The Eaglecrest Raptors are trying for a replay of two seasons ago, when they won the Class 5A state championship.
On Saturday at the Denver Coliseum, Eaglecrest gradually ran past Legend 64-49 in Class 5A’s Great 8 to advance to Friday’s final four at the University of Colorado’s Coors Events Center.
Behind the brother guard tandem of Elijah and Colbey Ross, and swingman Blend Avdili, Eaglecrest roared to a 21-5 mark and its second final four in three seasons, A year ago, they fell in the Great 8 to Mountain Vista.
“I’m tellin’ ya, good guards make you look good as a coach and when you a have kid in Blend who can do a little bit of everything, step out, post it, drive it and defensively be smart and rebound, you look good,” veteran coach John Olander said.
The Continental League’s Legend, which finished 19-7, ran to early leads of 9-2 and 11-4 before the Raptors went on a 13-point binge to take command. And even though the Titans, in riding talented junior Jared Small, kept within range into the third quarter, Eaglecrest, led by its big three gradually pulled away on another run and seemed to be a step ahead entering the stretch.
All told, Colbey Ross, a sophomore, led the way with 23 points. Elijah Ross added 19. Combined, the brothers were 17-of-20 from the free-throw line. Avdili, a senior, added 16 points and nine rebounds. They scored 58 of the team’s 64 points.
For coach Kevin Boley’s Titans, Small rang up 18 points and seven rebounds. Monroe Foster and Danny Garrick each added 11 points.
Olander said it was a viable goal for his Raptors to make it this far when he talked with his team in November about season goals. The one goal they didn’t reach? They finished second to Overland in the Centennial League. But the bigger one is still there.
“It’s kind of anybody’s game when you get here,” Olander said. “Then you try to get to the final four. Now that we’re there, we’ll starting focusing on that.”
