CENTENNIAL | Newly returned from injury, freshman Chloe Cain played a large role in a significant Centennial League victory for the Cherokee Trail girls basketball team Wednesday.
Cain’s jumper in traffic with just over a minute left in regulation held up as the game-winner as she matched her career high with 27 points as the visiting Cougars — ranked No. 3 in Class 6A by the Colorado High School Activities Association — held off a furious rally by Eaglecrest for a 62-58 victory.
Cain was joined in double figures by senior Karson Chaney with 17 as coach Tammi Traylor-Statewright’s Cherokee Trail team upped its winning streak to four games and moved to 16-2 on the season. The Cougars improved to 4-1 in Centennial League play and remain a game behind Arapahoe for the top spot in the standings.
Coach Jorsua Chambers’ Eaglecrest team got 15 points from senior Kennedy Spellman along with 11 apiece from senior Naomi Emecheta and junior Kiarra Spellman, but had a three-game winning streak come to an end. The Raptors fell to 14-4 overall and 3-2 in league.
After a hot start, Cain suffered a wrist injury at Cherokee Trail’s pre-winter break trip to Arizona for the Nike Tournament of Champions — where she established her career high of 27 points in a win over Osbourn Park, Virginia — and she was out until Jan. 28.
Cain had a combined 10 points in the two previous games, but she rang up 16 in the opening half alone against Eaglecrest. She and Chaney made three 3-pointers apiece in a 25-point second quarter that staked the Cougars to an 11-point edge at halftime.
That advantage dipped to just four after three quarters, as Kiarra Spellman tallied nine in the period. Midway through the fourth quarter, a layup by sophomore Avery Jones followed by two Kennedy Spellman free throws made it a one-point game at 50-49 with 4:34 left.
Senior post player Hannah Conger came up big for Cherokee Trail in crunch time with all five of her points, which included two clutch free throws along with a stepback 3-pointer for a 57-53 edge with 2:20 remaining.
Eaglecrest senior Adaure Ozor made a steal and layup to make it a two-point game, but Cain countered with a crafty move for an inside hoop over three Eaglecrest defenders. Sophomore Milania Gutierrez went 2-for-4 from the free throw line in the final 26.7 seconds as the Cougars held on.
Cherokee Trail plays host to Overland at 5:30 p.m. Friday, the same time Eaglecrest travels to Mullen (2-3, 6-12).
Courtney Oakes is Aurora Sentinel Sports Editor. Reach him at sports@sentinelcolorado.com. Twitter/X: @aurorasports. IG: Sentinel Prep Sports
(3) CHEROKEE TRAIL 62, EAGLECREST 58
Score by quarters:
Cher. Trail 12 25 11 14 — 62
Eaglecrest 18 8 17 15 — 58
CHEROKEE TRAIL (62)
Karson Chaney 6 2-2 17, Chloe Cain 8 6-7 27, Aaliyah Broadus 1 2-2 4, Hannah Hazim 1 1-2 3, Malia Gutierrez 0 2-4 2, Hannah Conger 1 2-2 5, Chanel Stovall 1 0-0 2, Zoey Brandon 1 0-0 2. Totals 19 15-19 62.
EAGLECREST (58)
Adaure Ozor 1 0-0 2, Kiarra Spellman 6 0-0 13, Naomi Emecheta 5 2-4 13, Avery Jones 2 2-2 6, Kennedy Spellman 5 4-7 15, Kaydence Waymire 3 0-0 9, Reagan Wagner 0 0-0 0. Totals 22 8-13 58.
3-point field goals — Cherokee Trail (9): Chloe Cain 5, Karson Chaney 3, Hannah Conger. Eaglecrest (6): Kaydence Waymire 3, Kennedy Spellman, Kiarra Spellman. Total fouls — Cherokee Trail 17, Eaglecrest 14. Fouled out — None. Technical fouls — None.