Boulder – Just as inexplicably as it will go into Colorado annals as perhaps one of the worst three-quarter stretches of playoff basketball since the girls game was sanctioned in the 1975-76 season, it turned into a gem down the stretch and into overtime.
Ultimately, Legacy outlasted top-seeded Regis 53-48 in overtime Wednesday night at the Coors Events Center in the Class 5A Final Four to advance to its first title game.
The Lightning will take a 24-3 record into Friday night’s finale against Highlands Ranch. Regis, which won 22 games in a row and played in the 4A title game last season, ended 25-2.
“It worked out,” Legacy coach Jody Welch said. “All I know is what matters is the scoreboard.”
In the extra session, senior Melissa Jones scored seven of her game-high 27 points as Legacy took an early lead and held it. Legacy sealed it with free throws, converting 9-of-12.
Regis had no answers, shooting less than 33 percent and committing 22 turnovers.
Mindy Nielson led Regis with 16 points, but the Raiders were slowed by the Lightning’s deliberate pace, didn’t handle Legacy’s zone defense and trailed nearly the entire game.
“We knew they were much more of a run-and-gun team, an up-tempo team, and we wanted to slow them down,” Welch said.
Both teams struggled mightily through 24 minutes. At the end of three quarters, Legacy led 19-16. The teams combined to shoot 2-of-19 in the third quarter and record 12 turnovers. There were only two baskets in the third quarter, the first scored 6:05 into it.
“It was just one of those games where nothing was falling for either team,” Jones said. “It was kind of like we were going through the motions.”
But they woke up in the fourth quarter, with Regis outscoring Legacy 22-19, or more scoring than the first three quarters combined.
Regis 9 5 2 22 10 – 48
Legacy 9 6 4 19 15 – 53
Regis – Williams 2 4-4 8, Rolniak 1 2-2 4, Shealy 3 1-2 7, Winters 2 0-0 5, Nielson 6 3-4 16, O’Dorisio 1 0-0 2, Bokenkamp 2 0-0 6, Lehan 0 0-0 0, Case 0 0-0 0, Roben 0 0-0 0. Totals 17 10-12 48.
Legacy – Mathews 0 0-0 0, Cosgrove 1 6-8 8, Long 1 1-2 4, Jones 6 14-16 27, Noonan 3 7-14 13, Wittkop 0 0-0 0, Morton 0 0-0 0, Babcock 0 1-2 1. Totals 11 29-42 53.
3-pt. goals – Bokenkamp 2, Winters, Nielson; Long, Jones. Total fouls – Regis 26, Legacy 13. Fouled out – None. Technicals – None.
Neil H. Devlin can be reached at 303-954-1714 or ndevlin@denverpost.com.
