5A girls basketball semifinals: Valor Christian, Grandview advance to championship game
By Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Sports Information & Brad Cochi/CHSAANow.com
Photo: Brad Cochi/CHSAANow
The Class 5A girls basketball Final Four was played on Thursday night at the Denver Coliseum. Valor Christian and Grandview both won their respective games and advanced to the state championship game.
DENVER — Valor Christian senior Raegan Beers is making up for lost time in a big way.
The 6-foot-3 Oregon State University commit was on the bench watching the Eagles win its first Class 5A girls basketball state title last season. A knee surgery caused her to lose her junior year at Valor.
Now, Beers is the centerpiece for Valor as it heads back to the state championship game Saturday against the winner of Highlands Ranch/Grandview. The top-seeded and defending state champions defeated No. 5 Arapahoe 65-49 in the 5A state Final 4 game Thursday night at the Denver Coliseum.
“I figured this is my last chance and my last chance to play in high school,” said Beers, who poured in 28 points, 14 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 blocks against the Warriors. “I have to make the most of it because I never know. I’m making the most of every minute I get, win or lose.”
A win was in doubt early in the fourth quarter. Arapahoe senior Sam Crispe — Boston University commit — drained a 3-pointer from the corner on the first possession of the fourth quarter. The shot from distance cut Valor’s lead to 47-44.
However, Valor (23-3 record) went on a 8-0 run in the next four minutes to take control of the game. Arapahoe was limited to just 8 points in the fourth quarter as Valor outscored the Warriors 18-6 to close out the game.
“I’m so happy for her. I’m so proud of the job she does,” Valor coach Jessika Caldwell said of Beers. “She gets so much attention with defenses. I’m just proud of how she preformed today. She really put the team on her back.”
Beers put the icing on the victory midway through the fourth quarter. Beers posted up on Crispe download and scored to give Valor its first double-digit lead — 55-44 — of the game.
“Of course every point counts, but that double-digit lead was super important for our team,” Beers said. “We needed to get over that little hump we had been struggling with the whole game.”
Beers got plenty of help from the Eagles’ supporting cast. Senior Mariah Hilliard, junior Macey Huard and freshman Quinn Van Sickle combined for 36 points while playing great perimeter defense in the fourth quarter.
“It is a huge help,” Beers said of Huard, Hilliard and Van Sickle all finishing in double-digit points. “With multiple scorers we are hard to defend. It creates a whole new intensity level for our team.”
Arapahoe finished its impressive postseason run. The Warriors wrapped up their season with a 18-8 record. Junior Sydney White had a team-high 15 points for Arapahoe while Crispe had 13 points and 9 rebounds before heading to Boston.
Valor will have a chance Saturday to capture back-to-back 5A state titles at the Denver Coliseum. The Eagles grabbed back-to-back 4A state crowns in 2015 and 2016 before making the move up to the 5A classification.
“I’m just really honored and thankful that we’ve got the opportunity to do that. It’s not something we talk about a lot,” Caldwell said of another state repeat in girls basketball.
The Grandview girls basketball team won back-to-back state championships in 2017 in 2018 but hasn’t been able to collect another since despite consistently being among Colorado’s elite teams.
Well, the Wolves are back in the title game in 2022 with a great chance to claim a third championship for their program after winning 65-51 over Highlands Ranch (21-5) in the Class 5A Final Four on Thursday night at the Denver Coliseum. The Wolves (17-9) will face Valor Christian in the championship game on Saturday.
“I haven’t played in a title game since my freshman year,” Wolves senior Marya Hudgins, who won a Class 1A title at Holy Innocents Episcopal School as a freshman, said. “The championships were canceled my sophomore year and we were upset last year. So, obviously, we’re super excited, just going to take it all in tomorrow and prepare for Saturday.”
Appearing in their seventh consecutive Final Four, the third-seeded Wolves took an early lead by outscoring the No. 2 Falcons, 19-8, in the first quarter. Coming out of halftime with a 33-22 lead following an even second quarter, the Wolves maintained that advantage and closed out the game.
“We were able to get an early lead and we shot it really well early on,” Grandview head coach Josh Ulitzky said. “Highlands Ranch is an incredible well-coached team, a very talented team, so we did a nice job. We hit a little dry spot there but the kids pushed through. We’re incredibly grateful for the opportunity to play in a state title game and we have a colossal challenge ahead of us. Valor is a really good team, so we need to rest up and be prepared. We’re really looking forward to it.”
Grandview’s Lauren Betts led all scorers with 22 points. Hudgins scored 21, and Amaya Charles and Sienna Betts each scored 11.
Emily Williamson led Highland Ranch with 21 points and Alex Pirog scored 12.
The Class 5A championship game between Grandview and Valor Christian will begin at 5 p.m. on Saturday.
