Regis Jesuit sophomore Jada Moore (23) blocks a shot put up by Cherry Creek’s Emma Wrede, center, during the first half of the Raiders’ 58-50 win over the Bruins in a Class 5A girls state basketball Sweet 16 playoff game on Feb. 27, 2018, at Regis Jesuit High School. Regis Jesuit moved into a 5A Great 8 matchup with Horizon scheduled for March 2 at the Denver Coliseum. (Photo by Courtney Oakes/Sentinel)
Regis Jesuit sophomore Jada Moore (23) blocks a shot put up by Cherry Creek’s Emma Wrede, center, during the first half of the Raiders’ 58-50 win over the Bruins in a Class 5A girls state basketball Sweet 16 playoff game on Feb. 27, 2018, at Regis Jesuit High School. Regis Jesuit moved into a 5A Great 8 matchup with Horizon scheduled for March 2 at the Denver Coliseum. (Photo by Courtney Oakes/Sentinel)

AURORA | In only the second playoff game of their prep careers — and by far the most intense — the freshmen on the Regis Jesuit girls basketball team rose to the occasion Tuesday evening.

At halftime of their Class 5A Sweet 16 showdown with Cherry Creek in the Regis Jesuit Boys Division gym, coach Carl Mattei’s sixth-seeded Raiders had a combined zero points from stalwarts Fran Belibi and Noelle Cahill, yet still had a two-point lead over the 11th-seeded Bruins thanks to their young players.

Avery Vansickle scored 10 of her team-high 18 points in the opening half, Sam Jones made a 3-pointer and the basket that was the halftime difference and Gracie Weigand provided a shot of energy as the freshmen put Regis Jesuit in position for the veterans to finish things off in a 58-50 Sweet 16 win over Cherry Creek.

Belibi scored all 12 of her points in the second half, Cahill had some big late hoops and sophomore Jada Moore made several free throws down the stretch so the Raiders (22-3) could keep the Bruins (19-6) at bay.

Regis Jesuit moved into 5A’s Great 8 for the second straight season and will face No. 3 Horizon — a 56-35 winner over No. 19 Arapahoe — Friday at the Denver Coliseum in a game that will be scheduled Wednesday by the Colorado High School Activities Association.

The other Great 8 contests pit No. 5 Highlands Ranch against No. 4 Grandview, No. 7 Ralston Valley against No. 2 Lakewood and No. 8 Fossil Ridge against No. 1 Fruita Monument.

Courtney Oakes is Sentinel Sports Editor. Reach him at 303-750-7555 or sports@sentinelcolorado.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. FB: Sentinel Prep Sports

(6) REGIS JESUIT 58, (11) CHERRY CREEK 50

Score by quarters:

Cherry Creek  14  8  9  19 — 50

Regis Jesuit   15  9  16  18 — 58

CHERRY CREEK (50)

Emma Wrede 1 0-0 3, Jana Van Gytenbeek 5 6-6 19, Bella Sparaco 2 0-0 4, Sydney Mech 6 3-4 18, Jaela Richardson 2 0-0 4, Kacee Kyle 1 0-0 3, Carly Thompson 0 0-2 0. Totals 17 9-12 50.

REGIS JESUIT (58)

Fran Belibi 4 4-5 12, Jasmine Gaines 2 2-2 8, Avery Vansickle 6 3-4 18, Jada Moore 2 5-8 9, Noelle Cahill 2 0-0 4, Sidney Weigand 1 0-0 2, Sam Jones 2 0-0 5, Olivia Ayers 0 0-0 0, Gracie Weigand 0 0-0 0. Totals 19 14-19 58.

3-point field goals — Cherry Creek (7): Jana Van Gytenbeek 3, Sydney Mech 2, Kacee Kyle, Emma Wrede; Regis Jesuit (6): Avery Vansickle 3, Jasmine Gaines 2, Sam Jones. Total fouls — Cherry Creek 14, Regis Jesuit 14. Fouled out — Cherry Creek: Jaela Richardson. Technical fouls — None.

Courtney Oakes is sports Editor and photographer with Sentinel Colorado. A Denver East High School alum. He came to the Sentinel in 2001 and since then has received a number of professional awards from...