Raise your hand if you didn’t think thought Overland would get its chance at a second consecutive Class 5A state championship.
Thought so …
The Trailblazers will meet Centennial League and Cherry Creek School District rival Eaglecrest in the finale Saturday night at the Coors Events Center in Boulder. It should begin somewhere around 8:30 p.m. as the official time hadn’t been released as of late Friday night and the games have been running l-o-o-o-o-n-g.
Anyway, credit the Trailblazers’ defense. It has been terrific.
“The coaches do a good job with it,” center and Indiana signee De’Ron Davis said. “Our defense takes all over it.”
He’s not fibbing — in four playoff games so far, Overland hasn’t given up more than 51 points in any round. Teams can win a lot of games, regular season or playoffs, by surrendering those totals.
Against Chatfield in the final four, Overland earned a 72-50 rout.
“We knew they liked to get into transition,” coach Danny Fisher said of the Chargers, adding that “we were comfortable getting them into a half-court situation.”
Simply put, the Trailblazers protect the basket, lane and perimeter like no other team this season, perhaps none over several seasons.
Accordingly, it’s no shock the Trailblazers will be playing for a second title.
“I was confident we could be back here,” Fisher said in a business-like atmosphere in the locker room after beating Chatfield. “I think from the beginning of the year this was our ultimate goal … we had our bumps and bruises along the way, but the journey has been great and purposeful, and the destination is, we’re here.”
