Ralston Valley escapes rival Arvada West to claim tournament title
ARVADA — Ralston Valley boys basketball team prides itself on defense, but in facing Arvada West junior Thomas Neff on Friday night, the Mustangs were realistic.
“Our main focus was to contain (Neff), not stop him or shut him down,” Ralston Valley senior Zac Stevens said of the Mustangs’ defensive mindset. “(Neff) is going to score points.”
Neff, who game in averaging 23 points per game, had a game-high 22 points. However, Ralston Valley held on for a 48-45 victory in the championship game of the Ralston Roundup tournament. It was the third title for the host Mustangs over the past four years.
“We knew were we going to win it on our defense and how we guarded (Neff),” Ralston Valley coach Mitch Conrad said. “He is a great player. We made it difficult for him. He had to earn it.”
The game came down to the final seconds where the Wildcats (3-1) weren’t able to give Neff the opportunity to hit a game-tying 3-pointer. A-West junior Dhillon Greene purposely missed a free throw with three seconds left and the Wildcats trailing by three.
A-West was able to get the rebound, but the kickoff to Neff was off the mark and the ball sailed toward midcourt as time expired.
“I just wish the outcome was a little different, but I’m glad we go to play them before league,” said Neff, who was named to the all-tournament team for the runner-up Wildcats.
Greene was the only other A-West player to reach double-digit points. He finished with 10.
Junior Andrew Wingard led Ralston Valley (5-2). The star tailback on the Mustangs’ football team finished with 15 points, including four 3-pointers.
“Wingard, the last two games, has really big clutch for us,” Conrad said. “That’s really good to see from one of the young guys.”
Steven pitched in nine points and senior Rane Hornecker had seven points, including a key free throw with 10 seconds left in the game to give the Mustangs a 48-44 lead.
A-West and Ralston Valley will get very familiar with each other by the end of the hoops season.
The Arvada-area rivals and Class 5A Jeffco League foes schools separated by 3.4 miles will square off against at least twice more this season in conference games. A-West and Ralston Valley are scheduled for league games Jan. 23 (at Ralston Valley) and Feb. 21 (at A-West).
“We want to play the best to make ourselves better,” Conrad said of the quality of the tournament that featured 5A’s No. 3 ranked squad in Rangeview that placed fifth. “Three Jeffco teams in here and hopefully it will make us all better so Jeffco can make a deeper run in the state tournament.”
The Wildcats and Mustangs will both dive into league play next Tuesday, Dec. 17. A-West will hit the road to face a strong Lakewood squad. The Mustangs host defending 5A League champion Chatfield. Both games are scheduled for 7 p.m.
D’Evelyn wins third place
The D’Evelyn Jaguars won the third-place game with a 79-70 victory against Montbello.
“Montbello is really talented. I think they will be really good later in the year,” D’Evelyn coach Troy Pachner said. “That was a great win for us.”
Ty McGee (23 points) and Grant Witherspoon (20 points) led the way for the Jaguars.
D’Evelyn, ranked No. 9 in this week’s CHSAANow.com 4A boys basketball poll, has had a rollercoaster of a season so far. The Jaguars slipped to 4A Jeffco rival Golden last week in the D’Evelyn/Golden Preview Classic championship game, but rebounded quickly with a victory against 5A’s No. 3-ranked Rangeview in the first round of the Ralston Roundup.
A loss Thursday to A-West in the semifinals of the tournament moved the Jaguars into the third-place game.
“It’s been peaks and valleys,” said McGee, who was named to the all-tournament team. “We’ve just need to keep going steady.”
All-Tournament Team
D’Evelyn senior Ty McGee
Rock Canyon junior Mitchell Lombard
Rangeview senior Jeremiah Paige
Arvada West junior Thomas Neff
Ralston Valley sophomore Dallas Walton
