BOULDER, Colo.—Jahmall Fountain scored 20 points and Sierra used its athletic prowess and physical dominance Thursday to beat Colorado Springs Metro League rival Lewis-Palmer 46-39 in the Class 4A state semifinals.
Top-seeded Sierra (22-5) will play the winner of the Pueblo South-Sterling game for the state championship Saturday at 6 p.m. at the Coors Events Center on the University of Colorado campus.
Fountain scored 16 points in the second half, including a streak in which he posted 10 straight for the Stallions.
Leading 26-21 with 1:46 to play in the third quarter, Fountain outmuscled a Lewis-Palmer defender under the basket to start his 10-point stretch that included speed moves to the basket, a cutter in the lane and a pair of free throws that extended Sierra’s lead to 36-26 with 4:12 to play in the game.
Lewis-Palmer (19-7), the No. 3 seed, couldn’t match Sierra’s level of energy, giving up 18 points off 20 turnovers while managing just eight points off 21 Sierra turnovers.
The Rangers, who split the regular-season series with Sierra, were led by Jordan Ververs, who scored 11 points.
Sierra limited Lewis-Palmer’s primary scoring threats, Cole Schumacher and Kyle Engelhardt, to nine and 6 points, respectively.
The Stallions, who also won the battle on the boards, 37-27, will play for their first state championship since winning the 4A crown in 2000.
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