Sierra Survives, Repeats As 4A Champs

Photo by Mike Laughlin, Mile High Hoops

BOULDER—As any athlete will tell you, patience wins championships.

The defending 4A champion Sierra Stallions had to wait an extra four minutes before winning the state championship in overtime Saturday night, defeating Pueblo East 61-56 at the Coors Event Center in Boulder.

The Stallions had to overcome the additional four-minute period, a resilient Eagles team and a jaw-dropping performance from Pueblo East junior Jordan Gregory, to claim their second straight title.

“It’s their mental toughness. They had to come out and play each and every game,” Sierra head coach Otis Johnson said about his team’s ability to repeat as champions this season, even with a target on their backs. “In this game, our experience, being able to play in this atmosphere, helped us out a lot.”

The two groups, both high-scoring teams that average more than 80 points-per-game, expected a fast-paced contest. However, both struggled to break out offensively in the early going.

Sierra was held without a single point for nearly the first four minutes of the game, until Jahmall Fountain came alive, scoring the Stallions’ first ten points in just over a two minute span, putting Sierra in front 10-2.

The Stallions took a 15-4 lead into the second quarter, and East looked like they may have been in danger of being blown out in the opening half. But the Eagles, led by Gregory, kept it close and got back into the locker room down only seven, 28-21, at the half.
After the break, Gregory and the Eagles stormed onto the court and claimed their first lead of the game with 3:19 remaining in the third quarter, 35-34. East held a slim lead into the fourth quarter, but it was Sierra who looked to be in control in the final seconds of regulation.

The Stallions were up by three, 48-45, with 21 seconds remaining, when East’s Mitch Secora sunk one of two free-throws. Then, after a steal, Gregory hit a clutch mid-range jumper with less than ten seconds remaining to send the game to extra time tied at 48.
The overtime period, however, just like the beginning of the game, belonged to Jahmall Fountain.

Fountain hit a three-pointer just over a minute into the extra frame, and went 4-4 from the foul line as Sierra pulled away to win the game by five.

“Jahmall started it off, then he closed the game for us,” Johnson said. “It goes to show that he wasn’t intimidated. When the game is on the line, he’s the guy you want on your team.”

Fountain said he was confident, even when the game went into overtime.
“I wasn’t nervous at all, I was excited,” he said. “We’ve been here before, multiple times.”

Fountain said playing well down the stretch is something that he has always wanted to excel in, since he has grown up watching his favorite player, Los Angeles Laker Kobe Bryant, become one of the games best game-closers ever.

“I pride myself in making free-throws,” he said. “That’s what Kobe does at the end of close games all the time.”

Fountain finished with a game high 20 points to lead the Stallions. Wesley Gordon scored 11, and Chris Fielder knocked in 10, including the game’s final three points.
“We knew we had the team to do this,” Fielder said. “We just had to work hard. Our coaches pushed us hard every day.”

Sierra finished the season with a record of 27-2.

In the loss, Gregory led East with 19 points in the final game of his junior season.  

Checkout the completed brackets.

Contact the writer at mlaughlin@milehighhoops.com