AURORA — Extensive rust from the holiday break that is exclusive to Colorado was evident Saturday. While other states enjoy an array of tournaments, the local mandatory downtime before and after Christmas and New Year’s Day continues as an unwelcome interruption to the in-state winter season.
Hence, it took a crowd-pleasing, behind-the-head dunk by Cherokee Trail’s Micah Green to wake up the Cougars in a 69-53 Class 5A nonleague decision of visiting Aurora Central.
Green, a gifted 6-foot-3 senior who will play baseball at Wichita State, secured a lob pass in the lane with 6:50 to play and finished with authority to finally ignite Cherokee Trail. The Cougars, 8-1 in their first season in 5A, used the energy burst to handle the undermanned Trojans (7-4).
“We finally got excited and got some energy,” Green said. “Coming off the break, I felt out of shape, (but) then everybody started to get into the game and have some life.”
Green made back-to-back 3-pointers and scored eight consecutive points in the second quarter as Cherokee Trail attempted to pull away, but Aurora Central stayed close. It wasn’t until a stretch run when Green’s dunk and five consecutive turnovers forced by the Cougars sealed it.
“Kids getting back late from the break, then sickness, all that stuff . . . I felt a little wounded,” Cougars coach Shawn Dirden said.
The Trojans know all about it — they began with just seven players. Grade problems, suspensions and a late arrival made it difficult. Kilen Venable led them with 28 points.
For the Cougars, Phil Ramey (19 points), Temani Adams (15) and Green (10) set the pace.
Aurora Central 11 13 18 11 — 53
Cherokee Trail 14 18 16 21 — 69
Aurora Central — Burnett 0 1-2 1, Henderson 0 2-2 2, Venable 11 3-6 28, Lee 2 2-3 6, Johns-Carolina 2 2-2 7, Abrams 3 2-3 9, Martinez 0 0-0 0. Totals 18 12-18 53.
Cherokee Trail — Evans 3 0-0 7, Ramey 6 6-7 19, Gregory-McGhee 3 2-2 8, Martin 0 0-2 0, McCord 0 0-0 0, Green 3 2-5 10, Adams 4 7-9 15, Currington 3 0-0 6, Hatcher 0 2-2 2, Dennis 0 0-0 0, Turner 1 0-0 2. Totals 23 19-27 69.
3-pt. goals — Venable 3, Johns-Carolina, Abrams; Green 2, Ramey, Evans. Total fouls — Aurora Central 19, Cherokee Trail 23. Fouled out — Evans, Ramey. Technicals — None.
Neil H. Devlin: 303-954-1714 or ndevlin@denverpost.com
