Air Academy boys basketball reaches first title game since 1989
BOULDER — A block at the buzzer by Air Academy senior David Louthan on a 3-point attempt from Lewis-Palmer sealed the Kadets’ first trip to a boys state basketball championship game since 1989.
“Anything to not give up a 3-point shot was our motto,” Louthan said after Air Academy’s 54-51 victory over Air Academy in the Class 4A semifinals Friday night at the Coors Events Center. “If I had to foul I would have. I was doing everything I could not to give up a three.”
Lewis-Palmer junior Sam Strasburger launched the 3-pointer at the buzzer that could have sent the game into overtime, but Louthan was able to get a hand on the shot and the ball fell well short of the rim.
“(Lewis-Palmer) had a pretty good designed play,” Air Academy senior Austin Dewing said of the final play. “David (Louthan) has got some long arms and good hops. He got out and got a hand on it.”
The Kadets (23-4 record) play for their first boys basketball title in 26 years back in Boulder on Saturday. Tipoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
It won’t be the first title experience for several Kadets. Dewing, Louthan, Henry Yocum, James Sims and Mark Beatty were all key players for Air Academy’s boys soccer team that went 20-0 in the fall on the way to the 4A state championship.
Despite experiencing the pressure of the postseason, Air Academy struggled offensively in the opening half.
At halftime it was all tied up, 21-21. Air Academy’s full-court press yielded some easy buckets in transition, but the Kadets couldn’t capitalize with its opportunities from the free-throw line. Air Academy was just 2-for-9 from the charity stripe in the opening half.
“The first half there were all sorts of jitters. We’ve got to work on that for tomorrow,” said Dewing, who had 34 goals and was named the 4A player of the year. “Some of us have been in state finals before, but we haven’t been in a state basketball final. We’ve got to come out a lot stronger.”
Friday night was the third meeting between the Pikes Peak League rivals. Lewis-Palmer was victorious 61-53 in the showdown Jan. 23. Air Academy rebounded with a 68-47 win over the Rangers on Feb. 18.
“Lewis-Palmer is a phenomenal team,” Dewing said of the third meeting. “I just glad we came out on top. It was close.”
Free throw shooting nearly did in Air Academy. The Kadets finished the 8-for-20 from the line, including missing four free throws in the final minute when they could have put the game away.
“It was ugly on our part,” said Louthan of the final minutes. He also admitted Air Academy must play better to win the championship game Saturday.
Louthan and senior Paul Ambuul each finished with 16 points to lead the way for the Kadets. Ambuul dominated inside the paint going 7-for-8 from the field. Dewing contributed 10 points and six assists.
Air Academy’s full-court pressure was broken by Lewis-Palmer at times, but did result in 17 turnovers for the Rangers.
“You live or die by it in many ways,” Louthan said of the Kadets’ full-court pressure defense. “I think fortunately we got enough steals to pull off the win.”
Lewis-Palmer hasn’t been a stranger to postseason success. Besides winning back-to-back 4A state titles in 2012 and 2013, the Rangers have advanced down to the Final 4 in Boulder five straight years before last season’s second-round loss to Thompson Valley ended their streak of advancing into the state semifinals.
Rangers’ junior Jonathan Scott led the way for the Rangers (19-8). Scott had 15 points. Strasburger finished with a dozen points and junior Charlie Hovasse came off the bench for 12 points.
A bright spot for Lewis-Palmer is it returns a host of key players who will be back for their senior season next year.
