Mustangs put Rebels’ league title hopes on hold

With the battle for the Class 5A Jeffco League boys basketball championship heating up, Columbine looked to all but clinch the title Feb. 10. But contender Ralston Valley wouldn’t let up and the Mustangs handed the Rebels their second league loss of the season.
Even with 22 points from junior Jon Snow, the Rebels (16-4, 11-2 5A Jeffco) couldn’t seem to get their defensive game settled and the Mustangs took the 63-61 victory.
“We got outplayed,” Rebels coach Clay Thielking said. “They got any shot they wanted to offensively and shot really well. I was just disappointed in our lack of urgency, lack of competitiveness.”
Columbine came out strong with an early 13-6 lead, but the Mustangs shut down the Rebels and finished the quarter ahead 15-13. The Rebels would again gain the lead in the second, but just the same Ralston Valley battled back to take the 27-25 edge at halftime.
The Rebels claimed the lead 46-45 after a sloppy third quarter, and it seemed as if the team could take the momentum through the rest of the game.
Columbine senior Nick Carpinello drained eight of his 12 points to keep the Rebels fighting, but the team took a huge blow when 6-foot-7-inch senior Chris Huth fouled out with just over three minutes remaining.
Down the stretch Ralston Valley (16-5, 11-3) was able to hold Snow to just two fourth-quarter points and secured key steals at the end of the game to keep the Rebels at bay.
“We need to learn from tonight,” Thielking said. “I’m confident in these kids. They’ve responded well to adversity so far this season. We’ll see what we are made of.”
Even with the loss, the Rebels remain atop the league standings with Ralston Valley and Chatfield one game behind. Columbine will host Chatfield on Feb. 17 in the league finale.
While league is the immediate goal of Columbine, the postseason is closing in and the Rebels look to take on the state’s elite.
“We’re hoping to make it as far as possible,” Snow said. “We know we can play with the best teams in the state. Our goal after the league championship is to win state championship.”