BOULDER — They played two earlier games that resulted in a split, and each was decided by two points.
And in both cases, the team that trailed at halftime came back and won.
So what else did you expect in Wednesday night’s rubber match?
Legacy (26-1), which trailed at halftime, got it together down the stretch to outlast Monarch 51-47 in the Class 5A final four at CU’s Coors Events Center.
“So I guess we needed to be trailing at halftime,” Lightning senior Quincey Noonan said.
The Lightning, which was behind by as many as 10 points, will head to its second title game in four seasons. In 2007, Legacy fell to Highlands Ranch. Big schools are assured of their first champion not from the Continental League since 1999.
Those who stayed for the late game — 4,000 fans saw at least a portion of the four games, slightly down from past seasons — watched the Coyotes (22-5), the past season’s state runners-up, in control early and often.
Monarch, behind Alex Evans (12 points) and sophomore Alexus Johnson (10), shot and passed better and got to more loose balls. The Coyotes led 28-19 at halftime as Eliza Normen threw in a running 3-pointer at the buzzer.
All the while, the Lightning seemed a step slow, couldn’t buy a basket to stem the flow and needed to regroup.
“We got after it at halftime,” Lightning coach Jamie Carey said.
Legacy flirted with taking the lead in the third quarter — it opened with three quick layups.
“We got beat in transition,” Monarch coach Gail Hook said. “They really pushed the ball.”
However, the Lightning had to withstand another Coyotes’ move (Monarch led 36-26), rallied to tie it at 46 inside 3 minutes, then took the lead for good on two free throws by Carli Moreland, who banged inside all game.
Smartly holding the ball for more than a minute, key free throws by Kailey Edwards sealed it.
“It’s such a great matchup, similar talent, and Gail does such a great job,” Carey said. “It was tough . . . our kids kept their heads.”
Moreland, who fouled out down the stretch, had 16 points and 10 rebounds to pace Legacy, which shot just 31 percent. Edwards added 10, and Noonan was generally kept in check (she had six).
“I don’t think we were as aggressive attacking the rim,” Hook said.
Legacy outrebounded the Coyotes 39-28.
Carey, a former player of the year at Horizon by The Denver Post, awaits her first final as a coach.
“It’s a thrill. I knew we had talent,” she said, “but we had to put the talent together.”
Monarch 13 15 8 11 — 47
Legacy 7 12 12 20 — 51
Monarch — Harder 0 0-0 0, Evans 4 4-4 12, Normen 1 1-6 6, O’Brien 0 0-0 0, Richmond 2 0-0 4, Stanford 0 0-0 6, Davis 3 0-0 9, Johnson 2 3-4 10. Totals 17 8-14 47.
Legacy — Moreland 4 8-10 16, Noonan 2 2-4 6, Dunahay 2 0-2 4, Edwards 2 6-6 10, Glen 2 0-0 5, Akindele 4 1-2 9, Leister 0 1-2 1, Archuleta 0 0-0 0. Totals 16 18-26 51.
3-pt. goals: Stanford 2, Normen, Davis, Johnson; Glen. Fouled out — Richmond; Moreland.
