GOLDEN — Golden senior Adam Thistlewood started the scoring and ended the scoring Wednesday night.
The future Drake University basketball player drained a 3-pointer in the opening minute in the top-10 Class 4A boys basketball clash between the Demons and rival Evergreen Cougars at Golden High School.
“I shot before the game right after school and I was feeling good today,” Thistlewood said after the No. 4 ranked Demons took a dramatic 58-57 victory over the No. 8 Cougars. “I knew as soon as I shot that first one it was going to be a good night.”
Evergreen’s Bridger Tenney, left, and Golden’s Adam Thistlewood battle for a rebound. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
Thistlewood (20 points) scored the final bucket with a go-ahead and eventual game-winning jumper with 23 second left in the fourth quarter.
Evergreen had a trio of chances at a game-winning shot in the final 10 seconds (see video above), but the ball wouldn’t fall for Evergreen. Andrew Aafedt, Jack Patterson and Bridger Tenney all had shots in the final seconds for the Cougars.
“Both teams just slugged it out offensively in the fourth quarter,” Golden coach Erik Buehler said. “Maybe the basketball gods were a little on our side in the end. It was a great fight.”
It was a 3-point game or closer throughout the tight final quarter. Evergreen took a 57-56 lead on a 3-pointer by Aafedt with 37 seconds left. Golden answered with Thistlewood draining a long jumper just inside the 3-point line.
“It was a great high school basketball game, no doubt about it,” Evergreen coach Scott Haebe admitted despite his team coming up on the short end. “In the fourth quarter you had both teams making plays, both teams coming down and hitting shots. It was a fun game.”
Evergreen seniors Chase Rogers (19 points), Patterson (15 points) and Tenney (11 points) led the comeback attempt in the second half. The Cougars (12-4, 5-2 in 4A Jeffco) trailed 29-19 at halftime, but got right back in the game with a 10-0 run to eventually take a lead early in the fourth quarter.
Evergreen’s Bridger Tenney (10) takes a shot over Golden’s Jack Moore. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
“We gave ourselves a chance to win against a very good team on their home court,” Haebe said after tough back-to-back conference losses. “Last week we had a chance against Valor too.”
Golden senior Jack McLaughlin was key in keeping the Demons (13-3, 6-1) within striking distance of conference-leading Valor Christian (10-6, 7-0). McLaughlin hit a pair of 3-pointers. He also had a couple of drives to the basket where he was fouled and finished the 3-point play the hard way.
“They kept doubling Joe (Madsen) and he found me. It was awesome,” McLaughlin said after tying his single-game scoring effort this season with 14 points. “Our passing was very good tonight.”
Senior Joe Madsen finished with a dozen points, but it was Thistlewood again that started and finished the deal for the Demons.
“This was probably one of the bigger wins of the season so far,” Thistlewood said of the importance to keep just 1-game behind league-leading Valor in the 4A Jeffco standings. “We definitely needed to win this one to stay in contention.”
It’s clear the Demons are focused on the court heading into the second half of the conference schedule.
“We are starting to get in a groove and re-gelling again,” Buehler said. “We are getting ready for the final push. We have to take care of business every single night.”
Golden senior Joe Madsen, middle, gets defensive pressure by Evergreen’s Andrew Aafedt (22) and Brett Bokelman. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)