AURORA | Despite playing one of the lowest scoring games of the season, the Vista PEAK Prep and Rangeview boys basketball teams thrilled a capacity crowd Friday night.
In a clash of rivals that had a line of hopeful spectators that stretched out the door while the early contest tipped off in the Bison’s home gym, the teams had combined for just 31 points in the first 14 minutes before burst to end the second quarter.
Down by three points with inside two minutes left in the first half, Vista PEAK Prep ran off 11 straight points — capped by senior Kyree Polk’s monster dunk just before the buzzer — to open an eight point edge. Coach Keenon Clement’s Bison never let their edge drop below four points the rest of the way to win for the second straight season against Rangeview.
Senior Alante Monroe-Elazier finished with a game-high 14 points, while senior James Brown III added nine as the scoring leaders for Vista PEAK Prep, which improved to 10-2.
The only player for coach Shawn Palmer’s Rangeview team (4-9) to reach double figures was senior Mareon Chapman with 10, while junior Kenny Black-Knox added nine.
After a see-saw start that fed off the energy of the crowd, the Raiders took a 17-14 lead on a 3-pointer by senior Allen Ervin, but it was all Bison for the remaining two minutes.
Monroe-Elazier and Brown III both made a pair of free throws to put Vista PEAK Prep in the lead, then a Polk block led to a Brown layup at the other end. Senior Julian Carrizales — whose corner 3-pointer lifted the Bison to victory in last season’s matchup between the teams — made a triple (one of just two for the team on the night) to boost the advantage.
After a quick Rangeview miss, Vista PEAK Prep pushed it up the floor in the closing seconds and senior Savon Alexander passed on a shot to feed the ball inside to the 6-foot-7 Polk, who threw it down for an eight-point lead and momentum at the break.
An Ervin layup cut the deficit to 34-27 after three quarters, an inside basket by freshman Archie Weatherspoon V made it 40-34 near the midway point of the fourth quarter and a 3-pointer by Black-Knox made it 41-37.
Vista PEAK Prep immediately responded, however, with an inside hoop by Brown III and a steal and dunk by Monroe-Elazier virtually sealed the result.
Vista PEAK Prep returns to play on Jan. 18 with a road trip to Kennedy, while Rangeview is back in action Jan. 19 with a home game against Hinkley.
Courtney Oakes is Aurora Sentinel Sports Editor. Reach him at sports@aurorasentinel.com. Twitter/X: @aurorasports. IG: Sentinel Prep Sports
VISTA PEAK PREP 47, RANGEVIEW 40
Score by quarters:
Rangeview 4 13 10 13 — 40
Vista PEAK Prep 7 18 9 11 — 47
RANGEVIEW (40)
Royce Edwards 1 0-0 3, Yasin Sekue 0 0-0 0, Kenny Black-Knox 4 0-0 9, Archie Weatherspoon V 2 0-0 5, Zachary Butler 0 0-0 0, Demetrius Bailey 0 0-0 0, Mareon Chapman 3 2-3 10, Allen Ervin 3 0-0 7, Elijah Denney 3 0-0 6, Kevin Hernandez 0 0-0 0. Totals 16 2-3 40.
VISTA PEAK PREP (47)
Julian Carrizales 2 0-2 5, Mekhai Davis-Burks 0 0-0 0, Alante Monroe-Monroe 6 2-4 14, James Brown III 3 3-4 9, Kyree Polk 2 1-2 5, Mitchell Oliver 1 0-1 2, Savon Alexander 1 1-2 3, Javon Lowman 2 0-0 5, Devontay Bursey 1 2-2 4, Larry Mosley 0 0-0 0. Totals 18 9-17 47.
3-point field goals — Rangeview (6): Mareon Chapman 2, Kenny Black-Knox, Royce Edwards, Allen Ervin, Archie Weatherspoon V. Vista PEAK Prep (2): Julian Carrizales, Javon Lowman. Total fouls — Rangeview 13, Vista PEAK Prep 9. Fouled out — None. Technical fouls — None.
