When Leilah Vigil transferred to Grandview this year, expectations were that the junior would be an equal scoring threat alongside two-time player of the year Michaela Onyenwere. Vigil led Highlands Ranch in scoring last season, and was averaging 14.0 points per game alongside Onyenwere’s 20.4 heading into the Wolves’ Final Four showdown against No. 11 Regis Jesuit.
Vigil was all that and more Thursday night at the Denver Coliseum, pouring in 14 points and grabbing six rebounds to pair with Onyenwere’s 23 points as the Wolves cruised to a 60-27 victory over the Raiders to book the program’s first state championship game appearance.
“It’s a basketball IQ thing with me and Michaela,” Vigil explained. “Good recognizes good, and we understand that in order for us to win a championship, we have to come together and make sure we’re playing the way that’s best for the team.”
The Wolves opened the game on a 16-3 tear and by halftime Regis Jesuit faced an 11-point deficit. In the second half Grandview came out eager to add to its lead, with the aggressiveness of Onyenwere and Vigil leading the way while sophomore center Alisha Davis contributed with her rebounding and hustle.
By the time the fourth quarter rolled around, Grandview (26-1) had a 20-point lead and was on its way to its 20th straight double-digit win. Regis Jesuit (20-7) was paced by eight points from freshman point guard Jada Moore, while dunking phenom Fran Belibi was mostly kept in check with five points.
Grandview, the top-ranked team all season in The Denver Post power rankings, is ready for its championship close-up. The Wolves play No. 9 Lakewood (22-5) on Saturday at 6:30 p.m.
“We don’t feed into the media and we don’t like to talk about the hype, so our mind-set is already focused as soon as the final buzzer sounded for this game,” Vigil said. “The title is our goal, and I know it’s a tough one because I’ve been there and fell short last year. But I just have the feeling in my bones that we’re going to win the state championship this year.”
