Valor senior Jalen Sanders led the Eagles back to the 4A title game with a Final 4 win over rival Golden. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
DENVER — Talent and depth has Valor Christian’s boys basketball team back in the Class 4A state championship game.
The top-seeded Eagles (23-4 record) defeated rival Golden for the third time this season in the first of four boys 4A and 5A state semifinal games Friday night at the Denver Coliseum. Valor took a double-digit lead midway through the second quarter and didn’t look back winning 85-55.
Valor senior Jalen Sanders had a complete game leading the way with 20 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 blocks.
“Our motto has been ‘refuse to lose’. We have to be willing to do anything and everything to win the game,” Sanders said. “We just want to win.”
(Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
Sanders, and fellow seniors Kayle Knuckles (16 points) and Dylan McCaffrey (15 points) were all in double-digit points through three quarters as the Eagles stretched their lead to 59-35 headed to the fourth quarter.
Valor also got strong play from guards Keisan Crosby (8 points), Austin Remus (8 points) and Michael Karsten (7 points)
“When everyone is scoring it’s just fun basketball,” Sanders said. “It’s a better way to play.”
McCaffrey didn’t play the entire second quarter after suffering a cut above his left eye when trying to take a charge on Golden junior Adam Thistlewood. The University of Michigan-bound quarterback had no fear taking it inside after getting patched up and having his bloody jersey changed to #23. He finished 9-of-10 from the free-throw line busting it inside and getting to the charity stripe.
“I guess it kind of made me mad,” McCaffrey said. “We were prepared and ready. We knew (Golden) would come out and fight. It doesn’t get any better than playing your biggest rival in the Final 4.”
Valor swept 4A Jeffco League rival Golden during the home-and-away conference games during the regular season. Sanders scored 48 points in the previous two victories over the Demons.
(Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
Golden’s duo of senior Kayden Sund (16 points) and Thistlewood (18 points) just wasn’t enough against the depth and determination of Valor.
“This is their third year here and (Valor) is definitely on a mission,” Golden coach John Anderson said. “They weren’t celebrating. This isn’t the one they wanted. They want the next one (championship game Saturday).”
Valor returns to the 4A championship game for the second straight season under second-year coach Troy Pachner. The Eagles will face the winner of Lewis-Palmer/Pueblo South at 3 p.m. Saturday back at the Coliseum.
“Last year we couldn’t finish it off. I think we have it this year,” Sanders said. “Lewis-Palmer and Pueblo South are both really good teams, but I think we’ll win.”
The Eagles are 0-2 in championship games with losses in 2016 and 2013.
Valor came into the state semifinal game riding a 14-game winning streak. The Eagles have also been motivated from its loss in the 4A state championship game to Pueblo West last season.
“It’s still fresh in our minds,” McCaffrey said of last year’s title loss. “We are just going to work to make it different this year.”
Golden (19-8) had playoff success against teams it had lost to during the regular season. The Demons lost to Holy Family in a non-league game before winter break and dropped a pair of 4A Jeffco League games against Evergreen.
However, Golden defeated Holy Family 57-31 on the Tigers’ home court in the Sweet 16 and knocked out rival Evergreen in the Great 8 last Saturday.
Despite finishing fourth in the toughest 4A conference — including back-to-back losses to Evergreen and D’Evelyn entering the state tournament — Golden advanced to its first Final 4 in 12 years.
The Demons last appearance in the state title came was in 1954. Golden has never won a boys basketball title.
Golden should be right back in the mix next season after graduating just one senior. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)