Colorado Springs – If the Cherry Creek Bruins have proved anything this season, it’s that they can play solid defense and score inside.
In Thursday’s Sweet 16 matchup of the Class 5A state tournament, the No. 3 Bruins nailed down the elusive outside game and were flawless from the free-throw line in the fourth quarter against seventh-seeded Mountain Vista.
And that gave the Bruins an entirely new look.
“Like a threat,” Bruins floor general Karl Heimbrock said. “You know, our focus the whole year has been defense. We came out tonight shooting pretty well.”
The Bruins (17-7) never trailed, thanks to a 19-5 start, which set the table for a patient attack that struck from all spots on the floor and had the Golden Eagles (14-11) grasping for answers.
The big-man tandem of 6-foot-7 senior Taylor Montgomery and 6-10 junior Trey Eckloff combined for 36 points and 19 rebounds for the Bruins, and reserve guard Scott Traina drained three of his four 3-pointers during a crucial stretch in the third quarter.
“When you have a game like that, when they collapse down and you kick it out, we start shooting well and they’d go out and we could stay in, it all worked out for us,” said Montgomery, who had a game-best 22 points and 13 rebounds.
Finalists a year ago, the Bruins will play Poudre or Aurora Central on Saturday at 4:15 p.m. at the Denver Coliseum in the Glenn Wilson Region final.
The Golden Eagles were 5-for-19 from the field in the first half and didn’t connect on a 3-pointer until the fourth quarter, when they managed to cut the deficit to 52-47 with 2:30 remaining on Jordan Smith’s trey.
But the Bruins shot 7-for-7 from the free-throw line down the stretch to maintain order. Mountain Vista was 7-of-15 overall from the charity stripe.
Kyle Behrens scored 16 points and grabbed eight rebounds, and Smith added 11 points for the Golden Eagles, who upset Palmer last week to advance.
Mountain Vista opened the third quarter on a 6-0 run to trail 26-22. The Bruins called time out and regained control with a 10-2 run fueled by Traina’s 3-pointers.
Mountain Vista 4 12 13 20 – 49
Cherry Creek 12 14 17 17 – 60
Mountain Vista – Dore 0 4-4 4, Smith 3 2-2 11, Ringstad 3 1-2 8, Winter 2 0-0 4, Behrens 8 0-5 16, Jessup 1 0-0 2, Munsterman 1 0-0 2, Anderson 1 0-2 2. Totals 19 7-15 49.
Cherry Creek – Ahlbrandt 0 2-2 2, Heimbrock 1 4-4 6, Link 2 0-0 4, Montgomery 8 4-7 22, Eckloff 7 0-0 14, Traina 4 0-0 12, Elway 0 0-0 0, Keeth 0 0-0 0, Giles 0 0-0 0. Totals 22 10-13 60.
3-pt. goals – Smith 3, Ringstad; Traina 4, Montgomery 2. Total fouls – Mountain Vista 15, Cherry Creek 13. Fouled out – None. Technicals – None.
