Denver East led from start to finish in Class 5A playoff action Saturday afternoon, holding off Fossil Ridge for a 72-56 victory and Sweet 16 berth.
Junior guard Daylen Kountz paced the ninth-seeded Angels with 37 points, while senior guard Braxton Bertolette led No. 24 Fossil Ridge with 30 points in a game in which the Sabercats kept it close, but could never get within striking distance.
Sophomore center Assana Diouf and sophomore guard Kwane Marble were also crucial for Denver East, which used Diouf’s post play and Marble’s transition leadership to keep Fossil Ridge at bay.
The Sabercats’ loss marks the end of a storied prep career for Bertolette, who will graduate this spring as the program’s all-time leading scorer and a guy who was the face of one of the classification’s best programs over the last four years.
Bertolette has yet to commit to play in college, although he has offers from the University of North Dakota and Rider University.
The Angels (17-7, 7-1 Denver Prep) now travel to Aurora on Wednesday to take on No. 8 Smoky Hill (16-8, 8-6), which can match Denver East’s size with the 6-foot-8 junior forward tandem of John Harge and Will Becker.
Listen to the archived broadcast featuring a postgame interview with Kountz
