CHSAANow

Month: March 2016

  • Valor Christian boys hoops has huge fourth-quarter rally to advance to 4A title game

    Valor Christian boys basketball team
    Valor Christian rallied to beat Longmont in the 4A Final 4. More photos. (Matt Mathewes/MVPSportsPics.com)

    BOULDER – Trailing by 10 points and with just more than seven minutes potentially remaining in the season, Valor Christian sophomore Jeremy Randle drained a seemingly innocent 3-pointer Friday night.

    But that one shot proved to be the catalyst that the Eagles needed to kick things into gear. After managing only 28 points through the first three quarters in the Class 4A state semifinals, Valor Christian exploded for 30 points in the fourth to stun Longmont 58-53 at the Coors Events Center.

    The Eagles (25-2) advanced to the 4A title game Saturday where they will face Pueblo West (24-3) at 6:30 p.m. in Boulder. It is Valor’s first appearance in the championship game since 2013.

    “We’ve exhausted all the potential practices, exhausted the gauntlet of games,” Valor Christian coach Troy Pachner said. “(Saturday) there’s no pressure. We don’t take this as must do, must anything along those lines. Instead we’re going to embrace the opportunity.”

    Just having that opportunity is a victory in itself. The Eagles struggled offensively Friday, managing only 16 points in the first half. Longmont (25-2) led by 12 points through three quarters, though Valor’s defense managed to slow down Justinian Jessup after the senior scored 17 first-half points.

    “We already started it on the defensive end in the third quarter. We decided at halftime there was no more giving Justinian easy shots,” Randle said. “We picked it up on defense and I think that kind of collapsed them and gave us more open opportunities for the 3-point shot.”

    Having missed their first eight 3-pointers, Randle’s trey gave the Eagles a much-needed shot of confidence. Valor went on a 14-2 run, and Randle and Jalen Sanders knocked down additional 3s to make it a one-point game.

    “It’s the playoffs. Energy is what gets you going,” Randle said. “It’s a long season, so I feel like once one of us gets going, we’re brothers – we all get it going.”

    Kevin Mitchell hit a pair of free throws, but Randle converted again from long-distance to tie the game at 46-46. Kayle Knuckles’ trey with one minute, 37 seconds remaining gave the Eagles their first lead since early in the second quarter, and the Trojans missed three of their final four attempts from the floor.

    “There’s going to be times where we don’t make a lot of shots. It happens,” Knuckles said. “But we know we’re a good shooting team. We have great shooters on our team. Eventually they’re going to fall.”

    Sanders led Valor Christian with 20 points and 11 rebounds and Knuckles added 19 points and eight rebounds. Randle finished with 10 points.

    Jessup notched a game-high 22 points to go along with nine rebounds, five assists and four steals. Kolton Bachman added 10 points.

    “You’re playing an incredibly well-coached team in Longmont. Coach (Jeff) Kloster is one of the best in the business,” Pachner said. “Senior-laden, whether it’s Bachman, Mitchell and Justinian is maybe the class of the state in any classification.

    “We had a tough matchup there.”

    Valor Christian has never won a state title in boys basketball, losing to Lewis-Palmer in 2013. The team was eliminated in the quarterfinals in each of the previous two years, including last winter by Longmont.

    With only two seniors on the roster, the Eagles have gotten it done with a lineup heavy with juniors.

    “I’ll give our team some credit,” Pachner said. “We’re young and I think a lot of teams would have said right there ‘you know what? That’s it.’

    “We decided to fight.”

  • Manual boys basketball has Cinderella run ended in 3A Final 4

    (Danielle Ennis/CHSAANow.com)
    Manual boys basketball pulled off three upsets in the 3A tournament, but fell short in the Final 4. (Danielle Ennis/CHSAANow.com)

    DENVER – Manual boys basketball had a storybook run this postseason, but it came to an end in the Class 3A Final 4 on Friday night at the Denver Coliseum.

    The Thunderbolts, seeded No. 21, had surpassed wide expectations by pulling off three upsets en route to the Final 4 – two of which included wins over a No. 12 seed and a No. 5 seed for the tournament’s most shocking upset.

    Manual’s tournament appearance ended a three-year postseason drought. The squad soon found themselves on a mission to earn the school’s 12th state title, having not won a championship or even reached the Final 4 since the 1991-92 campaign.

    However, to reach those heights again, they had to get past another tough opponent in Alamosa, the No. 8 seed which notched 20 wins in the regular season.

    The game got off to a shaky start for the Thunderbolts as they were at the mercy of Alamosa, who was playing with unmatched intensity and physicality. Led by senior Marco Garcia, the Mean Moose dominated the glass early and often as Garcia earned second-chance opportunities seemingly every time down on offense.

    But even as Alamosa played the role of aggressor to being the contest, Manual continued to fight, finding itself only down 14-9 at the end of the first quarter. That relentless never-quit mentality by the Thunderbolts would pay off as they fought to get within two at half, down 26-24 thanks to a buzzer-beating layup.

    Come third quarter, Manual clawed ahead for a 33-32 lead, its first of the game. But despite the valiant effort, the Thunderbolts for most the of the game were plagued by something they had no control over: chance.

    For much of the night, the ball just didn’t bounce their way and down the stretch they were on the wrong end of loose balls, clutch plays, and 50-50 calls. Alamosa would go on to win 62-53.

    “All I can say is they’ve been fighting trying to get this,” Manual coach Anson Ramiro said after the loss. “Day-in and day-out at practice they work hard and all I ask them to do is have fun, we have nothing to lose. That’s what they did.”

    Despite coming up short, Manual finds itself back on the map in 3A basketball.

  • 3A girls basketball Final 4 roundup: Manitou Springs reaches first title game

    (Danielle Ennis/CHSAANow.com)
    (Danielle Ennis/CHSAANow.com)

    DENVER — Last March, Manitou Springs lost by two to Sterling in the Final 4 in a stinging end to their season.

    This season, the Mustangs got their redemption, winning by 15 points to send themselves to the first championship appearance in school history with a 54-39 win over Sterling.

    The No. 3 Mustangs started the game with an early ten-point stretch and continued to lead for the first 16 minutes, heading into halftime with a 20-15 advantage.

    After a slow start to the third quarter, Manitou went on a scoring streak that extended their lead to 11. Driven by junior Shelby Megyeri, the lead only continued to grow.

    Layups and threes were consistently matched with steals on the other end. After three periods of play, the Mustangs led by 15, their biggest of the night.

    For a moment at the start of the fourth quarter, things began to shift. Jenna Knudson and the Tigers found their roar, attacking with a press.

    A steal and fast-break layup cut into the Mustangs’ lead and forced a Manitou timeout. But Sterling didn’t quiet down, nailing an immediate jumper and forcing yet another timeout, followed by a three to come within seven. But with three minutes left, and a bout of fouling, it was too late to catch up.

    When the buzzer sounded, Manitou had taken this season’s matchup.

    Though Sterling played a physical game at the boards, its offense and strong ball movement was marred by their opponent’s undying defense.

    Megyeri led her squad with 16 points, while junior Abbey Browrer tallied 14 for the Tigers.

    “It’s an unbelievable feeling,” Megyeri said. “We have worked all season for this and we are ready and focused for tomorrow. After three years of this group being together, we really play well as a team now. Starting strong both (Friday) and (Thursday) were big parts of our win, and defense took it home for us.”

    In the second game of the evening, No. 5 Lutheran had the edge over No. 9 Centauri with a 41-34 win to send them to the championship.

    Though they kept the underdogs to only three points in the first quarter, by the end of the first half, the Falcons only trailed by five.

    In the third quarter, Centauri began hitting the important shots, bringing the deficit to a mere three points and beginning a back-and-forth battle with the favored Lions.

    But strong drives from Senior point guard Kristin Vigil kept Lutheran at the lead. Centauri brought it to three again with only two minutes left in regulation play, but Lutheran pulled ahead in the final minutes and came out on top.

    Vigil finished with 12 points while Veronica Fringer tallied 16 points for the Falcons.

    “We have to do everything we did tonight,” Vigil of Saturday’s matchup. “Manitou is really great but we’ve played them and we know what to expect. We just have to grind it out.”

    Manitou Springs and Lutheran will play for the championship on Saturday night at 7 p.m. at the Denver Coliseum.

  • Eaglecrest hands Rangeview its first loss, advances to 5A boys basketball title game

    Eaglecrest boys basketball team
    Eaglecrest beat Rangeview in the 5A Final 4 on Friday. More photos. (Matt Mathewes/MVPSportsPics.com)

    BOULDER — More important than any of Colbey Ross’s 12 points was his final steal of the game. And as a result of that steal, Rangeview is perfect no more.

    Ahead 55-54, with the Raiders looking to attack, Ross came away with the steal and got fouled. He sank both free throws and Eaglecrest hang on to top the Raiders 58-55 Friday night, advancing to the Class 5A state championship game.

    The Raptors last appeared in the title game three years ago, beating Denver East 63-44.

    “Everybody has tried to take (Ross) away this year but he battles and rebounds,” Raptors coach John Olander said. “I keep trying to tell people that. He’s able to affect a game without scoring.”

    And in a state semifinal game where he wasn’t scoring, Ross was going to have to affect the game in other ways. He was able to corral rebounds and find open players to help the Raptors (25-2 overall) keep pace with the high-powered Raiders (26-1).

    Rangeview erased a five-point lead that Eaglecrest had built in the first quarter and took a one-point lead at halftime thanks to an Elijah Blake 3-pointer that fell at the buzzer.

    At the break, Ross had no points and the Raptors were shooting a dismal 39 percent.

    “I knew my shot was off the whole game, but I knew my teammates trusted me,” Ross said. “I trusted them to make big plays and it was just an all-around team effort.”

    And that couldn’t be any accurate.

    Ross led his team in scoring with 12 points, but he only connected on one field goal. Going 10-of-10 at the free throw line was a huge factor.

    But where the Eaglecrest really put their work in was on the defensive side of the ball. The Raiders averaged over 73 points per game coming in and could only net 55 against a disciplined Eaglecrest team.

    “We had to stop dribble-penetration,” Olander said. “We had to keep them in front of us and limit their wide-open threes. They were going to hit some threes, we just could’t let them get layups and threes.”

    The Raiders went 5-17 from behind the arc, shooting 29 percent to the Raptors’ 45.

    The Raptors now look to win the school’s second state championship in four years. Ross wasn’t a part of the 2013 team that pulled off what many saw as a major upset over Denver East. But he is able to turn to a member of that team to try get himself in a state championship mindset.

    He has chatted with his older brother Elijah who graduated last year and just finished his freshman season at the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs.

    “I’ve been talking to him just about every day trying to figure out what he did and what I need to do,” Ross said. “He’s a great leader so I can take what he’s done and try to apply it out here.”

    The 5A state championship game will tip at 8:30 p.m. Saturday.

  • 1A girls basketball Final 4 roundup: Briggsdale advances to championship game

    (Brock Laue/CHSAANow.com)
    Briggsdale girls basketball beat Sangre de Cristo in the 1A Final 4. (Brock Laue/CHSAANow.com)

    LOVELAND — The Sangre de Cristo girls basketball program, around 30 years after a historic run of three state championship game appearances in a row, could have reached back-to-back state finals with a victory over Briggsdale in the Final 4 at the Budweiser Events Center.

    Two-time champions (1984, 1985), the ThunderBirds (No. 2 seed) could have also stayed undefeated with a 25-0 record this season.

    Instead, Briggsdale (23-3) made the clutch plays down the stretch and pulled away for a monumental 50-44 1A semifinals victory over the Thunderbirds. Briggsdale (No. 6) will be appearing in their second-ever girls basketball state championship game. They lost to Eads in the 1A finals in 2008.

    In clipping the Thunderbirds’ wings in the second half, the Falcons were patient offensively, draining clock and forcing Sangre to make defensive mistakes.

    Senior guard Darian Hale was a quarterback on the court, making sound decisions on choosing when to attack and when to distribute. More than anything, she put the ball in the hoop with 26 points. Another fourth-year guard, Leilani Carrasco, had 13 points for Briggsdale as well.

    For a team that actually placed third in their district tournament, the Falcons have flown into their second state finals as a bit of a Cinderella story.

    “I always believed in them,” Briggsdale coach Colin Nicklas said. “I knew we were better than third in the district and I thought we could hang with anybody in the state. We knew we were good enough. I’m so proud of these girls on how far they’ve come. We were on the ropes.”

    Briggsdale, which also overcame a 25-18 halftime deficit, including a 3-of-21 shooting performance, built a 41-33 lead with 2:51 to go. Clutch shooting from the charity stripe preserved the lead. Also, only three Thunderbirds scored in the game as only Brooke Slane (24 points), Karleigh Cooley (16) and Jenna McKinley (4) got into the box score.

    “I think it was mainly experience,” Hale said of sealing the win in style. “We’ve all played together at least one whole year. We know how to work well together.”

    Briggsdale’s poise and backcourt leadership ultimately led to the lead late in the third, a lead they never gave up.

    “We believed in ourselves from the very beginning. We wanted to play in the state championship.”

    (4) Idalia 46 (8) South Baca 37

    Idalia (20-2) stayed alive in their bid for back-to-back 1A state championships as senior guard Susana Herrera, after scoring 13 points in the quarterfinals, poured in 17 in the semifinals. The Wolves beat Sangre de Cristo 59-50 in the state finals last season in their first-ever title game.

    Senior guard Shaelynn Wood, an offensive dynamo, tallied 19 points in the defeat for South Baca.

  • 2A girls basketball Final 4 roundup: Yuma vs. Paonia for the title

    PUEBLO — With a victory slipping away, Logan Hixon came to the rescue for Yuma.

    The senior made 3-of-4 free throws in the final 27.9 seconds, vaulting the Indians to a 55-50 win over Cedaredge in a Class 2A semifinal game Friday at Colorado State University-Pueblo’s Massari Arena.

    “We’ve been in big game like this before, and we refuse to lose,” said Hixon, who had 13 points. “I think it came down to experience and we just finished it. My shots were not falling in this game, but I was able to make some big free throws. We shoot free throws over and over in practice and I just kept telling myself that this is just like practice.”

    Yuma (25-1) advances to its four state championship game at 5:30 p.m. Saturday against Paonia. Yuma has lost three state championship games in a row to Akron (2013), Lutheran (2014) and Akron again last year. The Indians are aiming for their first state girls state basketball championship since 1997.

    Cedaredge saw its record drop to 22-3 and will now play in the consolation bracket Saturday.

    “Our girls have been here and done that,” Yuma coach Mike Neill said. “They have good experience, and they just had to clamp down on defense and they did. Thank goodness for that experience, I think that’s what got us over the edge right there. I’m so proud of this group. They had some adversity (Friday night) because of our season leadership, we were able to get the job done.”

    Cedaredge actually held a 45-44 lead going into the fourth quarter, but the Bruins couldn’t knockout Yuma and the Indians took a 50-47 advantage.

    The Bruins, however, regrouped and Hannah Gilmore nailed a 3-pointer from the top of the key to tie the game at 50-all with 2:02 left.

    After missed opportunities by both teams, Cody Robinson made an inside bucket with 43 ticks remaining.

    On the ensuing possession, the Bruins came up empty and Kendall McHugh was called for an intentional foul on Hixon with 27.9 seconds showing. Hixon made one free throw and

    Yuma up 53-50. When the Indians got the ball because of the intentional foul Hixon was three more times – the third of which put her on the line for a 1-and-1 attempt with 16.8 seconds left. She made two to essentially seal the game.

    Once the final buzzer sounded, Neill was already thinking ahead for his plan against Paonia.

    “One word, win,” he said. “That’s all there’s to it, and we’re going to do it.”

    [divider]

    Paonia 54, Wray 37:

    From the opening tip, Paonia took control and never and cruised to the Class 2A semifinal win Friday.

    Paonia led 19-8 after the first quarter and Ashley Van Vleet was providing the fuel for the offensive surge.

    The 5-foot-10 senior poured in 11 of her game-high 17 points to set the tone for the remained of the game.

    “I’m just so proud of my team,” the 5-foot-10 Van Vleet said. “Our coaches are amazing and when they set up a game plan you stick to it because they spend countless hours on film and our coaches care so much about us winning. It means a lot to us as players to have coaches who put in so much work and help us get to the next level and win.”

    Paonia (25-1) advances to play the winner between top-seeded Yuma and Cedaredge at 5:30 p.m. Saturday in the state title game. Paonia won its lone state girls basketball crown in 2010 when it beat Akron. The Eagles also played for a state crown in 2009, losing to Wray.

    Wray dropped into the consolation bracket with a 19-6 record. Wray won girls state basketball titles in 2008 and 2009.

    “Everybody thinks of us as a pressing team, which we do a lot, but we came in with a game plan to take their running game away,” veteran Paonia coach Scott Rienks said. “Our goal was to get back on defense as fast as we could and limit them to a half-court game and make them play a half-court game, which we didn’t think they were used to doing. I’m just really proud of the way the girls battled to get this big win.”

    Paonia was leading 30-17 at half, but lost its momentum in the third when Wray started working to get it within 32-26 at the 5:10 mark. Paonia, however, regrouped to take a 38-28 lead with 2:04 remaining in the third.

    “We never got in an offensive rhythm really, especially in the second half,” Yuma coach David Reed said. “We had good possessions and we just couldn’t get a good shot, and we missed a lot of shots that we normally make.”

    Rienks also thought experience played a factor in his team’s victory.

    “I think a lot of the difference in this game was that group of girls from Wray had not been to state, and our girls have been three straight years,” Rienks said. “We came out a little more relaxed and the moment wasn’t too big for us and we hit some big shots early.”

    In addition to Van Vleet, Sophia Anderson also added 14 points for Paonia. Wray’s Hannah Lenz had 14 points and she was the only player on her squad in double-figures.

  • 1A boys basketball Final 4 roundup: Shining Mountain beats Holly in OT

    (Brock Laue/CHSAANow.com)
    Shining Mountain boys basketball beat Holly in OT at the 1A Final 4. (Brock Laue/CHSAANow.com)

    LOVELAND — Gray Hill was in perfect position.

    After a three-pointer by senior guard Gavin Edwards, a primetime player this weekend at the Class 1A state tournament at the Budweiser Events Center, tied the game at 53 with around 20 seconds to go, Edwards actually air-balled his next attempt.

    Sigi Avalos, one of Holly’s electrifying junior guards, gave his Wildcats a 55-53 lead. As it happened though, on the very next possession for Shining Mountain, Hill grabbed the ball out of the air and powered in a game-tying bucket, but missed the potential winning free throw.

    Nonetheless, with the game tied at 55 and sent into overtime, Hill went on a personal 7-0 run and No. 4 Shining Mountain (23-2) upset No. 1 Holly (21-3), the defending state champion, in overtime by a score of 63-59. The Lions advanced to their second-ever state finals as they lost to McClave in the 2013 title game.

    Despite the fact that Hill, a senior forward, was the ultimate star in the semifinals, dominating the paint to the tune of 32 points on 15-of-19 from the field, while also grabbing 13 rebounds, Edwards also contributed 14 crucial points. No one else was in double figures, but after Holly led 18-9 after the first and 37-25 at halftime with offensive fireworks, the game changed when the Lions started earning more stops defensively.

    “Jordan (Cherin) took a few charges of No. 11 and their offense runs through him,” Hill said of Holly junior guard Yaniel Vidal, a dynamic and athletic creator. “That really shut them down and gave us defensive opportunities. We worked hard enough to come back.”

    Vidal picked up his fourth foul while Holly was up 42-32 with 2:50 remaining in the third, and the Wildcats’ offense started to sputter a bit without him.

    Vidal finished the game with 11 points, Avalos had 16 and Hayden Davis 10, but it wasn’t enough as Shining Mountain outscored Holly 27-12 in the final frame and into overtime.

    “We had the most fans here,” Hill said excitedly. “It’s for them, it’s for us and it’s for the school. It’s awesome.”

    The state championship game against Fleming will be played at 7 p.m. at the Budweiser Events Center in Loveland on Saturday.

    (2) Fleming 51  (3) Ouray 49

    The Trojans actually went up 20-8 after the first quarter, but the Wildcats chipped into the lead and eventually came with away with a victory. With the win, Fleming makes a return trip to the state championship game after losing 33-32 to Holly a season ago.

    Fleming (23-2) was led by Jaxon King’s 16 points. Blake Meredith chipped in 12. Caleb Preston finished with a game-high 18 points in the loss for Ouray (21-3).

    The Wildcats will be making their third appearance in a state championship game. In 1946, they lost in the B title game to Pleasant View by one.

  • 2A boys basketball Final 4 roundup: Sanford, Resurrection Christian advance

    PUEBLO – Up next for the Sanford boys basketball team is a chance at a state championship three-peat.

    The Indians made that a reality by muscling past Holyoke 51-42 in a Class 2A state semifinal game at Colorado State University-Pueblo’s Massari Arena.

    “We really didn’t run our offense that good tonight and it was a battle because they are a very good team,” veteran Sanford coach Rhett Larsen said. “I just feel good about getting out of there with a win.”

    Sanford improved to 26-0 this season and dating back to the middle of the 2013-2014 season the Indians have won 72 games in a row. The state record is 73.

    Sanford finished the season 27-0 in 2014-15 and claimed the school’s seventh state boys basketball title and second in a row with a 47-44 overtime victory over Resurrection Christian – the team it will meet in a rematch at 7 p.m. Saturday.

    “They are a very good team and we are going to have to play very good against them,” Larsen said. “We are going to have to play our best basketball. We are just glad we are here and have the opportunity to play (Saturday night) for it (a title). We will find out (if playing Resurrection again will help). I know every experience helps you and I’m excited for our kids, they have worked hard for this opportunity.”

    In 2013-14, the Indians had a 26-1 record, culminating with their 58-53 victory over Akron in the finals.

    Holyoke dropped to 22-4 and into the consolation bracket Saturday.

    Sanford held a slim 25-22 halftime lead, but then was able to pull away in the third quarter, outscoring the Dragons 14-8.

    The offensive firepower for Sanford was supplied by Chance Canty who had a game-high 28 points. Miles Caldon also added 20 points for the Indians. Jesus Loya (18) and Alex Strauss (10) were Holyoke’s only players in double figures.

    Resurrection Christian 74, Sedgwick County 46

    High-scoring Tanner Ervin poured in a game-high 28 points propelling the RSC to the win.

    RSC raced out to a 37-18 halftime lead and kept pushing down the gas pedal. Ervin, a junior, had 17 points in the first half. After the third quarter, RSC was up 58-31.

    “We had a big lead, but we had a big lead (Thursday night) and we were able to handle the ball and be strong,” Ervin said.

    The Cougars, who were a 2A runner-up to Sanford (47-44 in overtime) a year ago, ran their record to 25-0. Sedgwick County dropped into the consolation bracket with a 23-2 record.

    “I thought we made better decisions overall (Friday night), and played good from the start,” RSC coach Bruce Dick said. “The effort was just great and I thought we were as good as we’ve been against the zone.”

    Last year’s defeat in the state title game is still fresh in Ervin’s mind – for good reason.

    Ervin missed a possible game-tying trey right before the overtime buzzer, ending the Cougars’ dream season. It was the Cougars inaugural appearance in a boys basketball title game and their only loss was to Sanford.

    “That why we were back in the gym a week after last season ended,” said Ervin about wanting to redeem the defeat. “I was glad they gave me the opportunity to shoot that 3 and hopefully if I get the opportunity this year things will turn out different.”

    Dick also is ready for another shot at state supremacy.

    “This year’s team had had that desire and passion to get back (to the state championship game),” Dick said. “We just have to be ourselves (Saturday), and play the way Resurrection plays.”

    In addition to Ervin, Michael Stevenson and Luke Fick had 14 points each. Sedgwick County’s Tyler Woodhams was held to 15 points after scoring 35 points in his team’s quarterfinal win over Paonia (72-59) Thursday.

  • 3A boys basketball Final 4 roundup: Alamosa, Colorado Springs Christian will vie for title

    (Danielle Ennis/CHSAANow.com)
    Alamosa boys basketball advanced to the 3A championship game by beating Manual. (Danielle Ennis/CHSAANow.com)

    DENVER — The improbable Cinderella run ended tonight for the Manual Thunderbolts with a 62-53 loss to Alamosa in the Class 3A Final 4.

    But the 62-53 win wasn’t an easy one for the Mean Moose, and the Thunderbolts sure didn’t disappoint. The matchup was visibly uneven from the get-go, a small starting line matched with a strong one from Alamosa. But where the Thunderbolts lacked in size, they made up for in energy.

    Fueled by junior Ryan Bruchacher, Alamosa began with a 9-2 run that looked to predict the entirety of the game. But Manual kept crawling back, and by the end of the first quarter only trailed by five.

    The Thunderbolts played the entire second quarter in a press, executing on the their defensive stops and bringing the halftime score to 26-24.

    In the third quarter, Manual took its first lead of the game at 33-32, making the electric crowd even more alive.

    With three lead changes throughout the quarter, the Thunderbolts, a No. 21 seed, didn’t seem so small anymore. They fought for every board and went strong to the hoop.

    The fourth quarter seemed to be anyone’s game until Manual’s star freshman Jadedon Bradley fouled out, only to be followed by a a technical while walking off the court. He tallied ten for his team before his minutes came to an unexpected end. Alamosa added four points on the foul shots, and in a sudden shift, took their biggest lead at 13.

    Though Manual fought until the last minute, Alamosa pulled off the victory 62-53.

    “These boys weren’t even basketball players before this season. They grew up on the court, ” said Manual coach Anson Ramiro. “We are only graduating one senior, so we will be back.”

    Junior Sufyan Elkanen led the Thunderbolts with 17 points, while leading scorer Brubacher and sophomore forward Angelo Ramirez each scored 15 for the Mean Moose.

    The Thunderbolts hope to be able to take the 3A trophy all 224 miles home Saturday night following the championship game.

    In the second and final game of the night, No. 11 Colorado Springs Christian took an early lead, leaving the No. 2 Lutheran Lions trailing by ten at the end of the first quarter.

    But Lutheran quickly picked up its game and went on a 9-0 run in the final two minutes of the half to head to the locker room only down by one.

    Lutheran had the momentum at the start of the second half with two threes in a row from senior Josh Bjorgum to take a 24-21 lead.

    But the last quarter started as tight at the three previous, and this time the 26-25 lead was in the hands of Colorado Springs Christian. Both teams went to the basket each possession down the court, but Colorado Springs took the four point lead, the biggest of the second half.

    A three from Lutheran senior Alonzo Smith put his Lions back within one, followed by a Colorado Springs Christian inbound turnover.

    After a timeout, Lutheran had 33 seconds to come up with tying or winning shot, but a buzzer heave from Bjorgum fell short, sending No. 11 seed Colorado Springs celebrating for a title run Saturday night.

    The Colorado Springs Christian Lions will take on Alamosa at 7 p.m. at the Denver Coliseum.

  • Overland roars past Chatfield, and into 5A boys basketball title game

    (Matt Mathewes/MVPSportsPics.com)
    Overland boys basketball will make a return trip to the 5A title game. More photos. (Matt Mathewes/MVPSportsPics.com)

    BOULDER – It’s only fitting that two rivals who know each other so well will decide the Class 5A state championship.

    Overland’s 72-50 victory over Chatfield on Friday night plugged the last piece of the puzzle into the title picture. The Trailblazers will have the opportunity to defend their championship Saturday night at Coors Events Center, but first they’ll have to get past Centennial League foe Eaglecrest in the third meeting of the two teams this season.

    The squads split the regular-season series.

    “The job (Raptors coach John Olander has) done this year, it has me in awe. I’m absolutely amazed at the job he’s done,” Overland coach Danny Fisher said. “For it to be us two here, it’s special. We’re going to go out and try and beat each other’s heads in (Saturday), but I’m really, really proud of his team and our league for being here like we are.”

    Overland (24-3) jumped all over Chatfield in the first half, taking control early and never relinquishing that edge. The Trailblazers led 19-8 after one quarter and had a commanding 36-15 lead at halftime, thanks to a strong defensive showing that forced the Chargers (24-3) out of their game.

    “We just really wanted to get them out of rhythm a little bit,” Fisher said. “They’re a team that runs that sideline break really well, so we wanted to disrupt their rhythm and really get them kind of second-guessing themselves as much as we could.”

    De’Ron Davis finished with 15 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks. Chatfield struggled to find a way around the 6-foot-10 post, eventually kicking the ball out and trying to drive the lane when Davis wasn’t in its path.

    “De’Ron’s a big player in the paint. He’s the big boy,” said Overland senior Alijah Halliburton, who also had 15 points. “When he gets a block, we just push it up and just run. It’s a big play that turns into a bigger play.”

    Jervae Robinson added 14 points for Overland, Reggie Gibson chipped in with 11 and Padiet Wang finished with 10 points.

    “That’s just how our guys play – super unselfish,” Fisher said. “Padiet comes off the bench to be in double figures, just unselfish basketball. These seniors have been such a joy to coach.”

    Cameron Pearson led Chatfield with 10 points and Joe Miks added eight. The Chargers, who were making their first appearance in the state semifinals, tried to put a dent into Overland’s lead with a 24-point third quarter. The Trailblazers countered though by scoring 23 points of their own.

    The opportunity to defend its title is something Overland has been seeking since practice began in November.

    “This is an honor. A lot of people don’t even get a chance to even go to a state title game, honestly,” Halliburton said. “It’s just a pleasure to be going back-to-back. I respect that and I’m definitely going to work everything I have toward that.”

    Eaglecrest defeated the Trailblazers 57-45 back on Jan. 8, but Overland returned the favor less than a month later with a 63-41 victory.

    Overland is riding a 12-game winning streak over the past two months.

    “This was the goal we set from the beginning of the season. We felt like we had a really good chance to be back in that game (Saturday) and it’s really been a process. The season’s had its ups and downs,” Fisher said. “We’ve had to make adjustments and we’ve gotten punched in the mouth a couple times, but to get through all of it and be back here, we’re pretty excited.”