AURORA | In its first game following winter break, the Cherokee Trail girls basketball team picked up the victory that matched last season’s entire win total.
The Cougars — ranked No. 4 in Class 6A in the last CHSAANow.com coaches poll prior to the holiday hiatus — upped their record to a sparkling 10-1 (with at least 12 games remaining in the regular season) with a 57-33 non-league victory in an all-Aurora matchup with Rangeview.
Junior Damara Allen scored a game-high 25 points, including six in the final seconds of the first half when coach Tammi Traylor-Statewright’s team finally gained some separation, while sophomore Delainey Miller added 10 and sophomore Madeline Gibbs six.
Coach La Monte Weddle’s Rangeview team — which came into the game just two points outside of the 6A Top 10 — dropped to 6-3.
The Raiders won last season’s matchup with the Cougars, but Cherokee Trail was not to be stopped in this meeting, especially after working through a slew of early turnovers.
The Cougars led by just six points until Allen struck in the final minute of the half, in which she knocked down a 3-pointer (one of her five triples in the game) and then was fouled shooting a 3-pointer with no time left on the clock. She made all three free throws with both teams standing at their benches to send Cherokee Trail into the break up 29-17.
The Cougars poured it on in the third quarter and scored the first 14 points of the quarter before Jenessee Byrd’s hustle led to four straight points to end the quarter for the Raiders.
Cherokee Trail plays host to Heritage (4-6) at 7 p.m. Friday, while Rangeview heads to Cherry Creek (ranked No. 3 in 6A) at 7 p.m. Jan. 9.
Courtney Oakes is Sentinel Colorado Sports Editor. Reach him at sports@sentinelcolorado.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. IG: Sentinel Prep Sports
(6A No. 4) Cherokee Trail 57, Rangeview 33
Score by quarters:
Rangeview 5 12 4 12 — 33
Cher. Trail 9 20 14 14 — 57
