Raptors Soar Above Angels-Eaglecrest Takes 5A Crown
By Matt Langley
BasketballColorado.com
3/16/2013
Boulder, CO – Many didn’t think it was possible. After all, Eaglecrest and East had played each other earlier this year. The Angles defeated the Raptors by 20 points, the game featured a 33-point 2nd quarter by the Angels, and they had four players in double figures. Also, the Angels only had two losses, and those came to highly regarded out of state opponents. Eaglecrest’s, however, last loss came on February 15th, and they came through one of the toughest leagues in 5A with only two losses. The Raptors came out poised and determined and were never rattled and held off a 3rd quarter run by the Angles to claim the 5A crown.
The Angels started of slow scoring only 7 points in the first quarter of play after holding a slim 5-4 lead. Eaglecrest scored 5 points and held a 12-5 lead after a Blend Avdili bucket with 1:17 left in the 1st quarter. Eaglecrest then went on a 4:17 scoreless drought that spanned the 1st and 2nd quarters. The Angles and Raptors exchanged multiple missed three pointers in the beginning of the 2nd quarter. The Angels were only able to score 6 points during the Raptors’ scoreless drought and after 3:00 minutes of play in the 2nd quarter the Raptors led 12-11. The Raptors’ TreShawn Wilford was an issue for East all night offensively and defensively. Wilford sparked an Eaglecrest run in the last half of the 2nd quarter scoring 4 of the Raptors 8 points and pushing the Raptor lead to 26-17 at halftime.
In the 3rd quarter, the Angels looked like the team that had been advertised all season scoring 8 straight points in the first 1:11 of play to get within one, 26-25. But Wilford nailed a three pointer to end the Angel’s run. The Raptors then went a on a 6-2 run of their own to push the lead to 35-26 with 3:30 left in the quarter. After a Tyre Robinson bucket, the Angels had cut the score to 37-30, but that is as close as they would get. Rayon Craig made a circus put back shot and was fouled with 6.4 seconds left. He made the free throw and put the Raptors up 43-31. Dom Collier was able to beat the buzzer with his tip in of a missed shot to make the score 43-33.
In the fourth quarter the Raptors maintained a 9-11 point lead for the first four minutes of the quarter. Then after the TV time out with 58 seconds left, the Eagles went on another run pushing the lead to 58-31 in less than 1:30. Shooting woes plagued East the entire game. The Angles shot 17 of 55 including 5 of 23 from behind the three-point line. Eaglecrest’s shooting wasn’t much better, 35% for the game, but they out hustled the Angles by out rebounding them 52-35, took better care of the ball, and made 15 out of 20 free-throws.
East was led in scoring by Javon Griffin’s 13 points, and Collier added 10. Eaglecrest was led by Willford’s 21 points and 9 rebounds, Jaisean Jackson scored 11, and Avdili nearly had a double –double scoring 8 points and grabbing 12 rebounds.
