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Mountain Range knocks off Legacy

By John Rosa, Special to the Rocky

Published February 10, 2009 at 9:50 p.m.

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WESTMINSTER — When the season started the Mountain Range boys basketball team was just hoping to be able to compete at the 5A level.

Now, with the playoffs just a couple weeks away, the Mustangs have raised the bar a little bit. Third-year Mountain Range, which played the past two seasons in 4A, is looking to make an impact in the postseason.

Tuesday night the Mustangs showed they have the ability to be a factor, knocking off one of the hottest teams in the state with a

47-43 victory over visiting Legacy.

“We can be a threat,” said Mountain Range sophomore Mitch Castillo, who scored a game-high 13 points. “We play as a team. We don’t rely on one or two players. It’s a team effort.”

The Mustangs (14-6 overall, 6-2 Front Range League) put in a workman- like effort on the defensive end in snapping the Lightning’s 12-game winning streak. Mountain Range only surrendered five field goals in the second half, and only 14 in the entire game.

“This was the best defensive game we’ve played all year,” Mustangs coach Jim Mason said. “Since we’ve struggled (offensively) the past four games or so, we just needed to get back to not thinking and just playing. And picking up our intensity.”

With both teams concentrating on defense, the contest was tight throughout. The lead exchanged hands four times in the fourth quarter, with Legacy (13-6, 7-1) taking its final advantage at 40-39 following a pair of Jade Roberts free throws with three minutes, 27 seconds left to play.

Mountain Range eventually opened up a 45-41 cushion following a Cole Nielsen bucket with 1:35 left.

Legacy had a chance to pull out the victory late, however. Nick Noffsinger made it a 2-point game with a pair of free throws, and then the Mustangs missed the front end of a 1-and-1 with 34 seconds left.

The Lightning ran time off the clock before working the ball over to Roberts on the left wing. Roberts got a good look at the basket, but his three-pointer from NBA range bounced off the rim. Casey Hall’s tip-in try rimmed out, and Derrick Valdez was able to grab the rebound for Mountain Range with 1.2 seconds left.

Valdez hit a pair of free throws to ice the victory.

“I thought I had it,” Roberts said. “That’s a pretty consistent shot for me. I just didn’t hit it that time.”

The loss was the first for Legacy since Dec. 16, when if fell to Mountain Range 60-44 in a non-conference game. But the Lightning can still grab a share of the Front Range League title if it can win out.

Legacy hosts top-ranked Fairview Feb. 17 in a game that could decide the conference crown.

“I don’t think this will be that big of a momentum-killer,” Roberts said. “We had to be tough mentally to go from being 0-4 to winning 12 in a row. I think we’ll be fine.”

Legacy 11 9 9 14 – 43

Mountain Range 11 12 10 14 – 47

Legacy – Tim Schmuhl 1 0-0 2, Bob May 0 1-2 1, Nick Noffsinger 2 6-7 10, Mark Fenton 1 0-1 2, Casey Hall 2 0-1 4, Mercudin Durmisevic 1 0-0 2, Semir Probic 1 0-0 2, Jade Roberts 3 2-2 10, Walter Cooper 3 3-4 10. Totals 14 12-17 43.

Mountain Range – Dacian Florez 1 0-0 2, Nick Kuhl 2 2-2 6, Derrick Valdez 2 4-5 9, Taylor Maunu 2 1-2 5, Edgar Crockett 2 0-0 4, Dalton Hills 2 0-0 4, Cole Nielsen 2 0-0 4, Mitch Castillo 5 1-1 13. Totals 18 8-10 47.

Three-point field goals – L, 3 (Roberts 2, Cooper); MR, 3 (Castillo 2, Valdez). Fouled out – none.

Comments

  • February 11, 2009

    8:44 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    knightsnbuffs writes:

    go fairview beat legacy go undefeated the whole season!!

  • February 12, 2009

    1:19 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    NobleOne writes:

    Had Cooper#32 not gotten hurt Legacy would have beaten Mountain Range. I hope he is better for the Fairview game they will need him.