DENVER — Despite Evergreen boys basketball sitting in third-place in the Class 4A Jeffco League standings, the conference title could be decided on the Cougars’ home court.
After Evergreen defeated D’Evelyn 68-56 on Wednesday night on the Jaguars’ home court, the Cougars close out their final five conference games at home.
“It’s great. It’s a really good feeling,” Evergreen coach Scott Haebe said of finishing the regular season up at home for the Cougars (14-4, 7-2 in league). “We went 5-2 in the first go-around with only one home game and we were close at Golden and at Valor.”
Evergreen’s Bridger Tenney (10) gets a shot over D’Evelyn’s Charles Dinegar. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
Evergreen, No. 9 in the latest 4A boys basketball CHSAANow.com rankings, are behind No. 6 Valor Christian (12-6, 9-0) and No. 3 Golden (15-3, 8-1) in the league standings. However, the Cougars will enjoy their home-court advantage with the Eagles and Demons have to come to Evergreen in a few weeks.
Valor comes to Evergreen on Feb. 13 and Golden travels up Interstate 70 on Feb. 15.
“It’s our turn to get our home-court advantage and our home court (crowd) is the best in Jeffco. It’s not even a question,” Evergreen senior Jack Patterson said. “It’s going to be awesome.”
Patterson was awesome Wednesday against D’Evelyn (9-9, 4-5). The senior had one of his best offensive games of the season pouring in 20 points, including four 3-pointers.
“This season I started off super slow,” Patterson admitted. “I just got myself in the gym and kept putting up shots. I took about .3 seconds off my release. Once I make one I’m locked in.”
Evergreen got some balanced scoring with seniors Bridger Tenney (16 points) and Andrew Aafedt (12 points) coming through for the Cougars. Senior Chase Rogers was held to seven points with the Jaguars focused on limiting good looks for the sharp-shooting guard.
“We did a lot to focus on Chase and did a pretty good job on him, but No. 4 (Patterson) played a really good game and hit some big shots,” D’Evelyn senior Charles Dinegar said.
D’Evelyn’s Charles Dinegar (0) splits Evergreen’s Ethan Brown (14) and Bridger Tenney. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
Dinegar poured in a game-high 21 points to lead the Jaguars. Fellow senior Cole Clifton was quiet in the first half, but got his shot going in the second half as D’Evelyn attempted to rally.
Clifton scored 13 of 14 points in the second half as the Jaguars tried to cut into Evergreen’s double-digit lead.
“I was getting a little intense on the bench because I know Clifton and Dinegar can get going and next thing you know they aren’t missing,” Haebe said of the Jaguars’ top scorers. “Trying to keep those guys out of a rhythm and not let them get going is a real key.”
Both teams scored 21 points each in the fourth quarter as the floor opened up with plenty of end-to-end action. In the end, Evergreen came away with the 12-point victory and season sweep of the Jaguars.
Evergreen returns to the court against Littleton at 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 2. D’Evelyn is on the road against Wheat Ridge at 7 p.m. Friday.
Despite at the .500 record mark, D’Evelyn actually sat at No. 9 in the RPI standings before Wednesday’s loss with its tough non-league schedule. Evergreen was No. 13.
Evergreen senior Jack Patterson (4) lines up a 3-pointer in front of D’Evelyn’s student section Wednesday night. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)