2/29/24
Denver, CO – A back-and-forth game came down to two remarkable plays both by sophmores in the final ten seconds. First, it was the sophomore from Mountain Vista 6’8 Oliver Junker. With Mountain Vista down 2 with 8.3 seconds left , the Golden Eagles called a timeout and drew up a play to get senior guard Jacob Hoefs the ball, he got the ball drove baseline with him losing control he found the cutting Junker who laid it in and was fouled on the play. After the timeout, Junker stepped to the line and smoothly knocked down the free throw to put the Golden Eagles up 62-61.
Then, it was the other sophomores turn. Smoky Hill’s 6’6 Carter Basquez threw the ball in and then cut down the middle of the court. Zo Conteras picked up the rolling ball threw to the cutting Basquez and he did the rest.
The sophomore had a big night 17 points, there steals, and three blocks including one late in the game that was a big one. To go along with Basquez’s big night senior Kaylan Graham had 19 points as well many coming at the rim as Mountian Vista couldn’t keep the quick guard in front of them.
At the start of the game it looked like Smoky was about to build a big lead but Mountain Vista found its groove behind Hoefs and Junker. Junior guard Cal Baskind got thrown all sorts of defenders at him throughout the night. However, it was senior Smoky guard Ray Gasaway who drew the assignment and kept the left shooter tied up all night.
With the win Smoky will face Valor in the final 4. The Buffaloes defeated the Eagles earlier in the year by two points in a thriller at Smoky Hill High School.
