” Massaro said. “We couldn’t hit early and we missed some free throws. That was it, they’re a good ball club and if you don’t capitalize when you’re supposed to they’re going to come down and make it hurt.”
Massaro’s halftime adjustments were aimed at limiting the damage that Scott could inflict. That allowed the Rangers to show off the full scope of their offense as other players were able to get involved. Joe DeCoud scored eight of his 10 points in the third quarter and Sam Strasburger helped the Rangers pull away by scoring 10 fourth quarter points.
Three other players besides Scott scored in double figures.
“Jonathan is fantastic, obviously, but everyone who plays is solid,” DeCoud said. “I don’t think you can shut Jonathan down, but when you focus on him, it’s our job to help him out and we do that.”
Pueblo East was without their star guard, Nick Fesmire, who has been bothered with a knee injury. The Rangers were able to exploit that hole and execute an impressive game plan which was more focused on defense than it was getting Scott the ball.
Benton was quick to point out that it wasn’t a win against last year’s champions that was so impressive, but it was their ability to keep the Eagle’s point total to a surprisingly low level. This is the kind of defensive performance he’s hoping to build his season around.
“I think the fact that we held them to under 40 points people will take notice of,” Benton said. “Again, we have to string possessions together and we have to string games together because we have another tough one on Thursday.”
Dakota Ridge senior Tanner Lukens (15) spots up for a 3-pointer Tuesday night during the Eagles’ 59-57 victory over Legend. (Dennis Pleuss)
LITTLETON — Dakota Ridge junior Matt Newkirk came up with perhaps his most decorated rebound and free throw of basketball career Tuesday night.
Legend spent the majority of the final 30 seconds of the fourth quarter on its offensive end attempting to break the 57-57 tie with Dakota Ridge on the Eagles’ home court. After several Titan shot attempts that just wouldn’t fall, Newkirk finally got his hands on the ball and was fouled in the paint with 0.9 seconds left on the clock.
“I was just going for the ball. Doing everything I could for my team so Legend couldn’t get another shot,” Newkirk said of the chaotic final seconds. “There were some nerves, but I slowed down and took a deep breath. Just shot the ball.”
Legend junior Monroe Porter, left, tries to get a pass around Dakota Ridge senior Cody Pittman during the second half Tuesday night. (Dennis Pleuss)
Newkirk made both free throws in the double-bonus situation to give Dakota Ridge (4-0 overall), ranked No. 8 in this week’s CHSAANow.com Class 5A boys basketball poll, a 59-57 lead. A last-second pass and heave by the Titans hit the top of the backboard and the Eagles escaped with a two-point victory.
“I thought it was a travel,” Dakota Ridge senior Cody Pittman said of his thoughts when the whistle blew as Newkirk fell to the floor with the ball in his hands. “They called the foul and I had faith in Matt (Newkirk) that he would knock down the free throw.”
Dakota Ridge coach Curi Yutzy had asked Newkirk to miss the second free throw after making the first so Legend (1-2) wouldn’t have the opportunity to throw the ball the length of the court for a possible tip-in at the buzzer.
“It was a great job by Matt to knock down those free throws. Well, knock down the first free throw,” Yutzy could say with a smile. “We were trying to miss the second. He (Newkirk) couldn’t miss it to save his life.”
Clearly, Legend coach Kevin Boley was disappointed the whistle blew with under a second to play giving the Eagles the chance to win the game in regulation.
“I don’t know whether there is a foul or not, but you swallow your whistle in that situation and go to overtime,” Boley said. “You make the kids decide the game.”
The non-league game was close the entire contest. Neither team ever held a double-digit lead. Dakota Ridge took its biggest lead of 34-26 midway through the third quarter. Four different Eagles drained five 3-pointers in the period during Dakota Ridge’s run.
Pittman led the way with a pair of 3-pointers in the third. He ended up leading the team with 18 points. He was the only Eagle to reach double-digits.
“We are a good shooting team I think,” Pittman said of the 21-point third quarter. “It was one our streaks.”
Legend junior Danny Garrick, middle, attempts to fend off Dakota Ridge junior Devante Jones (23) and senior Mason Grothuesmann (31) as they try to get a jump ball during the first half Tuesday night. (Dennis Pleuss)
Legend junior Monroe Porter was on a streak most of the night. He finished with a game-high 23 points, including six 3-pointers. Junior Jared Small, in his first game on the court for the Titans after transferring from Regis Jesuit, had a breakout fourth quarter.
“Clearly he (Porter) was the one making the plays,” Boley said. “We got into our press in the fourth quarter. Jared (Small) started making some plays and getting to the rim. We got some energy going on the defensive end.”
Despite playing with four fouls the entire final quarter, Small poured in 13 of his 15 points in the fourth quarter.
“It was tough to find an answer to guard him (Small),” Yutzy said. “He did a great job attacking the paint.”
A big loss for the Titans was when Small fouled out with 34 seconds left in the game. Dakota Ridge senior Tanner Lukens hit both free throws after getting fouled by Small to tie the game at 57-57.
“When we schedule games the previous year we look for these type of games,” Yutzy said. “I have upmost respect for coach Boley and the Legend program. I love competing against the best. I love the challenge and gives us the opportunity to get better.”
Dakota Ridge finishes off its schedule before winter break with four straight road games starting with a 7 p.m. tipoff Thursday, Dec. 11 in Colorado Springs against Doherty.
Legend competes in the Smoky Hill Shootout starting Thursday. The Titans open the three-day tournament at 6 p.m. Thursday against Horizon at Smoky Hill High School.
Dakota Ridge senior Cody Pittman, left, drives on Legend junior Monroe Porter during the first half Tuesday night at Dakota Ridge High School. Pittman scored a team-high 18 points, while Porter had a game-high 23 points for the Titans. In the end, Dakota Ridge pulled out a 59-57 victory. (Dennis Pleuss)
“Winning a national title never entered our mind,” Lewis-Palmer coach Susan Odenbaugh told MaxPreps.
The Rangers started the season at No. 14 in the rankings, known as MaxPreps’ Xcellent 25. They moved up to No. 1 poll on Nov. 11 after previous No. 1 St. Ursula of Ohio lost in its championship game. That was three days after Lewis-Palmer beat Ponderosa 3-1 to win the 4A crown.
Lewis-Palmer’s Alexa Smith. (Tim Visser/MaxPreps)
It was the second-straight championship for the Rangers, who beat Air Academy to win in 2013. They have won 35 consecutive matches, and 46 of 47.
Odenbaugh told CHSAANow.com after the championship game that the unbeaten season was a goal of theirs — even though the schedule included many tough opponents in both 4A and 5A, including eventual 5A champion Grandview.
“We didn’t let anyone know,” Odenbaugh said then. “But we knew that we had the potential to do that if we stayed together as a team and we worked hard. It’s nice to see a group of young girls give everything they can, pursue a goal and walk out successful.”
Lewis-Palmer was led by senior Alexa Smith, who is a candidate for MaxPreps’ National Player of the Year award. She averaged a team-leading 12.4 kills and 7.0 digs per match.
AURORA — Cherokee Trail handed No. 5-ranked Denver East boys basketball its first in-state loss since the 2013 Class 5A championship game with a 67-54 victory on Tuesday.
Denver East had won 21-consecutive in-state games until the loss.
David Thornton had 19 points and five rebounds to lead Cherokee Trail, Ronnie Barfield had 14 and five, and Drequez Harvey added 10 points. Jaizec Lottie had nine points and eight assists.
Brian Carey poured in 37 points in the losing effort for Denver East. He also had six steals.
