GREENWOOD VILLAGE — In the parity and balance that is Class 5A boys basketball in 2007-08, particularly in the Centennial League, Cherry Creek isn’t that different from at least two dozen others.
“When we play together as a team, we’re very, very good,” Bruins coach Mike Brookhart said. “When we don’t, we’re not.”
On Wednesday night, the Bruins suffered through enough of the “not” to keep it interesting, but ultimately had sufficient “playing together” to knock off visiting Boulder 53-50 in a key league game.
Cherry Creek moved to 10-4 overall, 4-1 in league. The Panthers, ranked No. 5 in The Denver Post/9News poll and one of the hottest teams in 5A, dipped to 12-2, 3-2.
“We try to play together as much as possible,” Bruins senior guard Carter Ahlbrandt said after scoring a team-high 20 points.
It was evident early as the Bruins enjoyed superior ball movement, shooting (they canned six of their first seven), spacing and challenging on defense.
It also was a matchup that underlined why basketball is referred to as a game of runs.
Boulder went ahead 2-0, found itself trailing 15-4, took the lead at 21-20, was behind at halftime (29-21) and midway through the third quarter (35-21), then needed nearly the entire second half to climb within 52-50.
Cherry Creek reserve Charlie Zeller made 1-of-2 free throws with 28 seconds to play and the Panthers, after a timeout, could only manage an off-balance 3-point attempt that was rebounded by the Bruins as the buzzer sounded.
Ahlbrandt led two other Bruins in double-figure scoring — Ryan Link had 17 and Trey Eckloff added 12 before fouling out — but it was their defense that kept the clamps on Boulder’s Mitch Fraser and helped them overcome 22 turnovers, 16 in the second half.
“That’s way too many, especially against a good team,” Brookhart said.
Fraser, one of 5A’s premier scorers, missed his first nine shots and was blanked in the first half, but came alive for the Panthers late. He scored eight in the third quarter, finished with 12 and teamed with David Bremner (a team-high 20) for all of Boulder’s 18 in the the fourth quarter.
It was Boulder’s second-lowest scoring output of the season. Their lowest, 46 points, came in their first loss of the season, to crosstown rival Fairview.
Ahlbrandt needed just 11 shots for his eight baskets, two of them 3-pointers.
Boulder 10 11 11 18 — 50
Cherry Creek 15 14 13 11 — 53
Boulder — Pericak 2 1-2 5, Noolas 0 0-0 0, Bremner 7 6-7 20, Fraser 4 4-4 12, Harper 0 0-0 0, Smith 1 0-0 2, Staarmann 3 0-0 8, White 1 0-0 3, Colter 0 0-0 0. Totals 18 11-13 50.
Cherry Creek — Elway 0 0-0 0, Eckloff 4 3-4 12, Ahlbrandt 8 2-2 20, Link 5 6-9 17, Keilt 0 0-0 0, Mocevic 1 1-1 3, Zeller 0 1-2 1, Breen 0 0-0 0. Totals 18 13-18 53.
3-point goals — Staarmann 2, White; Ahlbrandt 2, Eckloff, Link. Total fouls — Boulder 17, Cherry Creek 12. Fouled out — Eckloff. Technicals — None.
Neil H. Devlin: 303-954-1714 or ndevlin@denverpost.com
