A full roundup of the day’s state basketball tournament games.
The Class 4A and 5A girls title games tip off this event at CU’s Coors Events Center.
Elsewhere, 3A, 2A and 1A are in semifinals. 3A games are at CSU’s Moby Arena, 2A games are at CSU-Pueblo’s Massari Arena, 1A games are at the University of Northern Colorado.
For a complete roundup of scores, visit .
BOYS
3A
Faith Christian 48, Pagosa Springs 30
It hasn’t been the picturesque style of basketball that Faith Christian is used to playing at Moby Arena, but the Eagles still find themselves back in the Class 3A state title game.
A solid defensive effort against Pagosa Springs that saw them surrender just 12 second-half points, allowed the three-time defending champions to advance to Saturday’s title game with a 48-30 decision over the Pirates.
“We lost five starters from last year’s team, and most of us haven’t started in a state championship game,” said senior Jordan Colson, who led the Eagles with 13 points. “It’s definitely a new experience for us and it should be a lot of fun to try and go get four straight.”
Fifth-seeded Pagosa Springs (20-4) was within three points — 21-18 — at halftime, but found the going rough at the offensive end in the second half.
— Jon E. Yunt, The Denver Post
Jefferson Academy 52, Valley 40
Mark Sharply is back at it. The Jefferson Academy coach, who has four titles to his credit already (two at 1A Belleview Christian and two 2A title at Jefferson Academy), will have a chance at No. 5 on Saturday after his Jaguars — seeded No. 15 in the Class 3A tournament — cruised past Valley.
The Jaguars (19-7) will try and avenge a 62-53 regular season Metropolitan League loss to Faith Christian.
Jefferson Academy broke a 20-20 halftime tie by hitting the boards, outrebounding the much bigger Vikings and getting multiple looks seemingly every time down the court. Jason Propst was the main benefactor, hauling in four offensive rebounds of his ten total and finishing with 22 points.
Valley (21-5) was led by guard Drew Matsushima’s 15 points.
— J.Y.
2A
Denver Lutheran 65, Ignacio 41
PUEBLO — Some coaches and fans may have not known about Denver Lutheran High School’s Joel Haywood before the Class 2A state tournament.
They do now.
A day after draining a buzzer-beater to defeat Peyton 50-49, Haywood was even better Friday night.
The senior poured in 29 points points, 18 in the first-quarter alone, powering Denver Lutheran to a 65-41 win over Ignacio in a semifinal game at Colorado State University-Pueblo’s Massari Arena.
“I have never shot the ball that well in my life,” said Haywood, who knocked down two 3-pointers and had a one-handed jam off an in-bounds pass in the first quarter. “I just really got going and I can’t wait to play (today) for a state championship.”
Lutheran ran its record to 22-4. The Lights advance to play the winner of the Yuma-Lutheran-Parker game at 5:15 p.m. today in the state championship game. Denver Lutheran last won a state boys basketball title in the 1985-86 season. Ignacio dropped to 21-3.
— Tracy Renck, Special to The Post
1A
Springfield 65, Pawnee 60
GREELEY — It has been 19 years since Springfield’s most recent appearance in the state title game. It has been much, much longer since the Longhorns took home a state championship trophy.
Springfield ended the first drought and will be in position to win its first state championship since 1947 after recording a 65-50 victory against third-seeded Pawnee in the Class 1A semifinals Friday at the University of Northern Colorado’s Butler-Hancock Pavilion.
Longhorns assistant coach Kevin Stolebarger was a starter for Springfield when it lost in the 1992 finals. Springfield (18-6) will face two-time defending state champion Caliche in the championship game Saturday.
— Pat Rooney, Special to The Post
GIRLS
3A
Holy Family 59, Jefferson Academy 38
FORT COLLINS — Every year, Holy Family coach Ron Rossi comes to Fort Collins and the Class 3A state tournament with a theme.
There was the first time ever theme and then there was the ice cream theme. This time around it’s the “History Book Theme.”
The Tigers wrote another chapter in their quest for a fourth state title with a 59-38 victory over Metropolitan League nemesis Jefferson Academy on Friday night at Moby Arena.
“Broomfield has won four times and we want to win four times so that we are tied with them in the history books,” said Rossi, who has Broomfield bragging rights with a victory over the now five-time Class 4A champs. “This is Chapter 26 and we are working real hard to close the book.”
— J.Y.
2A
Sanford 45, Rye 34
PUEBLO — This game wasn’t pretty, but it didn’t matter.
The Sanford High School girls basketball team used a suffocating defense to muscle past Rye 45-34 in a Class 2A state semifinal game Friday night at Colorado State University-Pueblo’s Massari Arena.
“We had a lot of kids playing in different rotations and they all were steady,” Sanford coach Blake Canty said. “Plus, we just played solid defense. We never let them go on any runs and I think that was a big key for us.”
Sanford (21-4), the No. 7 seed, advances to the championship game where it will play the Sedgwick County-Evangelical Christian Academy winner at 7 p.m today. Rye, which was the No. 3 seed, drops to 22-4 and will play for third-place today.
— T.R.
1A
Fleming 38, Kim 37
GREELEY — Fleming girls basketball coach Mindy Roelle has watched her team repeatedly come through during pressure-packed moments in the fourth quarter.
The Wildcats gave their coach one more reason to be proud on Friday, outlasting Kim in a frenetic finish to record a 38-37 victory against the defending Class 1A champions in the state semifinals. Fleming will play for its first girls basketball state championship tonight at Butler-Hancock Pavilion at the University of Northern Colorado.
“All season long, when it has come to the big games and tough situations, they know how to step up, take the leadership, and do what they have to do to pull of these wins,” said Roelle, who was a sophomore when the Wildcats made their most recent title game appearance in 1987. “They weren’t ready to give up.”
— P.R.
