Valor Presses Past Golden
For the first half at Valor Christian High School the Eagles and the Golden Demons played how you would expect when the top two teams in the 4A Jeffco league get together. Not to mention the only blemish on Valor’s record is a 13 point loss to Golden earlier in the month. Valor defense would prove to be the difference this time around, mainly it full court press.
In the first quarter the turnovers were minimal and the fouls nearly non existent as the Eagles and Demons went toe to toe trading baskets. Six different players from Valor scored in the first quarter meanwhile Demon junior wing Kayden Sund scored 10 points in the quarter. The Demons done defense slowed dow the Eagles but the Eagle were taking good shots and making them. The Demon took s 20-15 lead at the end of the quarter with this basket by senior forward Ryan Blodget.
Valor’s junior wing Jalen Sanders stole the show in the second quarter scoring the first eights point of the quarter and giving the Ealges a 25-22 lead with 4:30 left in the game. Part of the Eagles success was extending the defensive pressure on the Demons. The pressure took the ball out of Sounds hands though he did managed to score five more points in the quarter otherwise golden struggled to score.
Despite Cole Harris hitting a three pointer for Golden to tie the game at 31 just a few seconds into the second half, the wheels fell off for the Demons from there.
Valor used a full court trapping press to really disturb the flow of the Demons offense and create easy baskets for themselves. Valor built a 45-33 lead after a Kayle Knuckles bucket with three minutes left in the quarter. The Eagles led 47-40 at the end of the quarter. The Demons scrapped together 12 points in the quarter, Harris had five of them. The Demons couldn’t get the stops on defense it needed to to make a real charge at the lead.
The fourth quarter Valor defense created easy scoring opportunities and the Eagles made free throws down the stretch to keep the Demons from chipping away at the lead. Valor’s defense held the Demons to six points in the quarter to take the 62-46 victory. The win solidifies Valor in the top 5 in 4A.
Double Digit Scorers
Valor
Jalen Sanders 22
Kayle Knuckles 12
Josh Randle 11
Golden
Kayden Sund 19
