Don’t trade 3-pointers with David Fishel. You’ll lose.
Fishel hit five 3-pointers, including three in a row that gave Cherry Creek its first lead, and Palmer struggled offensively for one quarter. Combined, that was enough for the Bruins to earn a 60-50 victory over the Terrors in the Class 5A boys basketball round of 16 on Wednesday night at Manual’s Thunderdome.
Fishel scored a career-best 23 points and Grant Parker led the way with 25 points and 11 rebounds as the Bruins (19-6) opened up a close game in the second quarter and controlled the action down the stretch.
“My guys were able to get me the ball in a position to shoot,” Fishel said.
For Palmer (20-4), Elgin Fitzgerald finished with 16 points, and Jo Jo Simons and Reggie Jackson had 14 apiece with three 3-pointers each.
The Terrors took an early 10-5 lead when Simons made his first 3, but Parker answered back on the next shot. Jackson followed up for Palmer the next time down the court with a long- range basket, but Fishel made it four 3-pointers in a row on the ensuing possession.
Fishel gave the Bruins the lead – for good – with yet another 3, this one near the end of the first quarter to make the score 14-13.
Palmer responded with a dud of a second quarter, shooting just 1-for-10 from the floor and getting outscored 15-5.
The Bruins stretched their lead to as many as 16 points, 34-18, early in the third quarter, but Simons and Jackson started to find a rhythm from beyond the 3-point arc. Jackson cut the lead to seven points with 2:35 left to play, and to eight points with 1:20 remaining.
Cherry Creek 14 15 13 18 – 60
Palmer 13 5 12 20 – 50
Cherry Creek – Sokoloski 0 2-2 2, Fishel 6 6-8 23, Rhode 0 2-4 2, Parker 5 14-17 25, Montgomery 1 1-4 3, Pingree 1 1-2 3, Heimbrock 1 0-0 2. Totals 14 26-37 60.
Palmer – Blackledge 0 0-0 0, Robinson 0 1-2 1, Simons 4 3-6 14, Mayerl 1 0-2 2, Fitzgerald 5 4-5 16, Jones 1 0-0 3, Jackson 5 1-2 14. Totals 16 9-17 50.
3-pt. goals – Fishel 5, Parker; Simons 3, Jackson 3, Fitzgerald 2, Jones. Total fouls – Cherry Creek 18; Palmer 21. Fouled out – Sokoloski; Jones. Technicals – None.
