(Jeff Tucker/jefferywtucker.zenfolio.com)
DENVER – Cali Clark may only be a freshman, but she’s already learned it’s best to have a short memory.
Just a few seconds removed from missing a big 3-pointer in the Class 3A state semifinals Friday afternoon, Clark and her Lamar teammates got a second chance. Trailing by two points, a long pass found its way into Clark’s hands. The freshman spotted up and launched a prayer that found nothing but net, giving the Savages a stunning 26-25 victory over Centauri at Hamilton Gym at the University of Denver.
No. 3 Lamar advanced to its first 3A championship game since 2004, where the Savages (24-2) will play fourth-seeded and Tri-Peaks League rival Colorado Springs Christian at 4 p.m. at DU.
“We have covenants for our team. Everyone’s equal on our team,” Lamar coach Erik Melgoza said. “We believe in each other. Even though she missed that shot, I really feel like everybody on the team knew that she would make that shot.”
Lamar trailed 24-20 before Cassie Forgue hit a 3-pointer to make it a one-point game with a little more than three minutes remaining.
Centauri (23-2) hit a free throw with 37.2 seconds to go, but Clark missed an open look. The Falcons missed the front end of a 1-and-1 though, and the ball found its way up the court to Clark. The freshman did the rest.
“I really wasn’t sure,” Clark said when asked if she thought it was good. “I’m really glad it did though. Once it left my hand I had a good feeling about it.”
Centauri saw its season end in the semifinals for the second year in a row. But the Falcons – whose only two losses this season came to Lamar – don’t have a single senior on the roster.
“First of all, that’s a great team,” Melgoza said. “Dave Forster is one of the greatest coaches in Colorado and their players are quality kids.”
(4) Colorado Springs Christian 39, (1) Sterling 26
(Jeff Tucker/jefferywtucker.zenfolio.com)
After a few missed opportunities at the free-throw line and back-to-back 3-pointers from Sterling, Colorado Springs Christian took a moment to collect itself.
With their lead whittled down to five, the fourth-seeded Lions settled back into what had been working all night. With the Tigers in foul trouble, CSCS scored its final 12 points of the game from the free-throw line to advance to its first 3A state title game since 2010.
The Lions (24-2) were 12-of-14 from the line in the final two-plus minutes after missing the front end of three consecutive 1-and-1 opportunities.
“I think it was (Coach Mark Engesser). He just told us to breathe and take a few deep breaths,” CSCS junior Rachel Ingram said. “I always tell my teammates ‘just think like it’s practice.’”
Megan Engesser led the Lions with 21 points, seven of which came at the free-throw line in the closing minutes. Ingram added 11 points.
Sterling (25-1) received six points each from Brooke Polenz and Taylor Knudson. The Tigers struggled to find a rhythm on offense, and the Lions took advantage by grabbing a number of big rebounds in the fourth quarter.
“Our main goal for this game was rebounding. Whatever happened, Coach just said ‘rebound no matter what,’” Ingram said. “’Grab that ball like it is the last piece of life on earth.’ I think we did that in the second half.”
Colorado Springs Christian and Lamar played twice this season, splitting the two games. The Lions defeated the Savages in the Tri-Peaks League District tournament on Feb. 25.
“We just really need to forget about the past games, because sometimes that tends to get in our heads,” Ingram said. “We just need to focus on our aggression and we need to focus on our defense.”