Boulder – Back in November, veteran East coach Rudy Carey surveyed the Class 5A boys field and echoed the general feeling entering the 2006-07 season.
“There’s a state title to get,” Carey said, referring to the balance throughout the classification that also was devoid of a heavy favorite, the one team the rest feared.
It was borne out during a wide- open regular season as possibly a dozen teams began the 48-team bracket last month and entertained legitimate chances of seriously challenging.
The one to get was gotten by East, which rode stellar guard play and underrated inside work Saturday night at the Coors Events Center, defeating Aurora Central 60-41.
The Angels knocked off previously undefeated Aurora Central in front of a record 8,371 fans for its fourth Colorado title since 1996 as Donell Wells, The Denver Post 5A tournament MVP, scored a game-high 29 points.
East capped the season at 24-3 as the Denver Prep League swept the larger-school titles (Abraham Lincoln won in 4A). Aurora Central, which entered the state tournament undefeated for the third consecutive year, ended 27-1 and was 75-3 the past three seasons.
“It’s always sweet,” Carey said after winning his seventh championship (he also won three at Manual), tying him with Denver Christian boys icon Dick Katte for second-most in state annals. Ron Vlasin leads the way with nine.
“At the beginning of the season, we thought we’d challenge for one. It’s all about these kids, a great group of them.”
Wells, undecided on college, burned the Trojans mainly from outside, but also added eight rebounds and three assists.
“It just feels so good, I really wanted one for my family,” he said. “I hit a couple shots early and I was feeling it.”
The Angels maintained the lead virtually throughout the game and their sticky zone defense made the night miserable for the Trojans, notably senior stars Stephen Franklin and Sean Cunningham, who were held in check.
“We didn’t get off to a very good start and took ill-advised shots,” Aurora Central coach Bob Caton said. “The shots that we did get around the basket didn’t go in; we didn’t get any free throws.
“And East is a very difficult team to play from behind.”
Franklin and Cunningham combined for only 23 points and the Trojans shot an ice-cold 28.8 percent (17-of-59, 5-of-25 in the first half).
Meanwhile, Wells and junior Mookie Gilbert (nine of his 11 points) helped East take a 23-13 halftime lead. The Trojans, opting for a slow-down approach, stayed with it and East didn’t blink.
Wells all but decided it in the third quarter with four 3-pointers and Blake Swain, Jordan Martinez-Doublin and Jamiko Verner contributed defense, protecting the ball and rebounding. The Angels also didn’t put the Trojans on the free-throw line, permitting only six attempts.
“It’s a tribute to these kids. They knew they could be a good team,” Carey said.
East 12 11 17 20 – 60
Aurora Central 7 6 14 14 – 41
East – Verner 1 0-2 2, Swain 0 4-6 4, Wells 7 10-12 29, Gilbert 4 3-6 11, Da. Thornton 1 0-2 2, Martinez-Doublin 2 4-4 8, Hildreth 0 0-0 0, Brooks 0 0-0 0, Molock 0 2-2 2, Ross 1 0-0 2, Weise 0 0-0 0.Totals 16 23-34 60.
Aurora Central – Cunningham 4 0-0 10, Franklin 5 3-3 13, Johnson 0 0-0 0, Mabin 1 1-2 4, Bond 5 0-1 10, Veasley 0 0-0 0, Kelly 2 0-0 4, Stephenson 0 0-0 0, Archelus 0 0-0 0, Bonds 0 0-0 0. Totals 17 4-6 41.
3-pt. goals – Wells 5; Cunningham 2. Total fouls – East 10, Aurora Central 24. Fouled out – Veasley, Franklin. Technicals – None.
ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Sean Cunningham, Aurora Central, Sr.
Garrett Fiddler, Doherty, Sr.
Stephen Franklin, Aurora Central, Sr.
Mookie Gilbert, East, Jr.
Donell Wells, East, Sr.
MVP: Donell Wells
Staff writer Neil H. Devlin can be reached at 303-954-1714 or ndevlin@denverpost.com.
