BOULDER — Undefeated and top-seeded Fairview was mainly responsible for attracting a record final four crowd of 10,285 on Wednesday night at the Coors Events Center.
Once-beaten George Washington attracted Nuggets guard and former Patriots standout Chauncey Billups, who had the opportunity to address the team.
GW won.
Despite a close final few minutes, the Patriots (26-1) knocked off the Knights 76-74 in overtime to advance to their first championship game since 2001.
“That’s what this time is all about, making plays when you need them,” Billups said.
Thomas Bropleh made lots of them for GW. The senior, held to five points in the Great 8, tallied 32 against the Knights, six in the fourth quarter and 10 in OT.
“Fairview’s a great team and they kept coming,” Bropleh said. “We were able to hang on.”
The Pats had to — after leading by as many as 17 points in the second half behind Bropleh, Tyrelle Millard and Novian Balous, Fairview (26-1) staged a gradual rally that turned furious behind Travis Shepherd, who scored 17 of his team-high 28 points in the fourth quarter, and Jonathan Morse, who scored 18.
Tied at 61-61 in the final seconds of regulation, GW never managed to get off a shot, but made up for it in OT.
GW made only four of its first 10 free throws in the fourth quarter — and the Pats made just enough despite finishing 15-of-28 for the game.
“You’ve got to make free throws,” GW coach Michael Rogers said. “We extended the game because we didn’t make our free throws. . . . The kids played well, they stuck with it. We had some different lineups in there and everyone on the floor played well for us.”
It was a crushing loss for the Knights, who regularly blew out opponents and were seeking their first title since 1981.
George Washington 11 20 20 10 15 — 76
Fairview 11 11 17 22 13 — 74
George Washington — Santisteven 1 0-0 3, Millard 6 1-4 16, Adams 0 3-4 3, Ford 2 2-2 6, Du. Johnson 1 1-6 3, Sather 0 0-0 0, Bropleh 11 7-9 32, Marshall 1 0-0 2, Balous 5 1-3 11. Totals 27 15-28 76.
Fairview — O’Neill 2 5-8 9, Grant 1 1-1 3, Cartwright 1 0-0 2, Gamble 2 4-6 10, Schoeninger 0 0-0 0, Branham 1 0-0 2, Giehl 1 0-0 2, Melillo 0 0-0 0, Shepherd 9 6-6 28, Morse 8 2-5 18. Totals 25 18-26 74.
3-point goals — Bropleh 3, Millard 3, Santisteven; Shepherd 4, Gamble 2. Total fouls — George Washington 24, Fairview 25. Fouled out — MIllard. Technicals — None.
Neil H. Devlin: 303-954-1714 or ndevlin@denverpost.com
