AURORA | A capsule preview of the 2024 Class 6A girls basketball state tournament championship game between Regis Jesuit and Valor Christian scheduled for March 9, 2024, at the Denver Coliseum:
Courtney Oakes is Aurora Sentinel Sports Editor. Reach him at sports@aurorasentinel.com.Twitter/X: @aurorasports. IG: Sentinel Prep Sports
2024 CLASS 6A GIRLS BASKETBALL STATE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
NO. 7 REGIS JESUIT (20-7) vs. NO. 4 VALOR CHRISTIAN (22-4)
March 9, 1:15 p.m. at Denver Coliseum
BREAKDOWN: Regis Jesuit and Valor Christian meet up in the playoffs for the second time all-time and both will be with state championships on the line as the Eagles topped the Raiders with the then-Class 5A state title on the line in a contest played in 2021 at World Arena in Colorado Springs. The programs met during this regular season back on Dec. 12 and Regis Jesuit prevailed 78-72 in a game in which a combined seven players from both sides scored in double figures. The Raiders were led by senior Hana Belibi’s 35 points, while senior Coryn Watts had 18 and junior Jada Hodges 13, while junior Rylie Beers paced the Eagles with 22m while junior Quinn VanSickle had 18, senior Emma Lytle 12 and freshman Kate Fuessel 11. Since the championship meeting, the Eagles won regular season meetings in 2022 and 2023. …Regis Jesuit has made at least the semifinals 14 times since its inaugural season of 2005 and are 9-5 in Final Four contests with state championship game appearances in then-4A in 2006 and then-5A in 2008, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2018 and 2021. The Raiders seek their third state title, adding to those won in 2013 and 2014. …Valor Christian is part of the Final Four for the fourth time in the past five seasons — missing out only in 2023 — and will make a third title game appearance in that span. The Eagles, who defeated Regis Jesuit in 2021 in the then-5A state final and lost to Grandview in 2022, have three all-time state championships, including back-to-back wins in then-4A in 2015 and 2016.
REGIS JESUIT: Coach Jordan Kasemodel’s Raiders have won four straight games — all in the postseason — since a loss in the regular season finale. Regis Jesuit downed No. 26 Eaglecrest 53-34 in the opening round, followed that with a 69-61 victory over No. 23 Denver East in the Sweet 16, knocked off second-seeded Cherry Creek 50-44 in the Great 8 (story, here) and stunned No. 3 Legend 54-53 in the Final Four (story, here). Senior Hana Belibi has been outstanding in the postseason with an average of 17.3 points and 14.3 rebounds per contest, while senior Coryn Watts has poured in 15.8 points per game and junior Jane Rumpf has averaged 10 per contest. …For the season, Belibi paces the team in scoring at 17.6 points per game, followed by Watts at 16.1 and Rumpf at 9.5. Belibi averages more than eight rebounds per game to lead the way in that category, while Watts heads the team in assists (4.5 apg) and steals (2.6 spg) per contest.
VALOR CHRISTIAN: Coach Jessika Caldwell’s Eagles lost to No. 2 Cherry Creek on Feb. 12, but have won six straight games since, including four in the postseason. Valor Christian topped No. 29 Poudre 74-30 in the first round, followed that with a 64-43 Sweet 16 defeat of No. 13 ThunderRidge, dispatched No. 12 Rock Canyon 60-44 in the Great 8 and toppled No. 1 Cherokee Trail 71-59. Junior Quinn VanSickle has scored in double figures in all four postseason games for the Eagles with an average of 19 points per game, while sophomore Peyton Jones has averaged 13.5 points per game in the postseason. Valor Christian has connected on 32 3-pointers in four playoff games. …For the season, VanSickle paces the team in scoring average at 18.8 points per game with Jones (14.4 ppg) and junior Rylie Beers (10.5 ppg) next. Gunter is the team’s rebounding leader at 7.2 per contest, while VanSickle’s averages of 4.2 assist and 3.5 steals per game also top her squad.
