Loveland – It’s a wonder that Eaglecrest left the Budweiser Events Center with its shoes and jerseys. The East Angels were swiping everything in sight.
With seven steals in the first five minutes of action, and 15 total thefts, East appeared it would step all over the Raptors after opening up an early double-figure lead. But Eaglecrest survived East’s initial rush and traded the lead back-and-forth in the second half.
The Angels, however, took control down the stretch after Blake Swain popped two big 3-pointers, and East coasted to a 70-57 victory in the Sweet 16 of the Class 5A boys state tournament Thursday.
“Some of us had it in our mind too early that the game was over,” East monster dunker Jordan Martinez-Doublin said.
Martinez-Doublin put on an air show with a finish of a long-distance alley-oop in the first half and a one-handed, soaring slam that started about a step inside the free-throw line. He finished with 14 points coming off the bench, and teammates Swain (13 points), Mookie Gilbert (13) and Jermiko Verner (10) all scored in double figures.
East (21-3) last won a title in 2004 and remains a threat to do it every season.
“We didn’t play particularly smart,” East coach Rudy Carey said. “But this time of year, a win is a win. There are no style points.”
Eaglecrest (16-9), playing in its fourth Sweet 16 in six seasons, had its chances to take down the Angels.
Josh Henry scored in the paint to give the Raptors a 32-31 lead early in the third quarter. The lead would change hands on each of the next three possessions until Swain drilled his first decisive 3-pointer.
Henry scored a game-high 16 points and Gage Wooten had 14.
East 16 11 19 24 – 70
Eaglecrest 15 9 15 18 – 57
East – Verner 2 6-7 10, Swain 3 5-6 13, Wells 3 2-4 8, Thornton 2 1-3 5, Gilbert 4 5-6 13, Martinez-Doublin 7 0-0 14, Hildreth 0 0-4 0, Weise 0 5-6 5, Ross 0 0-0 0, Brooks 1 0-0 2. Totals 22 24-36 70.
Eaglecrest – Cobb 1 2-3 4, Williams 2 0-0 5, Wooten 6 2-4 14, Henry 7 1-2 16, Dennis 5 0-0 10, Noble 0 3-5 3, Sanders 1 0-0 2, Harrison 0 0-0 0, McIlvain 1 0-0 3, Cherry 0 0-0 0, Lawrence 0 0-0 0. Totals 22 8-14 57.
3-point goals – Swain 2; Williams, Henry, McIlvain. Total fouls – East 19; Eaglecrest 26. Fouled out – Wells; Sanders. Technicals – None.
