(Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)
DENVER — Don’t tell Drew Blomberg that it’s tough to shoot at the Denver Coliseum.
The senior point guard knocked down three clutch 3-pointers to spark Lewis-Palmer in its 58-45 win over Pueblo South in the Class 4A Final 4.
As a result, the Rangers have a hot Saturday date with Valor Christian, where the 4A boys basketball title will be on the line. The Eagles are looking for their first state title in program history while the Rangers are searching for their first since 2013.
Lewis-Palmer was able to pull away somewhat in the second half, but it was the Colts who started with a hot hand, jumping out to a quick 4-0 lead. Rangers senior Billy Cook ended the run with an inside bucket.
“They weren’t letting us get easy looks in the paint,” Rangers coach Bill Benton said. “We just kind of stuck with and continued to attack.”
Recognizing the ebb and flow of the game, Benton knew that that his guys needed something – just that little spark – to swing the momentum in their direction.
It was Cook who got the Lewis-Palmer crowd rowdy after a back door alley-oop that put a charge into the Rangers offense.
“It’s not necessarily our go-to play when we need a bucket,” Cook said. “But coach realizes the game goes up and down with energy so if we need a little energy he usually calls it.”
Cook ended his night with 12 points. It was Eli Burkett who led the Rangers overall with 14 points.
For most of the game, South had to lean on the athleticism of Marcell Barbee. The junior ended his night with 13 points for the Colts. He scored nine in the first half and continued to produce early in the second half with two more early baskets.
Deshiloh Stanley led all scorers with 18 points on the night.
There was one key difference in scoring methods between the two teams. The Rangers were able to connect from the behind the arc while the Colts couldn’t.
Blomberg made three triples in the first half, the last of which came at the halftime buzzer, giving Lewis-Palmer a 26-22 lead. He finished with 13 on the night, shooting just under 50 percent from the field in a building that can give even the most accurate sharpshooters fits.
“I have heard that,” Blomberg said. “I had my open shots and I took them. The way their zone was set up, they compacted it inside so I knew we were going to get open looks from the perimeter.”
Tonay Aragon finally ended the Pueblo South long range drought with a 3-pointer midway through the third quarter, but the Rangers were able to maintain their scoring pace and lean on their defense, which they’ve successfully done since Jan. 11.
The Colts came into the Final 4 averaging 61 points per game on offense. But through the entire playoff run, the Rangers have proven to be a tough team to score against consistently.
“Our goal is to hold teams to 11 points per quarter,” Benton said.
They missed that goal by a point, but they’ll take it as long as they have the opportunity to follow through tomorrow.
They extended the lead to six points several different times in the third quarter before finally getting over the hump and pulling away in the fourth.
And as long as they’re able to play that lockdown defense that has plagued their opponents for the back half of the season, the school trophy case might be a little more full come Monday morning.
“(It’ll be a) big test tomorrow for our defense,” Cook said. “It’s going to be a physical game, but we’re excited. We’re just going to stick to what we’ve done all year, just focus on us.”