History - 3 Years After
March 9th, 2019, is a day that will forever go down in Cherry Creek history. It's probably my favorite day of my four years at Cherry Creek and a day I'll remember for the rest of my life. The 2019 5A Girls Basketball State Championship at the Denver Coliseum very well could be my favorite sporting event I've ever been to. Here is that story.
The Road to the Championship
Cherry Creek entered the postseason at 19-4 (13-1) with their three in-state losses coming at the hands of Highlands Ranch twice and when they hosted Grandview. After cruising through the first two rounds of the playoffs against Arapahoe and Rangeview, it was time to head to the Denver Coliseum. The highlights of the Great-8 and Final Four games are below.
Great-8 | Fossil Ridge - 51-47
Final-4 | Highlands Ranch - 53-52
After Abby Wrede hit the clutch 3-pointer late in the semifinal, the Bruins were riding high into the championship game. She got the postgame interview after the Final Four Victory.
Gameday
At that point in time, Cherry Creek had never won State Championship titles in softball, boys track, cheerleading, and girls basketball. The girls on the basketball team knew what was at stake on that day and they all took it very seriously. A win in the State Championship would be much more than just another year on a banner in the Cherry Creek South Gym. It would be a win for every single girls basketball player in school history and something for every player in the future to look up to and aspire to accomplish.
Winning a championship wasn't going to be easy that day, Grandview had captured the title in both 2017 and 2018 and was looking to three-peat. Every possession would be so important, the game would be physical, and whoever played best down the stretch would be the winner of the game.
The 2019 girls basketball state championship was the first-ever state event I've had the privilege of covering for CCSN. What I learned that day is that state events are unlike any other event you can think of, amateur or professional. There's a special spirit in the air, there's something extremely large at stake, and above all else, it's an important occasion for every community that gets to participate.
The Game
This video, taken pregame, is one of my favorite clips I've shot over the last four years. They dim the lights at the Coliseum prior to the championship game for the National Anthem and team intros and it really is the calm before the storm.
Cherry Creek fans are known to show up right on time and that was the case on that afternoon. During warmups, the student section was virtually empty, but once the lights came back on for tip-off, there was a sea of red ready to cheer on the Bruins. It was by far the largest crowd I had ever seen at a girls basketball game (rightfully so), and it was impressive to see a large fanbase when in all reality a very small and select group of people go to girls regular-season games.
To be frank, Grandview outplayed Cherry Creek for the first three quarters of the game. After taking a 6-5 lead with 3:30 left to go in the first quarter, the Bruins would play from behind for the entire rest of the game. Grandview would hold the lead for exactly 26 minutes and 31.5 seconds until Cherry Creek would tie the game at 47. The story of the game that will live on is the 4th quarter, and to me, three plays stand out in particular.
1. Bella Sparaco/Carly Thompson Trap Leads to Kacee Kyle Steal
To me, this play was textbook defense. It was perfect. With time winding down, Grandview was trying to eat clock. With no shot clock in high school basketball, the threat of killing clock is a legitimate one and the only way to really get around it is to force a turnover.
Grandview had led by as many as ten points right around halfway through the fourth quarter and Cherry Creek started cutting into that lead. By the time there were less than 90-seconds left, the Bruins had forced enough turnovers and made enough plays on offense to make it just a one-possession game. They needed to force just one more.
As soon as Grandview passes the ball, you can see Carly Thompson run to the sideline and join Bella Sparaco for the trap. It forced a ton of pressure on the Wolves which led the ball right into the hands of Kacee Kyle. For the first time since the first quarter, Grandview didn't have the lead and it seemed as if Cherry Creek had all the momentum going into the final minute.
2. Bella Sparaco's Offensive Rebound From Kacee Kyle's Missed FT
To start the clip off, Kacee Kyle was able to tie the game for a second time within less than 40-seconds AND draw a foul to give Cherry Creek the lead. Now I have no idea whether or not Kacee missed on purpose, and I wouldn't think she did, but this might be the best missed free throw in state history. You never want to miss a free throw in a tied game, but knowing what happened in the closing seconds of this game, I'll say thank you Kacee for missing that free throw.
When Kacee gets to the line and misses, Bella Sparco then made the play that would set up the game-winner. The ball came off the rim, just out of the reach of 6'7 Lauren Betts and Bella was able to secure it. Jana's shot, which we'll get to in a second, would not have happened if Bella doesn't get that rebound and Coach Evans is able to call timeout. The wingspan of Lauren Betts is no joke, but it's the fact that she didn't get that rebound that makes me think that it was destiny that Cherry Creek would win that day.
3. Jana Van Gytenbeek: "The Shot"
My view on the far baseline
Sideline view via 9News/Twitter
Big-time players make big-time plays in big-time moments. Ladies and gentlemen, in case you didn't know, Jana Van Gytenbeek is an extremely big-time player and shines in the spotlight. With 4.3 seconds left in the fourth quarter, she hit the biggest shot in Cherry Creek Basketball history and one of the biggest shots in Colorado State Championship History.
The Bruins clawed back from a 10-point deficit in the fourth, they battled on the offensive and defensive ends, and they gave themselves a chance to win the game. As a team that's all you can do; give yourself a chance to win. When you give yourself a chance in the closing seconds, there's no one else you'd rather have with the ball in their hands than your leader.
I will be honest and say I've tried to recreate this shot in the gym many times. I still don't know how Jana pulled it off. The footwork, with two defenders in her face, going over the trees and off the glass. Jana if you're reading this, I still don't know how you're human. She hit the shot, in crunch time, and it wasn't anywhere close to easy.
What I love the most about going back and watching clips of that shot is the absolute ROAR that the crowd lets out. That's a sound that will be in my head for a very long time, it's a moment I will probably never forget. Cherry Creek Athletic Director said in an interview to me the week after the game that it, "Might have been the best moment of my life." Me too Mr. Wilkins, me too.
The Celebration
CHSAA Commissioner Rhonda Blanford-Green presents Cherry Creek with the school's first ever girls basketball championship trophy
It's the best part of state championship events, players getting to celebrate with their friends. Right here is the best part of high school sports. The communities are so close-knit and the relationships between players and fans are so close because they walk to halls together. I can't think of anything better in high school sports than the fact that I'm around the same age and go to school with many of the people whose games I cover.
Getting to watch the celebration unfold is what made me fall in love with covering sports at Cherry Creek. It was that game that has allowed me to attend almost every state event since.
The Significance
Members of that 2019 team became heroes in the Cherry Creek community and role models to players in the Cherry Creek feeder program. They showed that it was possible for Cherry Creek girls to find their way to the top of girls basketball in Colorado and that the Cherry Creek program was among the very best in the state.
What I can't wait for is for 3-5 more years when little girls who were at the game are suiting up in Cherry Creek uniforms trying to chase the same goal. I know that this game jumpstarted a girls basketball revolution in the Cherry Creek area.
I can't think of a better group of girls to have made this remarkable achievement. I can say that every single member on that team was a phenomenal player on the court, but an even better player off it. They are the kindest, most gracious group of individuals I have ever been around and it's special any time I get to see a member of that team again.
Saturday, March 9th, 2022, is one of the best days of my life and by far my favorite game I've seen while as a student at Creek. It's an honor that I got to watch history unfold right in front of my eyes, I'll never forget it.
Here's to the next generation of girls basketball at Cherry Creek,
Ben Parris
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