CENTENNIAL | Eaglecrest has been putting the defensive clamps on Centennial League teams all season and the Raptors turned their attention to another challenge Wednesday night.
Second-seeded Eaglecrest held visiting third-seeded Rangeview to just 32 points — 21 less than its previous season low — in a Class 5A Sweet 16 contest between local teams and got just enough offense to earn a trip to the Great 8 for the first time since the 2008-09 season.
Seniors Rayjon Craig and TreShawn Wilford each scored 11 points to lead Eaglecrest, which advanced to an all-Aurora quarterfinal contest with a 45-32 victory over the visiting Raiders in front of a packed house.
Coach John Olander’s Raptors (20-5) moved into a matchup with top-seeded Regis Jesuit — which took down fourth-seeded Grand Junction 67-42 — at 4 p.m. Friday at the Denver Coliseum.
Wilford and the Raptors did an especially good job defending Rangeview junior guard Jeremiah Paige, who poured in 40 points in the Raiders’ win over Highlands Ranch in the previous round.
Paige made just a single 3-pointer in the first half and finished with eight points — less than half his average of 20.2 points per game — before fouling out with less than two minutes remaining.
Senior Larry Bridges had nine points to lead the way for Rangeview, a semifinal team a year ago, which finished 20-5.
Reach Sports Editor Courtney Oakes at [email protected] or 303-750-7555
(2) EAGLECREST 45, (3) RANGEVIEW 32
Score by quarters:
Rangeview 3 8 6 15 — 32
Eaglecrest 9 9 10 17 — 45
RANGEVIEW (32)
Trey Bridges 2 0-2 5, Larry Bridges 2 5-6 9, Tim Ealy 1 2-2 4, Jeremiah Paige 3 0-0 8, Tarren Storey-Way 0 1-2 1, Dezant Burks 2 1-2 5, Cristian Garcia 0 0-0 0. Totals 10 9-14 32.
EAGLECREST (45)
Rayjon Craig 4 2-4 11, TreShawn Wilford 3 3-5 11, Sean Watkins 2 1-2 5, Jaisean Jackson 1 6-7 8, Blend Avdili 3 0-0 6, Maurice Perez 1 0-0 3, Elijah Ross 0 0-0 0, LaDerian King 0 1-2 1. Totals 14 13-20 45.
3-point field goals — Rangeview (3): Jeremiah Paige 2, Trey Bridges; Eaglecrest (4): TreShawn Wilford 2, Rayjon Craig, Maurice Perez. Total fouls — Rangeview 18, Eaglecrest 18. Fouled out — Rangeview: Tim Ealy, Paige. Technical fouls — Rangeview: Paige.
