LAKEWOOD — It isn’t a secret that Jayda Maves is one of the premier girls basketball players not only in the Jeffco League, but in the state.
Monday night the Western Colorado University-commit did something she has never done before during her stellar prep career. Maves poured in a career-high 40 points in a 63-26 home victory against Dakota Ridge.
“She (Maves) works so hard at her game. She has for years,” Green Mountain’s first-year coach Matteo Busnardo said. “It is crazy as a coach to stand there and watch it. They just keep going in and keep going in. I’m so happy for her and the team.”
The Green Mountain senior in nearing the 1,500-point career total over her four years with the Rams despite a sophomore shortened COVID season in 2020-21. Maves was instrumental in Green Mountain three straight 4A Final Four state appearances over the pervious there seasons.
“For me it means so much for our team to win,” Maves said after her 40-point night that included eight 3-pointers. “I want our team to be the best that we can. When I score I want to get everyone else’s confidence up too.”
While Maves was the highlight with the career night, the Rams had a nice supporting cast. Junior Taylor Ellington, along with sophomores Avery Freedman and Julia Schafer all scored in the first 4 minutes of the game.
“We knew Dakota Ridge plays a lot of zone defense and we have a lot of shooters,” Busnardo said. “I knew the shots would be open. For (Maves) to score 40, her teammates were finding her and trusted her. I’ve got all the trust in the world in Jayda.”
Green Mountain — No. 8 in the CHSAANow.com Class 5A rankings — held a 39-15 lead at halftime. Maves final 3-pointer of the night a minute into the fourth quarter made it a 36-point lead and a running clock for the remainder of the game.
“Our energy lacked a little bit in the second half,” Maves said. “I had to keep us there and keep that energy level up. That’s my favorite part of the game, helping my team win.”
The Rams (9-5, 4-1 in Class 5A/4A Jeffco League) were coming off their first conference loss of the season. Littleton handed Green Mountain a 55-50 road loss last Friday night in a game that the Rams held a double-digit lead in the second half.
“We played so hard against Littleton and at one point we were up by 15 points. They made an adjustment and we just kind of crumbled,” Busnardo said. “A game like that is good for us. If we are in a game and situation last that again we are going to know how to adjust and get better.”
There would be no crumbling against Dakota Ridge (6-8, 3-2). Senior Sophia Hapke hit a 3-pointer with 6:17 left in the game for the Rams’ final basket of the night.
“I think we played really good as a team,” Maves said of the bounce-back win.
Green Mountain hosts Pomona on Wednesday night for another girls/boys varsity doubleheader at Green Mountain High School. Dakota Ridge will try to get back in the win column when it hosts No. 10 Littleton on Wednesday.
“We are in a really good position,” Busnardo said with nine regular-season games remaining before the postseason begins in about a month. “We have a chance to be a top-10 seeded team. That last (league) game against D’Evelyn we have to prove ourselves. It will be a good test.”