AURORA | The Vista PEAK Prep girls basketball team continued its recent role with a home victory over rival Rangeview Friday night.
With points at a premium, the Bison exploded for 19 in the final quarter — while the Raiders were limited to just two — on their way to a 44-30 non-league home victory in front of a good-sized crowd on the back end of a hoops doubleheader.
Senior Mackenzie Griffin scored 11 points — including four in a streak of 11 straight points to start the fourth quarter — while junior Eianna Jackson and sophomore Amaya Nance added eight apiece for coach Howard Payne’s Vista PEAK Prep team, which recorded its fifth straight win.
The Bison — who lost two games to Rangeview last season — improved to 9-4.
Junior Maddie Kilmer scored 11 points as the only double-digit scorer for coach Tony Speights’ Raiders, who lost for the fourth time in five games and went to 4-10.
The Raiders built on a one-point lead after one quarter to make it a five-point gap at halftime. They still had a three-point edge going into the final period after a see-saw third quarter that saw them get an inside hoop from senior Paige Boettcher and free throws from freshman Zania Romero-King.
But Rangeview wouldn’t score again until an inside hoop from senior Deijah Santana in what turned out to be its only basket of the fourth quarter. By that time, Vista PEAK Prep had built a nearly double-digit lead.
Junior Amirah Pena gave the Bison the lead with a steal and layup and later cashed in a 3-pointer during the team’s opening run in the final quarter, while Griffin had a pair of layups and Nance one basket.
The Bison finished 8-for-12 from the free throw line to seal the victory.
Vista PEAK Prep is scheduled to play host to Denver South on Jan. 16, while Rangeview has a Jan. 19 home game against Hinkley upcoming.
Courtney Oakes is Aurora Sentinel Sports Editor. Reach him at sports@aurorasentinel.com. Twitter/X: @aurorasports. IG: Sentinel Prep Sports
VISTA PEAK PREP 44, RANGEVIEW 30
Score by quarters:
Rangeview 6 12 10 2 — 30
Vista PEAK Prep 5 8 12 19 — 44
RANGEVIEW (30)
Maddie Kilmer 4 2-2 11, D’Ajha Horton 2 1-2 5, Danielle Washington 1 0-0 2, Deijah Santana 1 0-4 2, Devyn Davenport 2 1-2 6, Paige Boettcher 1 0-0 2, Zania Romero-King 0 2-2 2. Totals 11 6-12 30.
VISTA PEAK PREP (44)
Eianna Jackson 2 3-8 8, Alliyah Thompson 2 2-2 7, Amirah Pena 2 0-0 5, Knakai Starks 1 1-3 3, Mackenzie Griffin 4 3-4 11, Amaya Nance 2 3-4 8, Jayda Arbor 1 0-0 2, Jade Hibbler 0 0-0 0, Mimi McGaughy 0 0-0 0. Totals 14 12-21 44.
3-point field goals — Rangeview (2): Devyn Davenport, Maddie Kilmer. Vista PEAK Prep (4): Eianna Jackson, Amaya Nance, Amirah Pena, Alliyah Thompson. Total fouls — Rangeview 17, Vista PEAK Prep 11. Fouled out — None. Technical fouls — None.
