4A Boys Basketball: Kent Denver Pours in Points, Repeats as State Champions
By Courtney Oakes
Photo: Emma Pierce
The Sun Devils went after each other day-after-day in practice, rolled through virtually every team on their schedule and dominated this season’s Class 4A state tournament, which concluded with a crowning performance in Saturday morning’s championship game.
Top-seeded Kent Denver won its second straight state title with an explosive 95-81 victory over No. 10 University in one of the highest-scoring state championship games in Colorado history. Senior Caleb Fay racked up 30 points in his final prep game and senior Sam Glynn added 26 to lead a dominating performance that secured the program’s third all-time state title.
“Other than the uniforms, this is what we look like in practice,” said head coach Todd Schayes, whose team finished 25-3 and won its last 18 games. “We go full court, all 16 guys and we just get after it. That takes all the pressure and the stress out of it, so we’re just out there having fun. … I just want to have fun and I want the kids to have fun. That’s exactly what happened for the last hour and a half.”
According to Colorado High School Activities Association records, Kent Denver’s brand of fun produced the first 90-plus-point total for a winning state championship team since back in 1998, when Hinkley scored 91 in the then-4A state title game. It was the most points for a team in a state championship game since Holy Family scored 96 to beat Glenwood Springs in the 1975 AA championship game and it was the fifth highest-scoring title game (both teams) in history.
The Sun Devils scored 20 or more in all four quarters and had four players in double figures in Fay, Glynn — who made 6 of his team’s 13 3-pointers — plus juniors Liam Ash (13 points) and Henry Czaja (12).
University (20-8) had its share of fun, especially in the opening quarter when it raced out to a 10-4 lead with help from hot starts from senior John Elbe and River Sawyer, who both finished the contest with 26 points.
The margin nearly reached double figures near the midway point of the opening quarter, but Fay and Glynn connected on three 3-pointers apiece as Kent Denver surged to a lead. The opening quarter featured a combined 10 3-pointers and ended with the Sun Devils in front 28-24.
“We recognized that we’ve played teams that have come out hot before, but we can come out hot, too,” Glynn said. “We matched the energy, we came out strong and we do it for longer than they do. That’s how we win our games.”
Kent Denver kept up the “relentless” style of play Schayes favors and managed to build an 11-point lead on three occasions, helped by a big quarter from Ash (who had 11 of his 13 in the period). Elbe, Sawyer and senior Coehn Nitzel refused to let the game get away, however, as they helped pull University back within 48-44 at halftime.
Fay struck for nine in the third quarter as the margin widened to 10 after three quarter.
The Sun Devils poured it on in the fourth quarter, which began with a 13-4 burst. That included a sequence with back-to-back dunks from Fay.
“My legs were gassed after that for sure,” Fay said with a smile. “I decided to come out more aggressive than in our last game. Still get my teammates involved (he had three assists) but come out aggressive for sure. … When I looked up at the scoreboard and saw 95 points, I was surprised. That’s crazy.”
Kent Denver hit 93 points with nearly half of the fourth quarter remaining, but added just one more basketball the rest of the way.
The championship capped a season that was somewhat uncertain for the Sun Devils, who had to replace four senior starters from last season.
They did so with a centerpiece of Fay — who became one of 15 boys players in state history to score 2,000-plus points for a career — plus Glynn and a few others who saw a small amount of varsity time a year ago.
“We thought even if we win half our games and we make it to the postseason, it’s a five-game tournament and when February, March rolls around with the way we play and the kids we have, we’ll take our chances,” Schayes said. “We have a great system and a great team and we didn’t think anybody wanted to play us.”
Added Fay: “It was just a bunch of guys stepping up and getting better throughout the year. … Winning last year was amazing, but to get this one with a new team feels great.”
DENVER —
