DENVER | Overtime had been kind lately to the Cherokee Trail boys basketball team.
It broke the second-seeded Cougars’ hearts on Friday night, however, as they were on the short end of an agonizing 78-76 loss in double overtime to No. 1 Mountain Vista in a Class 5A Great 8 contest at the Denver Coliseum.
Senior Drick Bernstine’s 75-foot shot before the final buzzer hit the front of the rim and Cherokee Trail had to settle for its furthest push in the postseason since moving up the 5A five years ago. The Golden Eagles will take on Eaglecrest in a 5A semifinal on March 15 at the Coors Events Center in Boulder.
Bernstine finished with a game-high 31 points for coach Morgan Gregory’s Cougars, who finished the season 18-8. Solomon Yon added 15 points and Jay Nelson 10 for Cherokee Trail.
Pressure helped Cherokee Trail build a double-digit lead at 20-10, but it alternately helped Mountain Vista come back and eventually take the lead.
The Cougars went into halftime with a 31-28 edge after a three-point play by Bernstine.
Reach Sports Editor Courtney Oakes at sports@aurorasentinel.com or 303-750-7555
(1) MOUNTAIN VISTA 78, (2) CHEROKEE TRAIL 76 (2OT)
Score by quarters:
Cherokee Trail 18 13 14 14 9 8 — 76
Mountain Vista 10 18 15 16 9 10 — 78
CHEROKEE TRAIL (76)
RJ Perry 2 0-0 5, Solomon Yon 5 1-2 15, Anthony Murray 2 3-4 7, Jay Nelson 2 6-6 10, Drick Bernstine 9 13-17 31, Tyler Larkin 0 0-0 0, Kennedy Littleton 2 2-2 6, Izaiah Lottie 1 0-0 2. Totals 23 25-31 76.
MOUNTAIN VISTA (78)
Amir Qadri 3 0-0 7, Chandler Wiscombe 2 2-2 6, Jake Pemberton 5 6-9 19, Elijah Valdez 6 7-9 19, Mitch Carter 5 4-4 14, Damani Respass 2 1-2 5, Graham Smith 3 2-2 8, David Sewell 0 0-0 0. Totals 24 22-28 78.
3-point field goals — Cherokee Trail (5): Solomon Yon 4, RJ Perry 1; Mountain Vista (4): Jake Pemberton 3, Amir Qadri. Total fouls — Cherokee Trail 22, Mountain Vista 26. Fouled out — Mountain Vista: Mitch Carter, Chandler Wiscombe. Technical fouls — None.
