AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo.—If Talli Hansen was the engine powering Eads to its second consecutive 1A girls state basketball championship, Jordan Barnett was its spark plug.
Hansen, a 6-1 senior center, once again provided an imposing presence beneath both backboards and scored a game-high 28 points to lead the Eagles (23-3) to a 59-37 win over Briggsdale (22-4) Saturday afternoon in Clune Arena.
While Hansen grabbed the rebounds, scored underneath at one end of the floor and made the outlet passes at the other, Barnett, a play-making guard, scrambled all over the court running the Eagles’ offense.
Hansen set the tone early, canning 10 first-quarter points, but Briggsdale kept the pace into the second quarter.
Five points by Hansen expanded the lead to 22-16 midway through the second quarter, and Barnett took charge. The junior scored nine consecutive points, including a 3-pointer and two free throws, to extend the Eads margin to 31-16 at halftime.
The Falcons rallied and reduced the deficit to 47-37 with 3:26 remaining, but Barnett and Hansen cut the effort short. The pair combined to score the next 12 points for Eads on 10 free throws and a field goal by Hansen, and the Eagles were ready to accept their trophy.
Barnett finished with 14 points.
Tessa Ellis scored 10 first-quarter points for Briggsdale and finished with 16. Arika Mondt had eight but was held to two in the opening half.
