Durango High School was crowned the Class 4A kings of the Southwestern and Western Slope leagues.
Stingy defense kept the score low in the Class 4A Boys SWL/WSL District Tournament championship game Saturday in Grand Junction.
When the second-seeded Durango Demons (15-6) sped up the tempo, No. 1 Rifle (17-4) couldn’t keep up. The Demons trailed 14-9 at halftime, but a strong third quarter helped push Durango to a 35-28 victory.
“We played their game in the first half. We had to speed it up, so we put some pressure on their front court, and Rifle turned the ball over,” DHS head coach Alan Batiste said.
DHS senior guard Dane Mestas led the Demons offensively, scoring almost half of the team’s points with 17.
“Dane had a very big game. It was an overall team effort, but he was huge,” Batiste said.
Batiste credited the defensive effort of the Demons’ 6-7 senior center Trent Andrews for helping the Demons hold Rifle to just 14 points each half.
Durango took its first lead at 19-17 in the middle of the third quarter; the Demons wouldn’t surrender that lead the rest of the way.
After earning the victory and the SWL/WSL district championship, Batiste hopes his team earns some credit when the CHSAA Class 4A bracket is released Sunday afternoon.
“We are the best in the Western Slope. We hope for some respect. Rifle had the top ranking out here all year, and we beat them,” Batiste said. “We are hoping for a No. 4 or 5 seed.”
heraldsports@durangoherald.com
Class 4A SWL/WSL District Tournament
Southwestern League/ Western Slope League
Feb. 20-22 at Grand Junction
Thursday, Feb. 20
No. 1 Rifle 42, No. 8 Montezuma-Cortez 36
No. 2 Durango 45, No. 7 Delta 41
No. 5 Palisade 50, No. 4 Steamboat Springs 37
No. 6 Montrose 56, No. 3 Glenwood Springs 51
Friday, Feb. 21
No. 1 Rifle 52, No. 5 Palisade 43
No. 2 Durango 46, No. 6 Montrose 42
Consolation
No. 4 Steamboat Springs 60, No. 8 Montezuma-Cortez 45
No. 7 Delta 51, No. 3 Glenwood Springs 48
Saturday, Feb. 22
Championship
No. 2 Durango 35, No. 1 Rifle 28
Consolation Championship
No. 4 Steamboat Springs 45, No. 7 Delta 27
Third-place Game
No. 5 Palisade 67, No. 6 Montrose 52
Durango Herald
