ARVADA | When the Rangeview and Valor Christian boys play again on Jan. 23, it’s safe to say the game won’t look like what happened when they met in the championship game of the Ralston Roundup.
It would be nearly impossible to replicate what took place Friday night at Ralston Valley High School, as a contest marred by constant whistles from the officiating crew that called 45 total fouls and handed two technicals to the Raiders concluded in the Eagles’ 82-80 victory.
Junior Jeremiah Paige’s pull-up 3-pointer at the buzzer hit the front of iron and bounced out as Rangeview — which rallied from a deficit as large as 16 points in the fourth quarter to lead on two occasions in the last two minutes — fell to 5-1 overall.
The Raiders led 80-79 after Paige’s two free throws with 14 seconds left, but Valor Christian’s Garrett Baggett drew a foul on an apparent 3-point shot and was awarded three free throws, which he made to give the Eagles a two-point edge with 4.2 seconds remaining.
Paige, who led Rangeview with 32 points — including 21 in the second half — raced the up ball up the court, but couldn’t connect on his long running jumper at the horn.
Larry Bridges finished with 18 points for the Raiders, who also got 10 apiece from Trey Bridges and Dezant Burks.
Valor Christian star Chase Foster scored a game-high 40 points before fouling out in the fourth quarter, while Baggett finished with 20.
VALOR CHRISTIAN 82, RANGEVIEW 80
Score by quarters:
Valor Christian 19 23 24 16 — 82
Rangeview 18 22 16 24 — 80
VALOR CHRISTIAN (82)
Garrett Baggett 6 4-5 20, Luke Proctor 0 0-0 0, Chase Foster 13 10-12 40, Tristan Trujillo 2 0-0 4, Brandon Pleiman 3 0-1 6, James Neal 0 2-2 2, Nate Peterson 2 2-2 8, Chandler Lisle 1 0-0 2. Totals 26 18-22 82.
RANGEVIEW (80)
Trey Bridges 4 2-3 10, Larry Bridges 9 0-2 18, Dezant Burks 5 0-0 10, Tim Ealy 2 0-0 4, Jeremiah Paige 10 12-17 32, Tim Wyatt 2 0-0 5, Cristian Garcia 0 0-0 0, Aaron Hawkins 0 0-0 0. Totals 32 14-22 80.
3-point field goals — Valor Christian (10): Garrett Baggett 4, Chase Foster 4, Nate Peterson 2; Rangeview: Tim Wyatt. Total fouls — Valor Christian 22, Rangeview 23. Fouled out — Valor Christian: Foster, Luke Proctor; Rangeview: Tim Ealy. Technical fouls — Rangeview (2): Paige, Larry Bridges.