GREENWOOD VILLAGE | Cherry Creek’s Jana VanGytenbeek lit it up from 3-point land Saturday, but Grandview countered with a McDonald’s All-American and the steely demeanor of a championship contender.
The Wolves weathered the storm that saw the Bruins’ point guard make seven triples and ring up 31 points as senior Michaela Onyenwere — who recently became the sixth Colorado girls player selected to the prestigious McDondald’s All-American Game — poured in 30 of her own and coach Josh Ulitzky’s deep, veteran lineup maintained its composure the entire way to win the battle of previously unbeaten Centennial League girls basketball teams.
Junior Leilah Vigil contributed 12 points, while junior Jaiden Galloway and sophomore Alisha Davis added nine apiece as Grandview picked up its 13th win of the season and moved atop the league standings with a 6-0 mark as the first round of play nears its conclusion.
“They are battles every time we come to play here, but we were able to pull it out,” said Ulitzky, whose team won for the fifth time in its last six trips to Cherry Creek, a very difficult place to play even when the Bruins (9-5, 5-1) don’t have a player as hot as VanGytenbeek was on this particular occasion.
The freshman standout bettered her season scoring average of 15.1 points per game in the first half alone against the Wolves, as she knocked down five 3-pointers on her way to 20 of her team’s 31 first half points.
Every time it looked like Onyenwere —a UCLA recruit who tallied 16 points in the first half — and Grandview were going to pull away, VanGytenbeek would knock down a triple, get to the free throw line or create an open shot for a teammate.
A five-point possession for VanGytenbeek in which she was fouled on a 3-point attempt and made two free throws, then connected on a 3-pointer after the Bruins rebounded her miss put the Wolves in a 27-24 hole midway through the second quarter.
Grandview closed the half with an 11-4 run for a four-point halftime edge.
Ulitzky’s opted to play a zone in the second half with Onyenwere at the top and her presence and athleticism forced the ball out of VanGytenbeek’s hands. The strategy worked as the Bruins failed to score a point for the first six minutes of the period.
Grandview added 11 points to its lead in the meantime, as Vigil followed up Onyenwere’s and-1 free throw miss with a layup for a four-point possession. Onyenwere, however, picked up her fourth foul with 4 minutes left in the half went to the bench.
Cherry Creek scored 10 points in the final 1:51 of the period to get back within eight, but Vigil added six points in the early stages of the fourth quarter and the Wolves lost just two points off their lead before Onyenwere returned to the floor.
She scored 10 points in the final five minutes as Grandview maintained at least a double-digit lead all the way to the end.
Cherry Creek plays at Grandview Feb. 15 in the second round of league play.
Courtney Oakes is Aurora Sentinel Sports Editor. Reach him at 303-750-7555 or sports@aurorasentinel.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. FB: Aurora Prep Sentinel
GRANDVIEW 70, CHERRY CREEK 55
Score by quarters:
Grandview 19 16 14 21 — 70
Cherry Creek 13 18 10 14 — 55
GRANDVIEW (70)
Jaiden Galloway 4 0-0 9, Alisha Davis 1 7-7 9, Michaela Onyenwere 8 13-15 30, Kennede Brown 0 1-2 1, Leilah Vigil 3 6-10 12, Lenzi Hudson 1 2-2 5, Allyah Marlett 1 1-2 4, Heaven Smith 0 0-0 0. Totals 18 30-38 70.
CHERRY CREEK (55)
Delaney Bernard 1 0-0 3, Jana VanGytenbeek 7 10-12 31, Jada Richardson 2 4-4 8, Laura Pranger 2 0-0 5, Isabella Sparaco 1 0-0 2, Allison Dwinell 0 0-0 0, Lauren McMillen 3 0-2 6, Kiana Walker 0 0-0 0. Totals 16 14-18 55.
3-point field goals — Grandview (4): Jaiden Galloway, Lenzi Hudson, Allyah Marlett, Michaela Onyenwere. Cherry Creek (9): Jana VanGytenbeek 7, Delaney Bernard, Laura Pranger. Total fouls — Grandview 21, Cherry Creek 26. Fouled out — Cherry Creek: Laura McMillen, Pranger. Technical fouls — None.
