GOLDEN — Lakewood’s Erica Hicks has been waiting a year for a second chance to beat ThunderRidge in the Class 5A tournament.
The classification’s leading scorer was so excited about the possible rematch, her eagerness almost cost her and her team in Thursday night’s 70-57 win against Montbello at Lockridge Arena at the Colorado School of Mines.
Hicks left the game after drawing her third personal foul with 5:46 remaining in the second quarter and Lakewood, the No. 1 seed in the Kay Garmes Region, clinging to a six-point lead.
Montbello cut the margin to one with Hicks on the bench, and Hicks, who fouled out and did not play well in last year’s Sweet 16 loss to ThunderRidge, admitted: “I was mad. Tears came to my eyes.”
But with the help of teammates Carly Cator, Kait Goodall and Katie Rosa, Hicks and the Tigers survived Montbello’s relentless pounding of the offensive boards and full-court pressure.
The win gives Hicks and Lakewood (21-4) — riding an 11-game winning streak — a shot against ThunderRidge on Saturday in the Great 8.
“Revenge, that’s all I’ve got to say,” Goodall said.
“I knew I had to come out and show I could play better than I did in the previous years,” Hicks said, referring primarily to last year’s ThunderRidge game.
Hicks, who averages 21.7 points, hit two 3-point baskets before her third foul and did not score again until the 2:40 mark of the third quarter. She finished with 16 points but helped spark a 13-2 Lakewood run that put the Tigers ahead 49-33 near the end of the third.
Highlands Ranch 94, Central (G.J.) 46.
Alyssa Fressle, who has signed to play at the University of Colorado this fall, scored 27 points as Highlands Ranch, the No. 1 seed in the Sharon Wilch Region, routed fourth-seeded Grand Junction Central.
The Falcons (22-3) are looking for their third consecutive 5A title and fifth in the last seven years. They built leads of 18-2 and 28-6 in coasting to their 15th consecutive victory. Up next is East (21-3) in the Great 8.
Amy Kame, who had 18 points in a second-round win over Grandview, led Central (19-5) with 21 points.
