ThunderRidge BIG In Win Over Eaglecrest – Advance to Finals

By Matt Langley

www.BasketballColorado.com

3/13/2015

Boulder, CO – The combination of poor shooting and the inability to keep ThunderRidge senior center Zach Pirog out of lane proved to be too much to over come for Eaglecrest in the  first game of the 5A state semifinals at the Coors Events Center Friday night. Pirog was nearly unstoppable scoring 22 points, grabbing 16 rebonds and swatting at least 8 shots. Eaglecrest super soph Colbey Ross led various charges at the Grizzlies scorn 26 points points but each charge was rebuffed.

The slow start to the game by Eaglecrest shooting 0 for 8 in the first four minutes of the game was it’s doom. Meanwhile Pirog was dominating the paint and ThunderRidge was 3 of 3 from three point land. The Grizzlies jumped out to a 20-9 lead at the end of the first quarter. Eaglescrest expanded its half court trap and threw off the Grizzlies offensive momentum in the 2nd quarter. Ross and senior forward Blend Avdili combined for 11 of the Raptors 13 points in the quarter. However the Raptors roll was stopped by Grizzlies guard Noah Szilagyi second three pointer of the quarter to give the Grizzlies a 29-22 lead going into half time.

ThunderRidge started the third quarter with a heavy dose of Pirog. Pirog scored the first 8 points of the quarter to build the ThunderRidge lead back to 15. Ealgecrest starred rolling again behind Ross and Peter Anderson’s 12 point run to cut the Grizzlies lead to 39-34 with 1:30 left. And again ThunderRidge hit a momentum killing 3 at the buzzer, this time by junior Austin Mueller.

Szilagyi torched the nets with another 3 pointer to start off the 4th quarter for the Grizzlies giving them a 10 point advantage. Eaglecrest had cut the led to four points but Elias Tiedgen converted an old fashion three point play to salt the game away.

The Grizzlies face Overland at 7:00 tonight for the 5A state championship.