FORT COLLINS — In what was easily the best game of the tournament thus far finished with an ugly ending.
Two-time defending Class 3A champion Faith Christian, 103-3 over the past four seasons, tied the second semifinal game Friday night in regulation, then held on in a foul-plagued overtime to beat Metropolitan League rival Kent Denver 50-49 at Moby Arena.
Last year’s championship game hero, Deron Rindels, hit 1-of-2 fouls shots with 4.1 seconds left to give the Eagles the victory. Kent’s inbounds pass was picked off at midcourt.
“We are just thankful that Kent came out and gave us something to fight for,” said Rindels, whose buzzer-beater sealed a 64-62 victory over Peyton last season. “You’ve really got to make both, but I’m glad one was enough.”
Said Sun Devils coach Todd Schayes, whose team dropped a 55-41 decision to Faith in the regular season: “What am I supposed to tell our seniors, when the officials do that to us? . . . All we are trying to do is get the ball inbounds and they call traveling. We didn’t deserve that.”
Faith (25-1) will play Aspen, a team they beat in the semifinals a year ago, for the title tonight.
Rindels led the Eagles with 13 points and Micah Twedell added 11. Derek McCartney was big for Faith in the fourth quarter, scoring all six of his points in crunch time.
Kent Denver’s Jared Smith led all scorers with 15 points off the bench.
Aspen 44, Buena Vista 35• Andrew Papenfus, Aspen’s 6-foot-6 senior, hit back-to-back 3-pointers to start the fourth quarter, the second of which sparked the Skiers’ 10-4 run to close out the Demons.
“I got open looks, and I know I’m a good shooter, so I shot it with confidence,” said Papenfus, who led the 27-0 Skiers with 13 points. “Just had to let ’em fly.”
Said Aspen coach Steve Ketchum: “I’m wondering if he may not be the best 3A player in the state.”
The Skiers did what they needed to do offensively, but defensively against Demons guard Josh Morgan is how Aspen really won the game.
The Skiers’ frustrating 1-3-1 zone defense gave Buena Vista fits and a 12-for-50 (24 percent) shooting night. Morgan was just 4-of-19 and finished with 10 points.
“It was just one of those nights where we couldn’t buy a bucket and just happens to come in the semifinals,” Morgan said. “That’s just the way this game goes — sometimes the ball bounces your way, sometimes it doesn’t.”
The Demons (21-6), who had cut Aspen’s lead to 31-29 early in the fourth, were led by Nolan Baker’s 15 points and 17 rebounds.
Aspen’s Bridger Dawson chipped in with 11 points.
