The Durango High School girls basketball team scored its second playoff win of the week on Friday. The No. 17-seeded Demons headed to No. 16 Littleton and beat the Lions on their home floor, 40-34, in the second round of the Class 4A state playoffs.
“The kids handled their crowd, and they handled the moment,” said DHS head coach Tim Fitzpatrick.
Littleton started the game strong, and Durango went into halftime trailing the Lions 18-12. DHS, however, picked it up in the second half and grabbed the lead in the third quarter.
“I think the kids played better, and we had some threes,” Fitzpatrick said.
Durango sank four 3-pointers in the third, with freshmen Tyler Trujillo and Katelyn Sheppard both hitting shots from deep. Mason Rowland and Riley Campbell also scored five points apiece in the third, helping Durango win the quarter 18-9 and take a 30-27 lead into the fourth.
In the final quarter, with Littleton fouling as it attempted a comeback, the Demons hit free throws when they needed them. Carter Neiman made two shots from the free-throw line, and Rowland sank 4 of 6 in the fourth.
Defensively, Durango held Littleton’s leading scorer, Penny Urquhart, to just three points in the game. Fitzpatrick said the Demons played “team defense” and always knew where she was at.
Rowland scored 18 to lead Durango, and Campbell scored 10.
The coach also said Durango’s “bench played really well.”
With the win, DHS advances to the Sweet 16 on Tuesday and will likely face No. 1 Windsor (22-0). The Wizards played No. 33 Riverdale Ridge Tuesday, but the score wasn’t available at press time.
With the win, Durango improves to 17-7 overall, and Littleton finishes its season 16-5.
And the Demons aren’t done yet.
“We’re going to the Sweet 16 – that’s pretty big for us,” Fitzpatrick said. “I think they were really excited to win this one.”
