There was a sequence midway through the fourth quarter on Thursday night at the Denver Coliseum that defined Northfield High basketball.
Junior guard London Taylor dribbled twice between her legs, turned her defender into a pretzel, and threaded a pass to Ana Baseman on the baseline. Baseman swished a 3-pointer.
Seconds later, Taylor stole the ball and drove in for an uncontested layup. Fifth-ranked Northfield led top-ranked Cherokee Trail 51-42.
Those skills, and most of all, the Nighthawks’ relentlessness, gave them a frenetic 67-57 victory over the Cougars in the first Class 6A girls semifinal.
Northfield will play for the state title on Saturday night against a hot Highlands Ranch team that dominated Denver East in Thursday’s late game.
“When you really want something — when you want a ring, you do what you have to do in big games,” said Taylor, who poured in 16 points. “We never backed down, and we made the adjustments we needed to make.”
From opening whistle to final buzzer, the Nighthawks pressured the Cougars, often for the length of the court. It was a knock-down, drag-out game for both sides.
“That’s what we do. It’s called ‘Dawg,’ ” said Taylor’s twin sister, Paris, who added four points and five rebounds.
Paris and London’s pressure defense (four steals apiece), and big games from junior forward Delaney Dennis (22 points, four rebounds) and junior guard Madison Bethel (16 points, four steals) turned around a game that early on looked like it might be a rout for talented Cherokee Trail.
“This is who we are,” said Northfield coach Sydney Price, who dyed her hair bright pink for the state tournament. “That’s what we always tell them. ‘Be relentless, play hard and we know that defense wins games. Play smart and play aggressive. And that’s what they did.”
The Nighthawks’ (24-3) only in-state losses came at the hands of Denver East (twice), but they avenged those defeats with a 61-59 win over the Angels in the district tournament.
The Cougars were led by Chloe Cain, the fabulous freshman who scored 25 points and grabbed eight rebounds. But it wasn’t enough to overcome Northfield’s defensive pressure that forced 29 turnovers. The Cougars’ season ended with a 23-4 record.
The first half came in waves; fast, furious, and relentless.
The Cougars jumped out to a 13-1 lead when Aaliyah Broadus made two free throws. The Northfield girls, unable to make a field goal, should have been reeling. But they weren’t.
The Nighthawks outscored Cherokee Trail 19-15 in the second quarter to get back into the game, trailing 30-25.
“I wasn’t worried, really,” Price said. “It’s a full four quarters, and the girls played like champions.”
The Nighthawks finally caught the Cougars, tying the game at 30-all when London Taylor converted a steal into a breakaway layup with 5 minutes, 15 seconds left in the third quarter.
“We have been teaching the girls composure,” Price said. “We talk about it all of the time. Composure.
“I got a ‘tech’ early and my team stood up for me. I’m so proud of them. They stood up for me just like I stand up for them.”
No. 7 Highlands Ranch 52, No. 6 Denver East 33. The Falcons made a huge statement in the late game at the Coliseum.
Playing crisp, clean basketball, they overwhelmed the Angels to advance to Saturday’s 6A title game vs. Northfield. Highland’s Ranch is aiming for its eighth state title, its first since 2011.
Highland Ranch’s dagger of choice was the 3-pointer. It made 10 of them, on 25 attempts. East shot just 1 of 8 from long distance.
The young Falcons (24-3) were led by junior point guard Addie Moon’s big night. She led all scorers with 22 points, making six 3-pointers on 10 shots. Sophomore sensations Kimora Banks-Thomas added 14 points and three steals, and Jayda Rogers scored 13 points and grabbed nine rebounds.
Eastap season ended with a 20-7 record. The Angels were led by senior forward Mairead Hearty, who scored 20 points. But the Angels fell behind early and never found their offensive rhythm.
