5A Girls Final Four Wrap-Up
The East bench erupts during the final seconds of the Angels' Final Four victory.
Photo by Mike Laughlin, Mile High Hoops
Denver East Flies Into Championship Game, Will Meet Legacy For Title
BOULDER—The Denver East Angels flew into the state championship game Wednesday night, advancing with an emotional 53-45 win over Heritage at the Coors Event Center in Boulder.
The Angels won with a balanced scoring attack—four different players scored at least eight points—and a clutch performance from senior Shae Kelley, who led Denver East with 14 points, many of which came late in the fourth quarter.
“It feels great to get over that hump, into the championship,” Kelley said. “I think we can come out on top.”
For much of the game, Heritage may have been the superior-executing team, with crisp passes and clean cuts to the basket.
The Eagles took a one-point lead into the half, but it could have been more if it weren’t for Kelley’s ability to create shots in the paint.
East's Sydney Small drives against Heritage's Kim
Lockridge Wednesday night. The Angels advanced to
the championship against Legacy.
Photo by Mike Laughlin, Mile High Hoops
The Angels came out with a much stronger effort in the second half, scoring 18 third-quarter points on their way to the eight-point victory.
“Honestly, we got away with one tonight,” Denver East head coach Dwight Berry said. “We didn’t execute the way we should have, but we gutted it out. I’m proud of these girls, they have great pride—Angels across the chest.”
In the loss, Heritage senior Kim Lockridge scored a game high 17 points in her final prep game.
“We just came out cold in the third quarter and they grabbed the momentum,” Lockridge said. “If a few shots would have went in, it would have been a different game…I’m proud of how we worked; we left it on the floor.”
Legacy Outlasts Monarch In Dramatic Contest
In a game that came down to the final seconds, Legacy won in come-from-behind fashion to punch their ticket to the state title game, defeating Monarch 51-47 in the second semifinal.
Monarch jumped out in front to begin the game, behind the largest, and loudest, student section of the night.
But despite trailing for the entirety of the first three quarters, the Lightening stormed back to take their first lead of the night with just over three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.
Once they took the lead, they knew what to do with it.
On their next possession, with a one point lead, Legacy held the ball for nearly two minutes, passing from corner to corner until the clock ticked under a minute.
They scored on a put-back and, thanks to some late-game free-throw shooting, held on for the four-point win.
“We haven’t been the strongest free-throw shooting team this season, but if you took our free-throw percentage from the last two minutes of games, it would be pretty good,” Legacy head coach Jamie Carey said.
In only her second year at the helm of the Lightening, she said she is thrilled to see her team in the title game.
“To be a part of these girls’ lives for the past two years has been amazing,” she said.
Senior Carli Moreland had a double-double in the win, with 16 points and 10 rebounds.
The two teams will meet Friday night at the Coors Event Center to decide the Colorado State Championship.
Checkout the updated brackets.
Contact the writer at mlaughlin@milehighhoops.com