5A boys basketball: Mesa Ridge caps off perfect season with program’s first championship

DENVER – The Mesa Ridge boys basketball team officially has a championship.

On Saturday night at the Denver Coliseum, the Grizzlies won 71-68 over Air Academy in the Class 5A state championship game, capping off a perfect 28-0 season. It was the Grizzlies’ first-ever state title and the exhilarating atmosphere between two Colorado Springs teams and their fans was befitting an historic champion being crowned.

After finally capturing their first trophy, the Grizzlies celebrated equally fittingly.

“To have the community behind us was awesome,” Grizzlies junior Tevin Riehl said. “I went to the gas station this morning and this dude told me, ‘Good luck tonight.’ I don’t even know who he was but he’s been rooting for us since the start of this. Just the way these people have been cheering us on is great. It’s great.”

Air Academy led 38-36 at halftime but the Grizzlies wrestled the lead away and were ahead by two points with 2 minutes left in the fourth quarter. Air Academy’s Grant Featherston hit a 3-pointer to give the Kadets the lead with 1:25 left.

Mesa Ridge’s Mekhi Hubbard drove through the lane and made a layup to return the Grizzlies’ lead with 45 seconds left and Riehl hit a pair of free throws to push that lead to three with 11.5 seconds left. The Kadets had a shot to tie the game but couldn’t make a desperation 3-pointer in the final seconds.

“In the second half, we started getting our defense right,” Babbitt said. “When we started getting our defense right, we limited some of their shots but holy cow could they shoot.”

In the first half, Air Academy went 7 for 12 from 3-point range but made only 3 of 13 attempts against the Grizzlies’ defense after halftime. Each team made 10 3-pointers in the game.

Riehl led all scorers with 23 points. Grizzlies senior Trei Ginn scored 13 points and both Hubbard and Bryce Riehl finished with nine.

Featherston led Air Academy with 18 points, going 4 for 5 from long range and shooting 60 percent from the field. Corbin Garver scored 17 points and Noah Hellem finished with 16.

“I don’t know how they did it,” Babbitt said. “This is their first experience in any of this. They’re just solid kids and they work hard. I’m glad they got a reward for it.”

Air Academy last won a state title back in 2015 when the Kadets were in 4A.