COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo (KOAA) — The high school basketball postseason got underway Tuesday night with 10 Southern Colorado schools taking the floor as they pursue a state championship. Eight of the ten teams in action advanced to the second round and will play on Friday.
Palmer Ridge 54, Thompson Valley 37
After clinging to a 23-19 lead after the first half, Palmer Ridge outscored Thompson Valley 19-5 in the third quarter to help lift them to victory. Chaz Connors finished with a game-high 28 points for the Bears. Palmer Ridge will play at Cheyenne Mountain on Friday at 6PM.
Doherty 55, Legacy 42
Doherty used a big fourth quarter to propel them past Legacy. The Spartans trailed after each of the first three quarters but outscored Legacy 20-6 in the fourth quarter to pull away for the win. Jamikel Sisneros led the way for Doherty with 13 points. The Spartans will play at George Washington on Friday at 6PM.
Dakota Ridge 56, Pueblo East 40
East had a strong start to the game, scoring the first five points. However, Dakota Ridge held the Eagles to just 7 more points in the first half as they led Pueblo East 25-12 after the first two quarters. East cut the deficit down to 8 by the end of the third but Dakota Ridge ran away with it in the fourth. Micah Herring scored 13 points in the effort for East.
Pueblo Central 50, Grand Junction Central 47
The Wildcats escaped with a narrow victory after trailing for most of the game. Senior guard Darrin Hemphill was the highest scorer for Pueblo Central with 15 points, all coming from beyond the arc. The Wildcats will head to Severance on Friday with a 6PM tipoff time.
Pueblo West 53, Bear Creek 45
A fourth-quarter defensive stand helped lift Pueblo West over Bear Creek. The Cyclones were trailing 42-39 after the first three quarters, but they held Bear Creek to just 3 points in the final eight minutes. Pueblo West will visit Rock Canyon in the second round.
Pueblo County 57, Aurora Central 51
Pueblo County went on the road in the opening round and returned home with its season still alive. The Hornets built a 34-24 first-half lead and kept Aurora Central at arm's distance throughout the second half. Pueblo County will be on the road again for round two as they take on the top seed in 5A, Palisade.
Coronado 73, Thomas Jefferson 58
In a back-and-forth first half, it looked like this game would come down to the wire. Coronado led by four after the first quarter, but then trailed 31-26 after the second. The Cougars outscored Thomas Jefferson by 10 points in both the third and fourth quarters to pull away for the win. Lyrik Smith had a game-high 22 points to go along with 11 rebounds for Coronado. Collin Wolf (16), Turner Whitney (15), and Brayden Taylor (14) all reached double figures as well. That win sets up a second-round match with Eagle Valley.
Discovery Canyon 56, Glenwood Springs 44
Discovery Canyon took care of business at home against Glenwood Springs and will travel to Grand Junction for Friday’s second-round game.
Palmer 93, Montbello 59
Palmer had no trouble as they cruised to a blowout win at home. The Terrors led 50-31 at halftime, and increased that lead to 81-48 by the end of the third. They will look for another high-scoring performance as they hit the road to take on Regis Groff in round two.
Heritage 74, Fountain Fort Carson 62
Fountain Fort Carson fell to Heritage at home in the opening round. The Trojans finished the season with a 12-12 record.
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City Council votes to ban car-camping; provide clarity on camping violations
Colorado Springs City Councilmembers spent much of Tuesday addressing concerns about vehicle camping on public property. Council decided all camping violations will now fall under one enforceable law.
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