(Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)
COLORADO SPRINGS — When Joe Golden and Kyrele Benford were sophomores they got to play on the floor at the Denver Coliseum. The Doherty Spartans had advanced to the Class 5A Great 8, but fell to eventual state champion Overland.
Last year, the Spartans were upset in their bid to return to the Coliseum.
After Wednesday’s emotionally charged 47-40 win over Cherry Creek, Doherty is right back where it feels it belongs.
“It’s been since my sophomore year,” Benford said. “It’s about time we got there again.”
Like both teams in general, Benford had a rough start to his night. He went 3-for-8 from the free throw line in the first half. He sank all four foul shots in the second half, including two in the fourth quarter that kept it a two-possession game for in the Spartans (21-4 overall0 favor.
“My coaches came around and told me ‘you’re a good free throw shooter, you just have to settle down,'” Benford said. “I told them I’d have their backs at the line and I knocked them down.”
Doherty’s 2-3 zone gave the Bruins (15-11) fits for much of the game. They couldn’t knock down any shots early, scoring only 10 total points the entire first half.
Dimitri Stanley found some success shooting early in the third quarter, knocking down a pair of 3-pointers. He finished with a team-high 13 points.
It didn’t help that Doherty seemed to leave its composure in the locker room at halftime. Alijah Bates and DeMarious Carey were each hit with technical fouls, allowing Creek to close the gap late in the game.
“I’m a guy that preaches that all the time,” Doherty coach Eric Steinert said. “Character, body language, all that stuff matters. If you listened to me coach tonight, I probably coach 95 percent mental, five percent basketball. I think emotions were high and our guys really want to win.”
Creek wasn’t going to make it that easy.
(Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)
Darius Price connected on a shot under the basket, getting fouled in the process. He made the free throw to complete the three-point play and cut the Doherty lead to 35-33 with 5:20 left in the game.
Bates battled for a tough bucket off the glass on the other end of the floor, but Stanley immediately returned the favor.
Golden added one more basket and then the Spartans had to put in the work at the free throw line.
Benford sank his two and Golden made one.
Julian Hammond knocked down a 3-pointer with 10 seconds left to make it a 42-40 game. After the Spartans got fouled, Cherry Creek coach Kent Dertinger argued the wrong player was shooting free throws.
He was hit with a technical foul, allowing Carey to knock down four. He added one more on the next possession to seal the game.
The Spartans are heading to the Coliseum, but a more composed game could be what they need to top No. 2 ThunderRidge.
“I would say that,” Golden said. “It’s going to be huge, especially with emotions running high because it’s the Great 8 and I’m just ready to go with my brothers.”
(Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)