4A Boys Basketball: Kent Denver Pours in Factors, Repeats as State Champions

DENVER — From their apply fitness center to the brilliant lights of the Denver Coliseum, the Kent Denver boys basketball workforce performs the identical manner.

The Sun Devils went after one another day-after-day in apply, rolled via just about each workforce on their schedule and dominated this season’s Class 4A state match, which concluded with a crowning efficiency in Saturday morning’s championship recreation.

Top-seeded Kent Denver received its second straight state title with an explosive 95-81 victory over No. 10 University in one of many highest-scoring state championship video games in Colorado historical past. Senior Caleb Fay racked up 30 factors in his last prep recreation and senior Sam Glynn added 26 to guide a dominating efficiency that secured this system’s third all-time state title.

“Other than the uniforms, this is what we look like in practice,” stated head coach Todd Schayes, whose workforce completed 25-3 and received its final 18 video games. “We go full court, all 16 guys and we just get after it. That takes all the pressure and the stress out of it, so we’re just out there having fun. … I just want to have fun and I want the kids to have fun. That’s exactly what happened for the last hour and a half.”

According to Colorado High School Activities Association information, Kent Denver’s model of enjoyable produced the primary 90-plus-point complete for a successful state championship workforce since again in 1998, when Hinkley scored 91 within the then-4A state title recreation. It was probably the most factors for a workforce in a state championship recreation since Holy Family scored 96 to beat Glenwood Springs within the 1975 AA championship recreation and it was the fifth highest-scoring title recreation (each groups) in historical past.

The Sun Devils scored 20 or extra in all 4 quarters and had 4 gamers in double figures in Fay, Glynn — who made 6 of his workforce’s 13 3-pointers — plus juniors Liam Ash (13 factors) and Henry Czaja (12).

University (20-8) had its share of enjoyable, particularly within the opening quarter when it raced out to a 10-4 lead with assist from sizzling begins from senior John Elbe and River Sawyer, who each completed the competition with 26 factors.

The margin practically reached double figures close to the halfway level of the opening quarter, however Fay and Glynn related on three 3-pointers apiece as Kent Denver surged to a lead. The opening quarter featured a mixed 10 3-pointers and ended with the Sun Devils in entrance 28-24.

“We recognized that we’ve played teams that have come out hot before, but we can come out hot, too,” Glynn stated. “We matched the energy, we came out strong and we do it for longer than they do. That’s how we win our games.”

Kent Denver stored up the “relentless” type of play Schayes favors and managed to construct an 11-point lead on three events, helped by an enormous quarter from Ash (who had 11 of his 13 within the interval). Elbe, Sawyer and senior Coehn Nitzel refused to let the sport get away, nevertheless, as they helped pull University again inside 48-44 at halftime.

Fay struck for 9 within the third quarter because the margin widened to 10 after three quarter.

The Sun Devils poured it on within the fourth quarter, which started with a 13-4 burst. That included a sequence with back-to-back dunks from Fay.

“My legs were gassed after that for sure,” Fay stated with a smile. “I decided to come out more aggressive than in our last game. Still get my teammates involved (he had three assists) but come out aggressive for sure. … When I looked up at the scoreboard and saw 95 points, I was surprised. That’s crazy.”

Kent Denver hit 93 factors with practically half of the fourth quarter remaining, however added only one extra basketball the remainder of the way in which.

The championship capped a season that was considerably unsure for the Sun Devils, who needed to substitute 4 senior starters from final season.

They did so with a centerpiece of Fay — who grew to become considered one of 15 boys gamers in state historical past to attain 2,000-plus factors for a profession — plus Glynn and some others who noticed a small quantity of varsity time a yr in the past.

“We thought even if we win half our games and we make it to the postseason, it’s a five-game tournament and when February, March rolls around with the way we play and the kids we have, we’ll take our chances,” Schayes stated. “We have a great system and a great team and we didn’t think anybody wanted to play us.”

Added Fay: “It was just a bunch of guys stepping up and getting better throughout the year. … Winning last year was amazing, but to get this one with a new team feels great.”