Lakewood – They might as well have played this one with a shot clock or at a race track.
Smoky Hill and Rocky Mountain tore up the Pirate Pit on Wednesday night at Alameda High School in Class 5A’s Sweet 16, going back and forth so fast it was as if they left vapor trails.
Ultimately, big plays by Josh Cassaday and Will Figures in overtime lifted Smoky Hill to an 82-75 victory.
Smoky Hill improved to 20-5 and meets Chaparral on Friday at the Denver Coliseum in the Great 8. Rocky Mountain ended the season 20-4.
Cassaday, a junior and the Buffaloes’ sixth man, took it to the basket at the end of regulation to tie the game 71-71 and force the extra session. Then, in overtime, Cassaday scored the Buffs’ first five points, including a three- point play on a drive in transition after Smoky Hill had blocked a Lobos shot.
Cassaday added a sealing dunk after Figures twice converted two free throws.
“We both like to get out and run; we both played our games,” Cassaday said of the two teams.
Back and forth they went through most of three quarters before the Lobos went on an 11-0 run. At that point, Buffs coach Ken Shaw said he called a timeout to challenge his team.
“Our season was on the line right there,” he said.
Behind Figures (24 points), Cel Perry (18), Kevin Daugherty (15), and Cassaday (13), Smoky Hill kept coming.
Cassaday scored seven points in overtime.
“Josh has had his moments this year and a lot of adversity,” Shaw said. “The kid’s got a lot of talent.”
Rocky Mountain had plenty of answers during regulation. Marcus Coldiron (19 points), Jacob Houghton and Tyler House (15 each) did most of the damage for the Lobos.
One play here, one play there, Rocky Mountain coach Bruce Dick said, and it could have been different.
“I thought we played really well at times,” he said. “It’s an overtime game. … We just didn’t get a stop.”
Smoky Hill 16 16 16 23 11 – 82
Rocky Mountain 15 18 20 18 4 – 75
Smoky Hill – Figures 6 9-10 24, May 3 2-4 8, Daugherty 7 0-1 15, Huebner 2 0-0 4, Perry 6 5-6 18, Cassaday 6 1-1 13, Natt 0 0-0 0, Ross 0 0-0 0. Totals 30 17-22 82.
Rocky Mountain – House 5 4-9 15, Coldiron 6 5-6 19, Gutting 1 0-1 3, Jac. Houghton 6 2-3 15, Wahlfeldt 4 2-2 11, Jar. Houghton 5 2-3 12, Jones 0 0-0 0. Totals 27 15-24 75.
3-pt. goals – Figures 3, Daugherty, Perry; Coldiron 2, Gutting, Jac. Houghton, House, Wahlfeldt. Total fouls – Smoky Hill 18, Rocky Mountain 20. Fouled out – Perry. Technicals – None.
