Usually when the Durango High School girls basketball team scores 50+ points, it wins, but the Demons’ strong offensive performance wasn’t enough in a 57-52 loss at Golden in the second round of the 5A state playoffs.
The Demons from La Plata County (Golden is also the Demons) had one of their strongest performances around the basket of the season, keeping them in front or just behind Golden all game. Durango did a good job causing turnovers, and senior guard Claire Goodwin had one of the best games of her career, leading Durango.
However, after No. 20 seed Durango had a 46-40 lead with four minutes left, No. 13 Golden showed why it had 19 wins going into the matchup, finishing the game on a 17-6 run in the last four minutes. The home Demons hit timely 3-pointers and had a few steals with their strong full-court press to stop Durango’s upset and finish Durango’s season. It was the first time this season that Durango scored 50 points and didn’t win.
“We played extremely hard,” Durango head coach Lauren Moran said. “It was probably our best all-around game of the season, and we are very proud of everybody’s efforts. We just couldn’t quite get it done.”
Durango finished its season 11-12 overall and 4-6 in the 6A/5A Southwestern League. Goodwin finished with a season-high 25 points on 8-18 shooting from the field, 3-7 from 3-point range, 6-7 from the free-throw line, seven rebounds and five steals. Junior guard Jaelyn Alston added 13 points and senior forward Ryne Neiman added 12 points in her final high school basketball game.
Golden improved to 20-4 overall and will advance to the third round to play the winner of No. 4 Windsor and No. 29 Ponderosa.
Durango had a great start, with Goodwin and Neiman both getting into the paint for left-handed finishes. The Demons’ defense did well in contesting but not fouling and forcing turnovers as they led 4-0 with four minutes left in the first quarter.
Both squads did a good job pressing to force turnovers late in the first quarter. Durango held an 8-3 lead, but Golden closed the gap by getting to the free-throw line. Durango countered by getting to the free-throw line and forcing a lot of jump balls. Goodwin was in control on offense early, and Durango led 13-9 after the first quarter. Goodwin had seven first-quarter points.
Turnovers continued to be a problem for both teams, as Golden’s press kept it in the game. Durango wasn’t finishing as well as in the first quarter. Back-to-back steals and scores by No. 4 gave Golden its first lead, 20-18, with 4:30 left in the first half.
The rest of the second quarter had a lot of impressive offense. Golden started hitting its 3-point shots after a cold first quarter, and got some offense by either stealing the ball or breaking Durango’s press. Durango finished inside as well as it had all season, having multiple baskets plus the foul. The Demons from La Plata County were fantastic from the free-throw line, going 13-15 in the first half as they trailed 32-29 at the break.
Moran said Durango’s scoring was a double-edged sword. Golden got to the basket for some quick scores either off steals or by beating Durango’s press break. This gave the La Plata County Demons more possessions to score.
Durango retook the lead early in the third quarter, 33-32, after a nice pass inside from Goodwin to Neiman for a layup. Goodwin was finding a lot of great driving lanes that weren’t there for her in league play.
After a scoring explosion in the second quarter, the third quarter was a defensive grind. Durango did a great job reading passing lanes to cause turnovers, while Golden forced Durango into some tough shots in the paint. A 3-pointer late by Alston gave the Demons the lead back, but two free throws from Golden gave the home team a 39-37 lead after three quarters.
Goodwin’s fantastic offensive performance continued to start the fourth quarter. She had the first five points of the fourth quarter against Golden’s zone defense, including a 3-pointer from the wing for a 42-39 lead with 6:45 left. Golden struggled to stay with her, despite her being Durango’s top scorer.
“She played a tremendous game,” an emotional Moran said about Goodwin. “She’s an extremely passionate player. She didn’t want this season to be over with, so she really played her butt off.”
Durango’s strong defense and Golden’s turnover problems allowed the La Plata County Demons to take a 46-40 lead with 4:15 left. Durango took its time on offense, but couldn’t finish the possessions, allowing the home squad to find its touch. A contested layup tied the game at 46 with two minutes left.
Senior guard Josie Phare was the aggressor in critical moments, making a layup to give Durango a 48-46 lead and getting to the free-throw line. However, Golden pulled away in the end with some contested 3-pointers, followed by another Golden steal off its press and an insurance score.
The Demons will lose Goodwin, Phare, Neiman and senior forward Aysia Mathews next season. Alston will be relied on as a senior, and once again, new Demons will have to step up.
“Their improvements over the course of the season are really something to be proud of,” Moran said about her 2025-2026 squad. “That and how they came together to create a positive culture.”
bkelly@durangoherald.com
