The No. 3 seeded Durango High School girls basketball team trailed No. 30 Bear Creek 24-20 heading into the fourth quarter in the first round of the Class 5A state playoffs on Tuesday at DHS.
In the fourth quarter, the Demons set the tone on the first play and were nearly perfect from the free-throw line as they rallied past the Bears to win the game, 44-37.
“The kids were extremely nervous at the beginning of the game and rushing things,” said DHS head coach Tim Fitzpatrick. “I was nervous about Bear Creek. They’re better than their record and they are a well-coached team, but my kids responded.”
Lilly Fitzpatrick began the fourth by picking off a pass and turning it into a fast-break layup. Mason Rowland, who was limited to four points in the first three quarters, then got hot. Rowland turned a pair of steals into fast-break buckets, got some nice feeds from her teammates on other scores and knocked down six free throws. Rowland scored 14 in the fourth, tying the game at 26-26 and later giving DHS a 30-29 lead it would never relinquish, to finish with 18 points. Halle Peterson also had a big night on offense for DHS and finished with 14 points, including seven of the team’s 12 first-half points that helped DHS take a 12-10 lead into the break.
Durango’s defense, however, kept them in the contest. DHS pressed the Bears throughout the game, limited their open looks and forced multiple turnovers.
Riley Campbell swiped a pass in the first quarter and later swished a long-2 from the corner. Carter Neiman hustled to keep possession for DHS, beating a Bear to a loose ball, and also grabbed several rebounds to limit Bear Creek’s scoring opportunities. Tyler Trujillo stole a pass and turned it into a fast break in the first.
DHS trailed 7-6 entering the second quarter, but held Bear Creek to just three points in the frame. Reese Glover stole the ball from a Bear Creek player. Peterson scored with a hard baseline move after Mariah Maestas found her open in the post.
On the opening possession of the second half, Campbell pump faked to shake a defender and then scored. Adde Neiman stole a pass in the third and a couple more in the fourth.
Bear Creek, however, scored 10 of the last 12 points in the third quarter to take a slim lead into the fourth.
After the Demons only made two of their eight first-half free throws and 4-of-10 heading into the fourth, DHS sunk 12-of-14 in final quarter when they mattered the most.
DHS will next host No. 14 Pueblo West in the second round. The Cyclones beat No. 19 Northridge 55-52 in their first-round game. The second-round contest is currently scheduled for 6 p.m. Friday at DHS.
“That’s a little pressure off of us,” Fitzpatrick said about the win. “Hopefully we can play more relaxed (in the next round). I appreciate the student body and community support. Hopefully (the crowd) will be even bigger Friday.”
