(Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)
MANITOU SPRINGS — With the game tied and the ball in Colorado Springs Christian’s hands, coach Mark Engesser could’ve called timeout.
But he decided to trust his son, Justin.
That trust was rewarded as Justin hit an off-balance shot from the top of the key, lifting CSCS over Manitou Springs 40-38 in a thrilling Class 3A top 10 showdown.
“I was trying to pass it somebody, but they were in full deny,” Justin said. “For my dad to not call timeout and to trust us and not let them get their defense set is props to him and our team.”
Justin had hit and even bigger shot about five minutes earlier. The Lions (11-2 overall, 5-0 Tri-Peaks) led 35-31 with control of the ball. He sat well behind the 3-point line and fired a shot that cut smoothly through the net.
Up 38-31 with 5:05, the Lions instantly went into stall mode.
But that wasn’t going to deter the Mustangs (11-1, 3-1). Lucas Rodholm connected on a jumper and Jared Keul knocked down a 3-pointer, pulling Manitou to within a basket.
While still trying to burn the clock, Cole Sienknecht was able to steal the ball and lay it in to tie the game.
“I always do that with a lead,” Coach Engesser said. “With about two or three minutes left, I pull it out. We try to get layups or they have to foul us and we just didn’t execute.”
But they were able to execute on the final shot when it mattered the most.
When it came down to it, the Lions scored on the closing seconds of each half, with each shot drastically altering the course of the game. Engesser’s of course won it, but just as important was Noah Hopkins’ 3-pointer to close out the second quarter. CSCS was trailing 22-19 prior to that shot and going into the break at halftime was a huge momentum swing.
(Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)
“To be honest, I didn’t even know it was halftime,” Hopkins said. “It was a huge confidence booster for me and my team and it gave us a lot of energy.”
No team led by more than seven at any point of the game, showing just how evenly matched these two league foes were. When down 38-26, Manitou had three attempts at a 3-pointer that would’ve given them the lead, but none fell.
Sienknecht scored a game-high 16 points and Engesser led the Lions with 15. Rodholm only scored six, his lowest total of the year.
“He has to shoot the ball,” Manitou coach Ken Vecchio said. “That’s the bottom line. I think he took it to the rack early a couple of times and it didn’t go his way and he got frustrated with it.”
CSCS now holds firm control of the Tri-Peaks League. The only way that they’ll run into the Mustangs again is if they collide in the district tournament.
If that ends up happening, the Lions know that they’ll be in another tough battle.
“It’s going to be an absolute grind,” Justin Engesser said. “Maybe double-overtime next time. But they fight to the very end and we fight to the very end. Both of us never give up.”