BOULDER — One of the great runs in Colorado girls basketball history continued Friday night. In the Class 5A championship game at the Coors Events Center, Highlands Ranch won its seventh title since 2000 with a 67-50 victory over a pesky and young Regis Jesuit.
The Falcons (25-3) did not lose a game in Colorado. They are 121-16 since the 2006-07 season and helped the Continental League to its 11th championship in 12 seasons.
Regis Jesuit, which also lost to Highlands Ranch in the 2008 finale, as well as in the recent regular season, finished 20-8. No condolences are needed. The Raiders featured eight freshman this season, which is unusual on any in-state level, let along the largest classification.
Highlands Ranch took control in the second quarter with its usual dominant rebounding performance. In limiting the Raiders to one shot each time down the floor, the Falcons built a 33-25 halftime bulge, then never let Regis get close in the second half.
It’s as if the Falcons are a team of closers – throughout 2010-11, they ran to leads, then were consistent at protecting them, with outstanding ball movement, ball protection, passing and defense.
As usual, senior Katelyn McDaniel, tournament MVP by The Denver Post, led the way with 24 points, but she was hardly was a one-girl show. Outside shooting by Michaela Neuhaus (16 points) as well as fundamentals-based, all-around strong games by the likes of Liza Heap, Bree Baker and Lindsay Mallon made the Falcons unbeatable.
For Regis Jesuit, junior point guard Marquelle Dent led the way most of the game. However, the Raiders went more than five minutes without a field goal in the third quarter and playing catchup against the Falcons didn’t work this season.
