The quarterfinals of the Colorado high school basketball state tournaments for Classes 5A-6A take place Friday and Saturday at Denver Coliseum. Our staff will be there providing live coverage. Refresh this page for the latest updates and results.
Tournament info: Tournament brackets and results | Great 8 scouting report | Rangeview Raiders look to finish job
Updates
Class 5A boys final: No. 6 Windsor 72, No. 3 Dakota Ridge 64, OT
The Windsor Wizards are Final Four bound for the third straight year — by the skin of their teeth.
Pushed to the brink by a Dakota Ridge squad that rallied from a nine-point deficit in the second half, and took its first lead with 2:55 left in regulation, Windsor took over in overtime to secure a dramatic Great 8 win in the nightcap. The Wizards get No. 2 Mesa Ridge in a rematch of last year’s 5A title game next Friday.
Senior John Backhaus scored the bucket that sent the game to overtime, then sank the first of the extra frame to put Windsor (20-6) ahead for good. Madden Smiley scored six of his game-high 25 points in OT while playing with four fouls, Brady Kingsley added 23 points, and the Wizards shot a blistering 57.8% from the field.
Ethan Berninger, who just missed a shot at the end of regulation that would’ve won it, finished with 26 points in a heroic effort for Dakota Ridge (19-7). Nathan Esau had 12 points and six rebounds, while Caiden Dixon added 11 points and Cody Rominger nine points and eight rebounds.
10:27 p.m.: Another Ethan Berninger 3 is no good, and Dakota Ridge is on the brink. It’s 67-61 with 58.5 seconds to go and Wizards ball. It’s gonna take a miracle for DR. — Matt Schubert
10:25 p.m.: John Backhaus’ driving basket puts the Wizards on top, Tadese Keyworth feeds Madden Smiley on a drive and dish and Ethan Berninger’s stepback 3 rims out on the other end. After a pair of Smiley free throws, the Wizards lead 65-59 with 1:30 to go. — Matt Schubert
10:17 p.m.: The Wizards score two straight buckets, Ethan Berninger bulldogs a guy in the post for an and-one turnaround, then John Backhaus answers on the other end with a drive to the dish that ties the game at 59-all. Berninger gets a shot at the win with a stepback at the buzzer, but no good.
OVERTIME.
And let’s face it. We deserve it.
10:12 p.m.: Ethan Berninger stepback corner 3-pointer, Cody Rominger spinning fadeaway in the paint, and the Dakota Ridge Eagles are leading for the first time in this ballgame. It’s 56-53 with 2:01 to go and the Windsor Wizards call timeout. What. A. Game. — Matt Schubert
10:10 p.m.: Madden Smiley, who’s playing with four fouls, sinks a pair of free throws to put Windsor ahead. But it’s Dakota Ridge ball with 3:06 to go, trailing by two.
10:07 p.m.: Ethan Berninger is throwing haymakers and we got a tie ballgame, 49-all, with 4:15 to go. Buckle up, buttercup.
9:33 p.m.: Madden Smiley (11 points) and Brady Kingsley (15 points) are a combined 6 of 6 from 3-point range, and the Windsor Wizards have Dakota Ridge on the ropes with a 34-26 halftime lead.
The Wizards shot a blistering 56% from the field in the first half, while limiting Dakota Ridge to 45.5% shooting with six turnovers. Senior forward Ethan Berninger (10 points) is the lone Eagles scorer in double figures. — Matt Schubert
9:21 p.m.: Madden Smiley is heating up. The junior guard hits back-to-back 3-pointers to keep Dakota Ridge at bay. But two straight fouls puts him on the bench with 5:34 left. Windsor leads 25-21.
9:17 p.m.: Tadese Keyworth’s finger roll caps a strong closing run to the first quarter for Windsor, which leads 19-12 after eight minutes. — Matt Schubert
9:13 p.m.: Windsor lands the first blow, with Brady Kingsley the main protagonist. The junior guard has 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting and the Wizards lead 17-12 with less than two minutes left in the first quarter. — Matt Schubert
9 p.m.: At long last, we’re down to the last game of the day here at Denver Coliseum. And it should be a dandy.
Two of the most explosive scorers in Class 5A will face off with Dakota Ridge senior Ethan Berninger (22.1 ppg) on one side and Windsor junior Madden Smiley (20.8) the other. The winner gets two-time defending 5A champion Mesa Ridge in the Final Four next week. — Matt Schubert
Class 5A girls final: No. 6 Mullen 53, No. 3 Windsor 42
8:50 p.m.: Makenzie Jones scored 15 points, sister Tatum Jones added 12 and the Mustangs pulled away in the fourth quarter to secure a spot in the Final Four.
7:45 p.m.: Mullen and Windsor are setting a frantic pace, though neither team is shooting well (Windsor is 7 for 21, Mullen 9 for 22).
Sophomore Makenzie Jones leads the Mustangs with 11 points. Sophomore guard/forward Gracie Worsley leads the Wizards with 10. — Patrick Saunders
7:25 p.m.: Mullen took a 10-7 lead in the first quarter, utilizing a fastbreak offense. Windsor point guard Gracie Worsley’s sweet jump shot gave the Wizards five quick points to keep them close.
Both teams are quick and this could be a close game. — Patrick Saunders
Class 5A boys: No. 2 Mesa Ridge 61, No. 7 Standley Lake 45
Standley Lake was dead set on not letting Mesa Ridge senior Bryce Riehl beat them. So Isaiah Lucas did it instead.
The junior big man picked off a pass and took it the other way for a bucket on the game’s first possession, and the two-time defending 5A champion Grizzlies (25-1) didn’t relinquish the lead the rest of the game.
Lucas had 19 points on 6-of-9 shooting with seven rebounds, three steals and three assists, taking advantage of the space afforded him in the middle of Standley Lake’s various zone looks. Riehl added 18 points despite being the focus of the Gators defense, which at one point face-guarded him in a diamond-and-one look. His four-point play with 3:47 left all but put the game away with a 54-40 lead.
The big three of Derrek Sims (15 points), Titus Schrecengost (17) and sophomore post Asher Serlen (11) accounted for all but two of Standley Lake’s points. But free-throw struggles (4 of 10) and problems finishing around the rim early on doomed the Gators’ (20-6) first Great 8 trip in program history.
6:45 p.m.: Bryce Riehl puts a bow on this thing with a four-point play from the top of the arc. The Mesa Ridge senior grinned to the crowd, his team taking a 54-40 lead with 3:47 to go. It’s looking like the two-time defending champion Grizzlies are headed back to the Final Four. — Matt Schubert
6:41 p.m.: Standley Lake is doing everything it can to get back into this, with Titus Schrecengost scoring five points on back-to-back trips down the court. But Mesa Ridge is still in control, leading 50-40 with 4:49 left in the game. — Matt Schubert
6:31 p.m.: Big man Zander Iwanski buries back-to-back 3s from the wing, and the Mesa Ridge Grizzlies are in control. It’s 46-31 going into the fourth quarter.
With Standley Lake unwilling to man up on defense, and its various zone looks getting picked apart by Mesa Ridge, it appears the sun is about to set on the Gators’ first Great 8 appearance in program history. — Matt Schubert
6:14 p.m.: Eligah Myles’ putback at the buzzer gives Mesa Ridge its largest lead of the night going into halftime, 34-25.
The Gators are doing everything they can to limit Grizzlies senior Bryce Riehl, employing a diamond-and-one defense with one defender face-guarding Riehl wherever he goes. Isaiah Lucas is reaping the benefits with 13 points on 4-of-5 shooting from the field with four rebounds, two assists and two steals.
Only three Gators have scored so far: Derrek Sims (nine points), Titus Schrecengost (9) and Asher Serlen (7). If Standley Lake had made its layups, this might be a one-possession game.
The Grizzlies have led for all but the first 18 seconds of this game. — Matt Schubert
5:58 p.m.: Standley Lake has gotten as close as within two points of Mesa Ridge, but every Gators run is countered by another from the Grizzlies. It’s 31-22 Mesa Ridge with 3:04 left in the second quarter.
Isaiah Lucas has not missed a shot — 4 for 4 from the field and 4 for 4 from the free throw line — in accumulating a game-high 12 points. — Matt Schubert
5:54 p.m.: Bryce Riehl’s got three 3-points and one blown kiss to the Standley Lake crowd. Mesa Ridge’s senior guard is nothing if not a showman.
5:53 p.m.: Derrek Sims scores a four-point play to keep the Gators within striking distance, but Isaiah Lucas answers with a bucket on the other end. It’s 24-19 Mesa Ridge with 5:48 left in the second quarter. — Matt Schubert
5:44 p.m.: We’re off to a breakneck pace here in the first boys game of the night.
Mesa Ridge and Standley Lake are trading haymakers. It’s 19-13 after one quarter with the Grizzlies keeping the Gators at arm’s length. — Matt Schubert
Class 5A Girls final: No. 1 Air Academy 55, No. 8 Durango 25
The unbeaten Kadets improved to 25-0 and cruised to their second consecutive appearance in the Final Four, overwhelming Durango with their talent and height. Air Academy will meet No. 5 Green Mountain (24-2) in next week’s semifinals.
The Kadets led 9-4 after the first quarter, sparked by a 3-pointer from Grace Mooney. Durango struggled to get off a clean shot against the taller Kadets. In fact, the Demons didn’t take their first shot until almost 3 minutes into the game.
The trend continued the rest of the game with the Demons rarely finding an open shot. When Air Academy cleaned up its turnovers and started shooting better, the rout was on.
Senior power forward Tatyonna Brown, who’s committed to Kansas, led Air Academy with 14 points and seven rebounds. She shot 5 for 10 from the field. Senior power forward Ramah Khammash added 13 points for the Kadets.
Senior Ellie White led Durango with 11 points on 5-of-8 shooting, but the Demons shot just 20% (9 for 45) from the floor as a team. Durango’s season ended with a 19-7 record. — Patrick Saunders
4:59 p.m.: The taller, more talented Kadets have turned the game into a blowout and lead 37-13 after three quarters. — Patrick Saunders
4:30 p.m.: Air Academy is well on its way to improving to 25-0. Class 5A’s lone unbeaten team leads the Demons 22-9 at the half.
Kansas commit Tatyonna Brown, unstoppable inside, has seven points.
Ellie White leads the Demons with seven points but the Demons shot just 3 for 22 from the floor in the first half. — Patrick Saunders
4:15 p.m.: The Kadets lead after one quarter, 9-4, sparked by a 3-pointer from Grace Mooney. Durango is struggling to get off a clean shot against the taller Kadets. In fact, the Demons didn’t take their first shot until almost 33 minutes into the game. — Patrick Saunders
Class 5A boys: No. 21 Falcon 65, No. 4 Montrose 51
Falcon boys basketball is one win from its first state championship appearance.
The Falcons out-gutted Montrose in the Class 5A Great 8 on Friday at the Denver Coliseum, beating the Red Hawks with a widespread offense in a 65-51 game.
Montrose’s CJ Rocco had 15 points and two other Montrose players, Brekin Hutto and Kaleb Ferguson, were also in double-digits. But the balance of Falcon’s attack, plus consistently strong defense, outweighed the performance of Montrose’s top playmakers.
Falcons senior Tyler Cox had 14 points, while Christian Bertholf had 10 and both Jeremiah Potts and Aiden Wood had 9. The Falcons, who lost consecutive games to Palmer Ridge and Mesa Ridge to close the regular season, have found their stride when it matters most. They upset Eagle Valley in a close game in the opening round, then beat Mountain View in the Sweet 16.
The Falcons (18-8) now take on No. 16 Green Mountain in the Final 4 next week. Montrose finished 19-7.
2:30 p.m.: CJ Rocco leads all scorers with 11 points, but it’s Falcon’s balanced offensive effort that has the Falcons ahead at halftime, 33-24. Falcon is paced by Jeremiah Potts, who has 7 points. — Kyle Newman
2:04 p.m.: Falcon leads Montrose 15-11 at the end of the first quarter. Balanced scoring from both teams. Montrose’s CJ Rocco leads all scorers with 6 points. — Kyle Newman
Class 5A girls final: No. 2 Mead 56, No. 7 Frederick 37
A year after falling to eventual champion Roosevelt in the Final Four, Mead girls basketball is headed back to the stage next week.
After the Mavericks were tied with Frederick going into the locker room, they used a big second half to pull away to a 56-37 victory in the Class 5A Great 8 at the Denver Coliseum. Mead owned the third quarter, opening up a 15-point lead, before adding on in the final frame.
Mead senior Caroline Kron paved the way with her offense and defense in the victory against league and local rival Frederick, which is about 10 minutes south of Mead. The Mavericks dominated the teams’ meeting earlier this season, winning 54-19 on Jan. 17, but this showdown was much closer.
Ultimately, the Falcons were outmatched as Mead had superior size, ball-handling and shooting. Sophomore Madi Clark and senior Darby Haley were also critical for the Mavericks (23-3), who have now won 14 of their last 15 games and seek their first championship appearance. Frederick finished 19-7. — Kyle Newman
1:14 p.m.: The Mavericks utterly owned the third quarter, opening up a 15-point lead in a 45-31 advantage over Frederick. Mead’s offensive efficiency picked up in the quarter, while the Falcons’ went the other way. — Kyle Newman
1:01 p.m.: Mead opens the second half on a 6-0 run, and the Mavericks now have their biggest lead of the game at 30-24. That prompts a quick timeout by Frederick head coach Jake Hansen. — Kyle Newman
12:44 p.m.: We’re all square at the half, 24-24. Mavericks senior Caroline Kron leads all scorers with 9 points. — Kyle Newman
12:22 p.m.: Frederick leads 15-11 after one quarter. Falcons junior Emma Rivera has 5 points, and Mavericks senior Caroline Kron leads all scorers with 6. Back-and-forth momentum swings so far, which is what you’d expect for a pair of league rivals that are only about 10 minutes from each other. Mead dominated the teams’ matchup earlier this season, winning 54-19 on Jan. 17. — Kyle Newman
Class 5A boys final: No. 16 Green Mountain 43, No. 25 Sand Creek 40
11:44 a.m.: Green Mountain will do the Final 4 double-dip. After the Rams girls upset Roosevelt to open the day at the Denver Coliseum, the Rams boys (17-9) rally to beat Sand Creek (20-7). Sam Mielenz had 17 points, and Simon Lunsford had 16. Josh Kotto led Sand Creek with 12. — Kyle Newman
11:23 a.m.: Heading to the fourth, Sand Creek leads Green Mountain 33-31 after a back-and-forth third quarter. Sam Mielenz and Simon Lunsford are carrying the Rams, with 13 points apiece. Whoever weathers the momentum swings the best in the final frame will win this one. — Kyle Newman
11:02 a.m.: At the half, Sand Creek leads Green Mountain 20-19. It was all Scorpions early, as they jumped out to a 12-0 lead and it took nearly six minutes for the Rams to get their first field goal, a Simon Lunsford three-pointer. Sand Creek led 17-3 early in the second quarter, then the Rams got hot. Green Mountain finished the half on a 16-3 run. The Rams’ Sam Mielenz leads all scorers with 10 points, and Lunsford has 8. Josh Kotto and Terrence Clay pace Sand Creek with 7 points each. — Kyle Newman
10:20 a.m.: We’re just a couple of minutes away from tip-off between a pair of Cinderellas — one of which will be moving on to the Final Four. Can Green Mountain get two teams into next weekend? Can the upstart Scorpions continue their incredible run from the play-in round to the semifinals? We’re about to find out. This one should be fun. — Matt Schubert
Class 5A girls final: No. 5 Green Mountain 46, No. 4 Roosevelt 42
10:07 a.m.: The Rams upend the two-time defending Class 5A champion Rough Riders (22-4). The Rams (24-2) hung on despite not having a field goal in the fourth quarter. They will play the winner of No. 1 Air Academy and No. 8 Durango in next week’s Final 4. — Kyle Newman
10:02 a.m.: There’s 90 seconds left. Green Mountain, outscored 8-2 in the fourth quarter and still without a field goal in the frame, clings to a 43-42 lead. Roosevelt has still never led in this game. — Kyle Newman
9:56 a.m.: With 4:36 left and Green Mountain holding a 43-39 lead, Kyla Hollier fouls out after she’s whistled for a charge. Ryanne Bahnsen-Price will have to do the majority of the heavy lifting down the stretch for Roosevelt. Meanwhile, Green Mountain has come up empty offensively, with no field goals so far in the fourth, and that’s letting the Roughriders hang around. — Kyle Newman
9:46 a.m.: Green Mountain leads Roosevelt 41-33 entering the fourth quarter. The Roughriders’ shooting kept them afloat with Hollier on the bench for the latter half of the third quarter due to foul trouble. Ryanne Bahnsen-Price has nine points, while sophomore Addie Evans leads Green Mountain with 11 points. To beat the two-time defending champions, Green Mountain needs to deliver a knockout blow in the fourth. — Kyle Newman
9:36 a.m.: Midway through the third quarter, Roosevelt’s Kyla Hollier picks up her fourth foul, and Green Mountain leads 28-21. Hollier is a total mismatch in the post, so her going to the bench changes Roosevelt’s offensive approach. — Kyle Newman
9:19 a.m.: After Green Mountain’s dominance in the early minutes of the game, this one’s turned into a slugfest. The Rams lead 22-18. Junior forward and Division I prospect Kyla Hollier has been hard for the Rams to guard in the paint, but she’s in foul trouble, with three fouls. That includes a technical. Ryanne Bahnsen-Price, Roosevelt’s other star, also has two fouls. If the foul trouble continues into the second half for those two, Roosevelt could be in big trouble. After a hot start, Green Mountain’s Kantyn Pearson was shutout in the second quarter and still has 7 points. Hollier leads all scorers with 12 points. — Kyle Newman
8:58 a.m.: The Rams open the game on a 9-0 run thanks to suffocating defensive pressure, some nice buckets by junior Kantyn Pearson and the fact that Roosevelt couldn’t throw it in the ocean. But the Roughriders respond with a 7-2 run of their own, cutting Green Mountain’s lead to 11-7 after one quarter. Pearson has 7 points, and Kyla Hollier has 5 points. — Kyle Newman
8:40 a.m.: We’re just minutes from the start of the Great 8 inside Denver Coliseum. First up: The two-time defending champion Roosevelt Rough Riders begin their three-peat bid with a matchup against the Green Mountain Rams.
Led by the D-I tandem of Kyla Hollier and Ryanne Bahnsen-Price (San Diego), the Riders are as dangerous as ever. If Green Mountain can knock them off, it will be the Riders’ first loss in the state tournament with Hollier in the lineup. — Matt Schubert
Schedule and results
Class 5A boys
No. 16 Green Mountain (16-9) vs. No. 25 Sand Creek (20-6), 10:15 a.m.
No. 21 Falcon (17-8) vs. No. 4 Montrose (19-6), 1:15 p.m.
No. 2 Mesa Ridge (24-1) vs. No. 7 Standley Lake (20-5), 5:30 p.m.
No. 6 Windsor (19-6) vs. No. 3 Dakota Ridge (19-6), 8:30 p.m.
Class 5A girls
No. 1 Air Academy (24-0) vs. No. 8 Durango (19-6), 4 p.m.
No. 5 Green Mountain (23-2) vs. No. 4 Roosevelt (22-3), 8:45 a.m.
No. 2 Mead (22-3) vs. No. 7 Frederick (19-6), 11:45 a.m.
No. 6 Mullen (16-9) vs. No. 3 Windsor (21-4), 7 p.m.
