Maves, Mott named MVPs in 2023 Jeffco HS Senior Game

LAKEWOOD — It was only fitting that the last two Jeffco League girls basketball MVPs shined one last time while facing each other.

Evergreen senior Jameson Mott (2021-22 4A Jeffco MVP) and Green Mountain senior Jayda Maves (2022-23 5A/4A Jeffco MVP) were named MVPs after the 2023 Jeffco HS Senior Girls Basketball Game on Thursday night at the Gold Crown Field House.

“I love Jayda. We’ve been best friends for so many years,” said Mott, who was named the Blue Team MVP. “Basketball has really bonded us closer. I knew she was going to hit a couple of those (3-pointers) late.”

Maves helped lead the White squad to a 67-55 victory. The Green Mountain senior scored 10 of her game-high 22 points in the fourth quarter as the White pulled away. Maves started out hot in the opening half, but had a good stretch where her shots weren’t falling.

“I know this is kind of a fun thing, but for myself I’m so competitive,” Maves said. “I was like, ‘Come on. You got it get it in. Let’s go.’ I always pick it up in the second half.”

Maves had plenty of help from teammates in the fourth quarter. Golden senior Madison Bates had 7 points in the final quarter, including a bank 3-pointer midway through the fourth to give the White a 57-49 lead.

D’Evelyn senior Rebecca Taylor had some key defensive steals and poured in 16 points while being coached by Jaguars’ coach Chris Olson for one last time.

“I can say that I won the last game of the year that I coached. As much as I would have liked to win the other one,” Olson joked referring to D’Evelyn losing in the 4A state championship game March 11 to Holy Family.

It is the second win for Olson, who guided the White team to victory in the very first Jeffco HS Senior Girls Game back in 2018. 

“For me it is really easy,” Olson said of coaching the all-star game for the third time. “I’m not a control type coach so I tell them to just go play. Go do what got you here. It’s a lot of fun.”

The Gold Crown Foundation has been running the Jeffco Senior Basketball Games for six years with First Bank sponsoring the girls and boys games that has every Jeffco high school and team that competes in either the 6A Jeffco League or 5A/4A Jeffco League represented. 

“This is such a fun experience because I hadn’t played with any of these girls,” Maves said, who finished her career with over 1,600 points. “I’ve played against them so I know who they play. We were able to play together and it was a really fun experience.”

The COVID-19 pandemic cancelled the games in 2020, but the growing event had its first overtime last year when the girls game went into an extra session.

“I’m super competitive, but at the end of the day you just have to have fun,” said Mott, who had over 1,200 career points. “It’s your last time and you get to play with so many incredible players. I got to compete against them for four years and I finally got to be on the same team as them. It was super cool.”

Mott will continue her playing career at Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania next school year, while Maves heads west to Western Colorado University in Gunnison.