(Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)
COLORADO SPRINGS – When Nicea Eliely is on her game, Rampart is a dangerous basketball team. And if the Rams keep playing the way they did in Saturday’s 55-39 win over Pueblo West, it won’t be long before they’re firmly in the Class 5A CHSAANow.com top 10.
With league play full steam ahead starting Tuesday, the Rams (9-2 overall) put together what coach Ashley Miller thought was their most complete game.
“I would say this is our best team win,” Miller said. “We played all nine kids, all nine kids were contributing, it just shows that this team is finally coming together.”
Rampart looked in rhythm early as they jumped out to a 19-8 lead after the first quarter, putting 4A’s No. 5 ranked Cyclones (10-1) on their heels. Eliely scored 11 of her game-high 18 points in the quarter.
“She’s a special player,” Pueblo West coach Gil Lucero said of the Nebraska commit. “We tried to throw the kitchen sink at her, unfortunately she found what she needed to do, whether it was scoring or finding an open player, she was able to find those things.”
The Cyclones did a much better job defensively in the second quarter, keeping the Rams limited to only seven points. Some key baskets from Jordyn Keck and clutch free throws from Olivia Lough cut the Rampart lead to 26-20 at halftime. Lough matched Eliely’s effort, scoring 18 points for the Cyclones.
The Cyclones started the second half with a 3-0 run to pull to within three points of the Rams, but Miller was able to get the necessary adjustments from her team to get the offense back on track.
“We just went back to what we talked about pre-game,” Miller said. “There was a little bit of a lack of focus on boxing out and we gave up some offensive rebounds and gave them a second chance to put points on the board.”
Once the focus was regained, Rampart starting looking like a team that will contend for the 5A Colorado Springs Metro League title. A 3-pointer from Thalia Buckley increased the lead to 42-26 early in the fourth quarter, essentially slamming the door shut on the Cyclones.
It was the team as a whole that had to up their intensity in order to keep Pueblo West at bay and come as the Rampart New Year’s Classic champions.
“We had to be more aggressive,” Eliely said. “Being more aggressive and being more intense overall really helps things out.”
For the Cyclones, the loss isn’t too damaging. If anything, coming up to play a talented team in a higher class will only better prepare them for a tough conference slate that includes Pueblo East.
“That’s why we come to this tournament, we know we’re going to see three high-level teams and that’s what we want,” Lucero said. “We’re not overly concerned with how great our record looks or setting up a cupcake schedule. We want these tough games.”
The Cyclones and Rams both won their games against Montrose and Castle View making Saturday’s game a winner-take-all for the tournament.
Both teams open league play Tuesday night.