CENTENNIAL | Despite leading scorer LaDavian King missing the final 3-plus minutes of a pressure-filled Class 6A Sweet 16 boys basketball contest Saturday afternoon, Eaglecrest had crucial contributions from other sources.
On a day in which King and fellow junior Garrett Barger were limited to just seven points apiece — after they averaged a combined 29-plus points per game in the regular season — the eighth-seeded Raptors got 13 points from freshman Kris Coleman and 12 from senior SirDevin Roberts to escape with a 53-49 win over ninth-seeded Ralston Valley.
Coleman hit a bank-shot 3-pointer to erase a late deficit and made three free throws in crunch time and Roberts made two free throws and came with some key rebounds in the victory, which sent coach Jarris Krapcha’s team into the Feb. 29 Great 8 at the Denver Coliseum.
The Raptors (18-7) have advanced to the quarterfinals for the third time in the past four seasons, missing only last season when they lost to eventual 6A state champion Denver East in the Sweet 16. Eaglecrest will be looking to make it to the Final Four for the first time since it won the state title in 2017, however, and will need to get past top-seeded and undefeated Fruita Monument (25-0) to do so.
Eaglecrest is joined by fellow Centennial League team Smoky Hill in the 6A Great 8, as the Buffaloes topped 10th-seeded Regis Jesuit 70-61 in overtime in a local battle.
Courtney Oakes is Aurora Sentinel Sports Editor. Reach him at sports@aurorasentinel.com. Twitter/X: @aurorasports. IG: Sentinel Prep Sports
(8) EAGLECREST 53, (9) RALSTON VALLEY 49
Score by quarters:
Ralston Valley 11 10 13 15 — 49
Eaglecrest 16 9 16 12 — 53
RALSTON VALLEY (49)
Jackson Hansen 2 1-4 5, Tanner Braketa 7 8-8 24, Mason Trebilcock 2 0-0 4, Zeke Andrews 1 4-6 6, Caiden Braketa 0 4-4 6, Samson Wright 3 0-1 6, Jayce Bahl 0 0-0 0, Cole Pfeifer 0 0-0 0. Totals 15 17-23 49.
EAGLECREST (53)
LaDavian King 3 0-0 7, SirDevin Roberts 4 2-2 12, Kris Coleman 3 5-8 13, Garrett Barger 2 3-4 7, La’Quince York 1 4-4 6, Jason Noone 1 0-0 3, Lucas Kalimba 1 0-0 2, Gavin Gallegos 1 1-2 3, Cam Chapa 0 0-0 0. Totals 16 15-20 53.
3-point field goals — Ralston Valley (2): Tanner Braketa 2. Eaglecrest (6): Kris Coleman 2, SirDevin Roberts 2, LaDavian King, Jason Noone. Total fouls — Ralston Valley 17, Eaglecrest 21. Fouled out — Eaglecrest: LaDavian King. Technical fouls — None.
