3A girls basketball: Colorado Springs Christian wins first championship since 2002

DENVER – Colorado high-school girls basketball may need to remember the name Kinley Asp for future reference and to avoid future problems on the court.

Asp, a freshman at Colorado Springs Christian, dominated the state 3A title game against The Vanguard School, March 11, at the University of Denver. She scored 27 points from just about everywhere on the floor, and her Lions beat the Coursers 57-41.

“It feels great. I’m so thankful for this opportunity,” Asp said. “I’m so happy. I just love it.”

Asp had some help from Wilna Colopy, who scored 11 points. Grace Minihane added nine. Elysia Bottcher led the Coursers with nine points.

The Coursers led by two points at the half. Some of that was the result of the Lions’ inability to make inside and mid-range shots. But CSCS turned on the defense in the second half. The Lions allowed the  Coursers to score just seven points in the third quarter. Asp scored that many in the fourth quarter.

Asp seemed equally as comfortable playing the point guard position as she was driving to the basket for layup attempts.

“I am very comfortable playing the point. My teammates? They help if ever I get in trouble,” Asp said. “If I’m throwing the ball away, they are there uplifting me. I’m just so thankful for them.”

Asp has played other sports but is focusing on basketball these days. She plays club ball. Her coach, Mark Engesser, noticed a change between November play at Gold Crown and the state title game.

“She plays so hard,” he said. “She has progressed a lot. When I think back to our first scrimmage in November, it wasn’t too pretty. Usually, freshmen struggle – at least in girls – and then have a big jump when they are sophomores. She had a huge jump from November to March .. huge. High-school basketball is different from middle school. She has really adjusted well as a freshman.”

This was Vanguard’s first trip to the state finals. CSCS, which boasted a veteran starting lineup, last won a state title in 2002. They were runner-up three consecutive times from 2017-19.

“I had tears of happiness,” Asp said. “All the work we put in, all of the grind we put in? We’re staying hungry for that reason. We just got that ring.”

“I have great girls,” Engesser said. “Not one of them has a bad attitude. They take the corrections. I’m so blessed to coach these girls. I just love them to death. I’d be with them in the gym 24/7 if I could.”