CENTENNIAL — “It was crazy,” Arapahoe coach Dan Snyder said.
Arguing that point would be futile. The Warriors’ passion overcame their craziness, big-game jitters and poor shooting that lasted for more than a half before they slipped past East 48-46 on Tuesday night in Class 5A’s Sweet 16.
Ultimately, a loud crowd at Sitting Eagle Gymnasium got what it wanted — a trip to Friday’s Great 8 against defending state champion Regis Jesuit.
The Warriors improved to 22-3, but it took Ky Kocur somehow getting free on the left side of the lane for a layup with 3.4 seconds to play to decide it.
“I don’t think (the Angels) were expecting me to come to the basket because I’m a guard, but it was a good play,” said Kocur, whose six points came within the final 1:48.
Good enough to end East’s season at 16-9 and overcome what had been horrid shooting by the Warriors, who were 1-for-11 in the first quarter and 4-of-23 by halftime.
Meanwhile, East led early and often. The Angels’ shooting was solid, as was the overall play by Chance Moore, Phillip Watts and Talan Whitaker.
Defensively, East blocked shots early inside and relegated the Warriors to the perimeter, where they floundered.
“We were getting good shots,” Snyder said. “We just weren’t making any.”
But the Warriors picked it up in the third quarter. Tim Billingsley got going. So did Parker Semin. Arapahoe trailed 39-30 entering the fourth quarter, but Billingsley’s 3-pointer cut the Angels’ lead to 39-35.
The race was on.
A short jumper by Kocur gave the Warriors their first lead at 44-43, but Moore’s three-point play with 1:05 remaining pushed East to a 46-44 lead. Kocur was alone again in the lane for a basket with 45 seconds left and Moore started his drive to end it in regulation too early and handcuffed Whitaker under the basket with 12 ticks remaining.
Arapahoe didn’t click on a pass to Semin, then executed its decisive inbounds play.
East coach Rudy Carey was blunt, saying his team had chances.
“No excuses, they beat us,” he said.
Said Snyder: “We just played with a sense of urgency and desperation in the second half. Obviously, you saw our shooting performance.”
East 15 10 14 7 — 46
Arapahoe 6 6 18 18 — 48
East — Moore 7 2-3 18, Merriex 1 0-0 3, Watts 3 2-2 9, Zettas 2 0-0 6, Carter 0 1-2 1, Gee 2 0-0 4, Whitaker 2 1-4 5. Totals 17 6-11 46.
Arapahoe — Fromm 0 0-0 0, Eigner 3 2-2 8, Semin 4 4-4 13, Ratterman 1 0-0 2, Keen 0 2-2 2, Moore 1 0-0 2, Kocur 3 0-0 6, Webb 0 0-2 0, Balli 1 0-0 3, Billingsley 3 5-5 12. Totals 16 13-15 48.
3-pt. goals: East — Moore 2, Zettas 2, Merriex, Watts. Arapahoe — Semin, Balli, Billingsley.
Neil H. Devlin: 303-954-1714 or ndevlin@denverpost.com
