AURORA | Hood pulled over his head, disbelieving Eric Garcia lingered in the Grandview locker room as long as he could on March 2.
The senior point guard needed time to compose himself before heading outside, where friends and family waited to console him after the fourth-seeded Wolves’ emotional 75-67 loss to No. 5 Legacy in a Class 5A boys state basketball second round contest.
Rated as high as No. 2 in the 5A ranks early in the season, Garcia and his fellow seniors had dreams of a run at a state championship. Those dreams came crashing down with the loss to the Titans.
“I can’t believe it’s over, I’m speechless,” Garcia said after Grandview’s season came to an end at 16-8.
“We had our ups and downs this season, but it was one of the most fun seasons I’ve ever had. It just didn’t end the way we wanted it to,” he added. “We won’t leave with the state championship we wanted, but we were hard working and did it the right way.”
Garcia, a three-year starter for Grandview, finished with 14 points in his final game before he heads off to Wofford University next season, while fellow seniors Tanner Gentry and Branden Cosby-Lee added 12 and 10, respectively.
The Wolves couldn’t quite finish off an epic second-half comeback that saw them take a lead briefly after trailing by double digits against the Titans, who stunned them early with a combination of hot perimeter shooting and second chance points.
Legend — which advanced to play No. 1 Chatfield in the Sweet 16 — squandered a lead stood at 13 points going into the final quarter.
Getting to the free throw line with regularity, Grandview came all the way back and tied the game at 57-57 on Devon Brown’s free throws with just under five minutes remaining.
Junior Akram Imam — who had a game-high 23 points for coach Gary Childress’ squad — put the Wolves briefly ahead with a free throw, but a quick burst by the Titans gave them enough of a margin to hold on as they sealed things from the free throw line.
Jon Cosmann led the way for Legend with 22 points, while Blake Truman contributed 14 points and Elijah Cherrington chipped in with 10.
Reach Sports Editor Courtney Oakes at [email protected] or 303-750-7555
(5) LEGEND 75, (4) GRANDVIEW 67
Score by quarters:
Legend 20 15 20 20 — 75
Grandview 17 5 20 25 — 67
LEGEND (75)
Tyler Willis 0 1-2 1, Joey Sloan 1 2-2 5, Blake Truman 4 5-6 14, Taylor Jensen 3 1-2 9, Jon Cosmann 7 5-6 22, Elijah Cherrington 4 1-1 10, Connor Orgill 4 0-0 8, Zach Mihalicz 3 0-2 6. Totals 26 15-21 75.
GRANDVIEW (67)
Eric Garcia 5 2-2 14, Tanner Gentry 2 7-8 12, Devon Brown 0 2-2 2, Branden Cosby-Lee 4 2-2 10, Akram Imam 9 5-7 23, Jarred Burr 2 0-0 5, Jameson Cusworth 0 0-0 0, Aaron Montgomery 0 1-2 1, Blake Weeks 0 0-0 0. Totals 22 19-23 67.
3-point field goals — Legend (8): Jon Cosmann 3, Taylor Jensen 2, Elijah Cherrington, Joey Sloan, Blake Truman; Grandview (4): Eric Garcia 2, Jarred Burr, Tanner Gentry. Total fouls — Legend 19, Grandview 17. Fouled out — Grandview: Garcia. Technical fouls — Grandview: Garcia.
