Rock Canyon’s 3rd Quarter Run Propels Jaguars to 5A Final 4

Denver, CO – If the first three games at the Coliseum on Saturday were any indication, spectators knew that the Great 8 game between the Overland Trailblazers and Rock Canyon Jaguars  wasn’t going to be decided early. The two teams played hard and fast in the first half much like in their first encounter with each other back in December. Overland guard Tucson Redding and Rock Canyon guard Sam Masten led the way for their teams in the first half. Masten’s basket with just under a minute left in the in second quarter sent the teams to the locker room at half time tied 27-27.

The big sift in momentum came in the third quarter. Redding scored scored five points in a row including a tough three point play to put the Trailblazers up 33-29 with 3:58 left in the third quarter.  Rock Canyon then changed the momentum of the game. After Reddings run and having been held scoreless for nearly three minutes Rock Canyon closed the quarter on a 11-5 run. Senior Nick Janedis drained two three pointers and Tyson Gilbert hit another. Then Masten caped the run with a patented hard driving finish at the rim.   Redding stopped the Rock Canyon run with a three pointer of his own just before the third quarter buzzer. Rock Canyon had grabbed the led 40-38 and wouldn’t lose the lead.

The fourth quarter started with foul trouble for the Trailblazers. Meanwhile Rock Canyon had begun to take the air out of the ball after bulid a 45-38 lead with 5:13 left in the game. Jalone Rice answered for Overland scoring four points in less than a minute but that would be as close as the Trailblazers could get.  Overland would have their  chances though as Rock Canyon missed a number of free throws down the stretch but Overland could’t capitalize.  Once Redding and Laolu Oke fouled out it was tough for the Trailblazers to get a good look or to grab a rebound.

Rock Canyon will play George Washington on Friday another rematch from earlier in the year on Friday.