Ralston Valley senior Ashley Van Sickle drives to the hoop on her way to leading the No. 3 Mustangs to a 46-42 win over Lakewood. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
ARVADA — At times the Class 5A Jeffco League girls basketball showdown between Lakewood and Ralston Valley looked more like a script from The Twilight Zone.
“It was strange,” Ralston Valley coach Jeff Gomer said after the No. 3-ranked Mustangs in the CHSAANow.com Class 5A girls hoops poll hung on for a 46-42 home victory over No. 10 Lakewood.
The Mustangs (15-1, 8-0 in 5A Jeffco) were masterful defensively in the first half limiting the Tigers to just 10 points. Coming out of halftime with a 12-point lead, things started to get bizarre.
Lakewood junior Camilla Emsbo played like she was possessed scoring 10 points for the Tigers (11-5, 6-2) in the third quarter. Lakewood went on an 11-0 run to cut Ralston Valley’s lead to 24-23 with a little more than two minutes left in the third quarter.
Lakewood junior Jessica Woodhead, middle, tries to get a shot up. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
“We needed to light a fire,” Lakewood coach Chris Poisson said. “We have a play called ‘punch’ where we get it to her (Emsbo) down low. We were in punch city. She was playing great. She was determined. I could see it in her eyes.”
Ralston Valley went scoreless for more than six minutes during its 4-point third quarter.
“I don’t know. It was sloppy on both ends of the floor,” Ralston Valley senior Ashley Van Sickle said describing the third quarter. “We had a 22-10 lead and just blew it.”
The tide turned again in the final minutes of the third quarter. Emsbo was whistled for a trio of fouls over the span of 62 seconds in the final moments of the third quarter to foul out. Emsbo finished with 14 points before picking up five fouls.
Van Sickle even said she though that a couple of the fouls on Emsbo were “ticky-tack”.
Lakewood is still shorthanded with Camilla’s twin sister Kira still not medically cleared to play after an elbow injury she suffered in early December. Kira Emsbo, the second part of the Tigers’ 6-foot-4 twins, has missed seven weeks because of the injury.
Despite the long odds, the Tigers kept things close in the fourth quarter. Freshman Nadia Trevizo hit a pair of 3-pointers and juniors Jessica Woodhead and Hannah Renstrom had a solid final eight minutes to keep thing interesting.
“They played like they had nothing to lose even after she (Embso) fouled out,” Gomer said. “Chris’s kids a great job responding after she fouled out.”
However, Ralston Valley’s savvy seniors delivered enough in the final minutes to hang on. Van Sickle (14 points) and Chloe Gillach (10 points) each seven points in the fourth quarter. Sarah Bevington made a pair of key free throws late and Michaela Shaklee finished with 11 points.
“We were missing bunnies. I think we were just shooting really fast, not finding our rhythm and not playing who we are,” Van Sickle said. “We found our groove eventually. We won. That’s really all that matters.”
The win gives Ralston Valley a two-game lead over Lakewood and Bear Creek (11-5, 5-2) with six league games remaining for the Mustangs.
Ralston Valley senior Ashley Van Sickle (5) dumps off a pass. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
“They are a great team. They are awesome,” Poisson said of Ralston Valley. “I love Jeff (Gomer) and all of those kids. They are fun to compete against. Chances are they are the champs of the league this year and it’s very deserving.”
Ralston Valley completed the two-game sweep against Lakewood. The Mustangs defeated Lakewood 48-35 on the Tigers’ home court Jan. 5.
Ralston Valley hits the road to face Bear Creek at 7 p.m. next Wednesday. The Mustangs had a difficult time the first go-around against the Bears. Ralston Valley held on for a 53-50 win against Bear Creek on Jan. 7.
“Since Bear Creek — that was a scare — we’ve just been battling out and trying really hard in practice,” Van Sickle said. “We just have to take care of the rest of league and take care of business in the playoffs.”
Lakewood will host Chatfield at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 1.
The focus for Poisson is to hopefully get Kira Emsbo back before the playoffs begin.
“We are going to have to remember how to play with each other again,” Poisson said of getting his full team on the court. “Hopefully we have a game or two where we can do that before the playoffs.”
Lakewood junior Camilla Emsbo (2) goes up strong on Ralston Valley seniors Michaela Shaklee (11) and Chloe Gillach (14). (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)