AURORA | The Cherokee Trail boys basketball team doesn’t do anything easy, but the Cougars have made their way into the last eight teams standing in the Class 5A state tournament.
Much to coach Morgan Gregory’s chagrin, second-seeded Cherokee Trail let a comfortable lead on sixth-seeded Cherry Creek dwindle to just two points in the closing seconds of Wednesday night’s 5A Sweet 16 contest, but the Cougars held on for a 61-59 victory over their Centennial League rivals.
Cherokee Trail (18-7) advanced to the quarterfinals for the first time in five seasons in 5A and for the second time in program history, matching the push it made in the 4A state tournament in 2007-08. The Cougars move on to face top-seeded Mountain Vista (22-2) in a Great 8 contest at 7 p.m. Friday at the Denver Coliseum, with the winner moving on the semifinals in Boulder.
In his first game back since spraining his MCL in Cherokee Trail’s regular season finale, senior Drick Bernstine scored 12 points — matching senior RJ Perry’s total — to lead the way for the Cougars, while Solomon Yon added 10.
Reach Sports Editor Courtney Oakes at sports@aurorasentinel.com or 303-750-7555
(2) CHEROKEE TRAIL 61, (6) CHERRY CREEK 59
Score by quarters:
Cherry Creek 10 12 14 23 — 59
Cherokee Trail 8 22 12 19 — 61
CHERRY CREEK (59)
Caesar Jones 5 0-0 12, Sam Stoveall 4 3-5 13, Taylor Shepard 1 0-0 2, Will Bower 4 0-1 8, Brent Hernandez 1 0-0 2, Graham Pingree 7 4-4 18, Dylan Schneider 0 2-2 2, Quentin Welu 1 0-1 2. Totals 23 9-12 59.
CHEROKEE TRAIL (61)
RJ Perry 4 4-4 12, Izaiah Lottie 2 0-0 4, Anthony Murray 2 3-4 7, Solomon Yon 2 5-8 10, Drick Bernstine 3 5-8 12, Kennedy Littleton 2 1-2 5, Jay Nelson 3 0-0 7, Tyler Larkin 2 0-0 4. Totals 20 18-26 61.
3-point field goals — Cherry Creek (4): Caesar Jones 2, Sam Stoveall 2; Cherokee Trail (3): Drick Bernstine, Jay Nelson, Solomon Yon. Total fouls — Cherry Creek 17, Cherokee Trail 17. Fouled out — None. Technical fouls — None.
