Devastated by 47 free throws awarded (fortunately, only 23 were made) their opponent, the Centauri High School boys and their exasperated fans won't get a chance to avenge last Thursday's 58-54 loss in Bayfield, despite being the host team for this weekend's 3A Intermountain League District Tournament.
Seeded fifth in the bracket, the Falcons (3-15 overall) were eliminated Tuesday night at Monte Vista, 63-57, in the bracket's dreaded play-in contest as the #4 Pirates improved to 7-13 overall before facing 1-seed Alamosa (15-4) in one semifinal last night in La Jara. The other pit 3-seed BHS (10-9) against #2 Pagosa Springs (12-7), with the games' winners then meeting tomorrow to decide first place and the losers fighting to save third.
Unfortunately, results from Thursday's action were unavailable by press time; the Wolverines and PSHS were to tip off at 6 p.m., with MVHS-AHS to follow.
In the bizarre come-from-behind win over CHS, in which Bayfield wiped out a 30-14 halftime deficit and virtually lived at the charity stripe in the fourth quarter, senior guard Taed Heydinger sank three three-pointers and finished with 17 points, trailing only Centauri's Angelo Ortiz (19) for the game high. Senior forward Zane Phelps scored 15 and sophomore center Ryan Phelps, granted 20 FT chances but able to make just nine, managed 13.
Falcon sophomore Nate Anderson (11) and senior Nikolai Pawloski (10) also scored in double figures.
IML BOYS' BOX, 2/18-La Jara Centauri 54, at Bayfield 58:
CHS (13-17-10-14)-S.Anderson 0 2-2 2, A.Ortiz 9 1-2 19, T.Engle 2 1-2 5, N.Pawloski 4 2-5 10, N.Anderson 3 4-4 11, D.Sowards 0 0-0 0, B.Dunn 1 0-0 2, D.Maez 0 0-0 0, L.Claunch 2 0-2 5, M.Garcia 0 0-0 0, J.Sanchez 0 0-0 0, C.Fringer 0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 21 10-17 54. 3-POINTERS: N.Anderson, Claunch. TOTAL FOULS: 29. TECHNICAL FOULS: HC Ron Dunn 2 (ejected with 5:52 left, Q4). FOULED OUT: S.Anderson, Engle.
BHS (6-8-18-26)-T.Heydinger 4 6-12 17, Z.Phelps 5 5-8 15, K.Prior 1 0-1 2, H.Killough 2 1-4 5, R.Phelps 2 9-20 13, F.Edwards 0 0-0 0, B.Mashak 2 2-2 6, Z.Kujath 0 0-0 0, H.Farmer 0 0-0 0, B.Stuever 0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 16 23-47 58. 3-POINTERS: Heydinger 3. TOTAL FOULS: 14. FOULED OUT: None.
