LITTLETON — After four quarters, two extra sessions, 163 points, 66 free-throw attempts, 44 turnovers, five players fouling out, four technical fouls and an individual who went off for 42 points, Chatfield finally outlasted Fairview.
In taking the sixth Heritage-ThunderRidge Tipoff Classic on Friday night, the Chargers ultimately shook off the Knights of Boulder, state semifinalists a season ago, in the closing seconds of double overtime, 84-79 at Heritage’s gymnasium.
Now 3-0 in the first week of the season, the Chargers, ranked No. 3 in The Denver Post/9News Class 5A poll, are going through transition.
With longtime head coach Steve Schimpeler sidelined and dealing with a personal matter, Gary Anderson is in command. At the moment, he will allow only the team’s two co-captains to comment to the media.
One fouled out, was third in team scoring for the game and given a technical by officials for complaining when he exited. The other scored two points. So Trevor Wages, who led the Chargers in a monster game of 25 points, 24 rebounds and three blocked shots, wasn’t available for comment. Nor was junior Dean Wright, who added 18 points and made 4-of-6 free throws in the second overtime.
Anderson said he will consider lifting his ban “once we get later into the season.”
As it was, Chatfield overcame the stellar early-season play of Darragh O’Neill. The senior, virtually the only holdover of Fairview’s once-beaten team in 2009-10, made 16-of-17 free throws Thursday in a semifinals victory. On Friday, he made 21-of-23 on the way to 42 points. Most occurred after halftime, when he entered the third quarter 1-of-6 from the floor and 2-of-3 at the free-throw line.
And the Knights (2-1), who twice trailed by 10 points in regulation, certainly had their chances — they were ahead 58-50 with 3:05 to play in the fourth quarter.
“You have to find a way to put it away,” Fairview coach Frank Lee said. “We missed some shots down the stretch. But we’re OK. This is the first time we’ve had everybody together.”
Chatfield threatened to run away and win easily multiple times, but improved defense by the Knights as well as unforced errors helped keep it close. The Chargers — despite Wages being scoreless in the fourth quarter, when Chatfield went 5:06 without a point — also finished with 25 turnovers for the game. They generated a flurry to force the first extra session, when they got away with 1-of-3 free-throw shooting.
Chatfield sealed it by making 10 free throws in the second OT as Fairview was only 2-of-7 shooting from the floor.
Fairview 10 13 23 15 9 9 — 79
Chatfield 13 16 21 11 9 14 — 84
Fairview — Oldham 4 0-1 9, S. O’Neill 3 4-6 10, Skuba 1 1-2 3, Melillo 2 2-2 7, D. O’Neill 9 21-23 42, Morrison 1 0-0 2, Ghosh 1 0-0 3, Gallup 1 0-0 3, Saltarelli 0 0-0 0, Flora 0 0-0 0, Dolan 0 0-0 0. Totals 22 28-34 79.
Chatfield — Wages 10 5-10 25, Vermeer 5 3-4 15, Vaninger 3 3-4 9, Carter 2 2-2 7, Wright 6 4-6 18, Evans 3 0-0 6, Slavin 0 2-4 2, Garcia 0 2-2 2, Treece 0 0-0 0. Totals 29 21-32 84.
3-pt. goals — D. O’Neill 3, Melillo, Oldham, Ghosh, Gallup; Vermeer 2, Wright 2, Carter. Total fouls — Fairview 27, Chatfield 25. Fouled out — S. O’Neill, Melillo; Wages, Vermeer, Carter. Technicals — S. O’Neill, Carter, Vermeer, Fairview Coach Lee.
Neil H. Devlin: 303-954-1714 or ndevlin@denverpost.com
