After the game, players from Thomas Jefferson and East walked out of the gym together laughing. But things were not so friendly on the court.
East battled to the end for a 64-47 victory over the visiting Spartans in a cross-classification Denver Prep League game Saturday, and the Angels needed a big fourth quarter to pull out a physical contest between familiar teams.
“This was a big game. We needed to win this to go on to the city championship. … We had to play good defense, and our posts as well as our guards had to step up. I think we all did,” East’s Brooke Durant said.
Durant scored a game-high 16 points, and Kiara Calbart came off the bench for 12 more to push the Angels’ record to 14-5 overall and 5-0 in the DPL. Sophomore Carlie Christianson added nine points and 10 rebounds.
East will play Montbello (5-0 in league) on Saturday in what should decide the Class 5A portion of the DPL championship.
Thomas Jefferson (11-7, 3-2) has four games left and the lead in the 4A title race. Janette Jackson, 4A’s leader for rebounds and steals, led the Spartans with 14 points and 13 rebounds, Ellie Sprague finished with 11 points and Alexis Scott-Perry had 10. Avyn Vaden pulled down 12 rebounds.
East took a 14-11 lead after one quarter before going on an 11-0 run in which Thomas Jefferson missed its first nine shots from the floor. Vaden was able to end the drought with a layup, and the Spartans hit two more baskets to cut into the deficit before halftime.
Thomas Jefferson twice cut the lead to six points in the fourth quarter, but it seemed every time East would make a mistake with an errant pass or a travel, the Spartans would do the same.
“We were able to pull it back in when we finally stepped up and knocked down some shots. We worked so hard in that eight- to-nine-minute span to make it respectable. … We just got overcome by some things,” Thomas Jefferson coach Steve Thomas said.
Scott-Perry hit three jumpers during the Spartans’ rally, but East turned to the paint and Calbart for some inside baskets to help the Angels outscore Thomas Jefferson 24-15 in the fourth quarter.
“Our post players can pick it up when we need to. We give thanks to the guards,” Calbart said.
Thomas Jefferson 11 6 15 15 – 47
East 14 14 12 24 – 64
Thomas Jefferson – Jackson 3 8-10 14, Sprague 4 1-2 11, Vaden 1 2-3 4, Scott-Perry 4 2-5 10, Lahlou 0 2-2 2, Roach 2 0-0 4, Newton 1 0-0 2, Crowe 0 0-0 0. Totals 15 15-22 47.
East – Durant 6 2-4 16, Brewer 1 1-2 3, Christianson 3 3-10 9, Samuels 2 0-0 4, Pugh 2 1-4 5, Groce 0 0-0 0, Wattley 3 3-5 9, Calbart 4 4-7 12, Joiner 2 0-0 6. Totals 23 14-32 64.
3-pt. goals – Sprague 2; Durant 2, Joiner 2. Total fouls – Thomas Jeffeson 25; East 21. Fouled out – Vaden; Wattley. Technicals – None.
