CHERRY HILLS VILLAGE — After their first week playing in their new Yates Pavilion, the Kent Denver Sun Devils are 3-0.
“There are people who projected that we may not win three games all year,” coach Todd Schayes said.
No, it had nothing to do with the fact that this was the Herman Schayes Memorial Tournament. Herman Schayes, Todd’s father, liked to say he played more than 2,000 games with the Washington Generals and Texas Cowboys, otherwise recognized as the main patsies of the Harlem Globetrotters, and never won.
But after a 71-66 victory over St. Mary’s on Saturday, Kent Denver has yet to lose. “And we have seven new players,” Todd Schayes said.
Most participated on successful Kent Denver teams from a productive fall and are bringing their competitiveness with them, the coach added. Kent Denver had a dozen ties after the first quarter with the Pirates, who are 0-3 and brought with them their own pedigree as part of higher-end field in Class 3A. Last season, St. Mary’s won the Tri-Peaks League and advanced to the state’s Sweet 16. Moffat County won the 3A Western Slope and was a state quarterfinalist. Also, The Pinnacle was first in the Frontier.
“This is a good measuring stick,” Schayes said.
The Sun Devils needed a 26-point fourth quarter to get past St. Mary’s, coached by Mark Beranek, who won two 4A titles at Sierra. Kent had multiple contributors, notably freshman Stone Delaney. He had 16 points, eight in the fourth quarter.
Acknowledging that it’s all new to him, Delaney, 15, said, “It’s awesome. I’m just trying to get used to it.”
Senior Nikola Arnold added 15 for Kent. St. Mary’s was paced by a hot Jimmy Velten, tops with 24 points.
St. Mary’s17 16 12 21 — 66
Kent Denver13 21 11 26 — 71
St. Mary’s — Greenly 4 1-4 11, Velten 7 6-7 24, Pardos 5 0-0 10, Englert 3 1-2 7, Delfeld 5 0-0 10, Soto 0 0-0 0, LaMack 1 0-0 2, Breier 0 0-0 0, Shigio 0 0-0 0, Stockelman 1 0-0 2. Totals 26 8-13 66.
Kent Denver — Jack 1 2-3 4, Dunn 2 4-6 9, Casey 2 2-2 6, Arnold 5 1-2 15, Bullock 3 1-1 7, Delaney 7 1-2 16, Wells 3 1-2 7, Gottesfeld 1 0-0 3, Nowak 2 0-0 4. Totals 26 12-18 71.
3-point goals — Velten 4, Greenly 2; Arnold 4, Delaney, Dunn, Gottesfeld.
Neil H. Devlin: ndevlin@denverpost.com or
