Valor girls basketball edges closer to a 8th consecutive Jeffco League title

LITTLETON — Valor Christian’s girls basketball team continues to pile up the Class 6A Jeffco League victories and conference titles.

The Eagles’ 79-63 road victory against Columbine in a Saturday matinee pushed Valor to 35th consecutive league wins dating back to the 2022-23 season. It also put Valor closer to an 8th straight Jeffco League title.

“In the past years we’ve been good and we wanted to keep that up,” Valor senior Camryn Gunter said of Valor nearing another conference title. “It wasn’t in the forefront of our minds going into this game. We wanted to just play the best we possibly could and it ended in our favor.”

Gunter finished with 20 points before fouling out in the final minute of the fourth quarter. It was just the second game back for the senior post player who missed three weeks due to injury.

“It is nice to have Cam (Gunter) back in the fold,” Caldwell said of having Gunter back after missing six league games after an ankle injury in the Eagles’ league opener on Jan. 12. “I thought the girls did a good job trying to find her and adjust our offense to get a little more space so Cam can get some buckets around the rim.”

Gunter was averaging nearly a double-double in points and rebounds before the injury.

“It is really good to be back,” Gunter said. “I missed it.”

Valor senior Peyton Jones is ecstatic to have Gunter back for the final stretch of the regular season and before the start of the postseason.

“It is so nice to have her,” Jones said of Gunter. “She is my girl and having her back is a blessing. I for sure missed her.”

Jones couldn’t miss herself in the first half. The senior who has signed with the University of Utah had 21 points at halftime, including five 3-pointers. She finished with 29 points.

“I love great games that will push us,” Jones said of facing Columbine (17-3, 6-3 in 6A Jeffco League. “I’m a competitor and our whole team are competitors. I really love when two great teams can compete against each other. Both teams competed really well.”

Columbine hit Valor (15-3, 9-0) with a solid jab to start the game. The Rebels got off to an early 7-0 lead in the opening minutes with senior Jordyn Washington scoring all 7 points for Columbine.

“We definitely needed to wake up,” Jones said. “Basketball is a game of runs. They had either run and then we had our runs.”

After a timeout by Valor coach Jessika Caldwell, the Eagles went on an 8-0 run and then on a 12-0 run in the second quarter to open up a 51-34 lead at halftime.

“It was a really fast-paced game,” Caldwell said after her Eagles’ put up 51 points in the opening half. “One of the things we talked about after a miss or made basket that we had to get back on defense because (Columbine) is so quick in transition. So many of their points come off of that. We fell asleep a couple of times.”

Washington finished with a game-high 31 points in the Rebels’ second loss in three games.

“Columbine has so many complete scorers and girls who can put it in the basket. It is hard to focus just on one player,” Caldwell said of the Rebels’ offense. “Obviously, Jordyn was shooting the heck out of the ball today. She had a great performance.”

Senior Mason Abraham got loose for 9 points in the final quarter for the Rebels, but Valor’s lead never dropped below double-digits.

Valor hasn’t loss since a non-league defeat to Broomfield on Jan. 10, but Caldwell isn’t sitting back on the Eagles’ laurels.

“We have to continue to find ways to get better,” Caldwell said of five regular-season games remaining for Valor. “I think we pride ourselves on defense and we had some defensive lapses today.”

Valor’s last tough test in league play will be at home against Ralston Valley (14-6, 6-2) on Tuesday, Feb. 10 in Highlands Ranch. The Mustangs are the only league team that could mathematically still catch the Eagles in the conference standings and end Valor’s domination in the league. 

Ralston Valley would have to defeat Valor next week and then get help from Lakewood and/or Bear Creek when they face the Eagles.

“Our league is great this year. Some really good team,” Jones said of 6A Jeffco. “We always want to win. It’s our focus to win and it’s great to do it in such a great league.”