FORT COLLINS — Deron Rindels is living the dream.
The Faith Christian junior reserve scored a championship-winning putback shot with 1.7 seconds left on the clock Saturday to not only give the Eagles their only lead of the game at 64-62 but their second consecutive Class 3A boys title at Moby Arena.
“I can’t find the words to describe it,” said Rindels, who was mobbed by his teammates on the court and again when he returned to the locker room. “I got there as quick as I could, and did what I needed to do.”
The Eagles’ victory capped a frantic second-half comeback that seemed improbable the way Peyton’s Brett Green and Co. started their first championship game.
With the Eagles keying on Green, the Panthers went inside to 6-foot-7 Chris Spurling. The senior scored 10 first-quarter points, and with Green’s three 3-pointers, the Panthers jumped out to a 19-4 start.
“The rest of the team stepped up, and it was different kids at different times,” Peyton coach Brian Green said. “We got into foul trouble, and there is always going to be that question of whether or not we have enough depth.”
Faith Christian narrowed the gap in the third quarter, going on a 15-4 run. Even though Brent Green, who finished with a game-high 36 points and was named the tournament MVP, was seemingly unstoppable, the Eagles had done enough to set the stage for a brilliant fourth quarter.
“Brett Green is great, I don’t know why he’s going to (Colorado) Mines,” said Faith Christian guard Riley Grabau, who led the Eagles with 17 points. “He could play anywhere he wants.”
The Eagles, whistled for 29 fouls in the game, lost their first starter to fouls early in the fourth when Jordan Stone was sent to the bench. With Stephen Dennis already nursing an injury from an earlier collision with Green and Micah Twedell also banged up, Faith relied on its depth to make a late run.
Rindels, Hayden Loudenslager and Twedell played major roles in the fourth quarter.
“From the start, everything went wrong,” Faith coach Andrew Hasz said. “But we stopped the bleeding and our depth was obviously critical. This was the most exciting game I’ve ever been a part of.”
After Peyton’s Chandler Bartlett missed a layup with 27.5 seconds left that would have put the Panthers up by two, Faith hauled in the rebound and drew up one last play.
The open shot went to 6-foot-7 Justin Gallagher in the corner; it rimmed off and Rindels hauled in the rebound in the lane and put back the game-winner.
Faith Christian4 17 17 26 — 64
Peyton19 14 11 18 — 62
Faith Christian — Grabau 6 4-5 17, Stone 2 0-0 5, Hegarty 4 1-3 9, Dennis 1 2-2 5, Gallagher 2 1-2 5, D. Rindels 3 3-6 9, Twedell 2 2-2 6, N. Rindels 0 0-0 0, Brekke 0 0-0 0, Loudenslager 4 0-1 8. Totals 24 13-21 64.
Peyton — B. Green 10 12-17 36, Bartlett 3 3-5 9, Thomas 0 1-2 1, J. Spurling 1 0-1 2, C. Spurling 6 2-4 14, Sutton 0 0-0 0, Van Tassel 0 0-0 0, Klopfenstein 0 0-0 0. Totals 20 18-29 62.
3-point goals — Grabau, Stone, Dennis; B. Green 4. Total fouls — Faith Christian 29; Peyton 18. Fouled out — Stone, Dennis; Thomas. Technicals — B. Green.
Jon E. Yunt: 303-954-1354 or jyunt@denverpost.com
3A all-tournament team
Riley Grabau, Faith Christian, So.
Brett Green, Peyton, Sr.
Joel Hegarty, Faith Christian, Jr.
Seth Lobato, Eaton, Sr.
Chris Spurling, Peyton, Sr.
MVP: Brett Green, Peyton
