Byline: Paul Willis, Special To The News
EDGEWATER -- It was not the blueprint the Centaurus boys basketball team was hoping to follow, but any win at tournament time is reason for joviality.
The Warriors made up for one of their poorest first halves of the season by playing perhaps their best half of the season in the second, transforming a double-digit deficit into a gritty 66-59 road win against Jefferson in the first round of the Class 4A state tournament.
The prospects were dim for the Warriors when they were down 31-19 at halftime despite holding Jefferson leading scorer Gerald Sloan to two points.
But behind sophomore Devon Beitzel, the Warriors (15-8) outscored the Saints 47-28 in the second half and advanced to the Sweet 16, where they will play Skyline League rival Broomfield on Thursday at the University of Northern Colorado.
Centaurus lost both regular- season games to the Eagles, but each was decided by fewer than 10 points.
The Warriors also lost their regular-season game against Jefferson, falling 70-60 in Lafayette on Dec. 5.
But Beitzel's late-game performance - he scored 19 of his team-best 22 points after halftime - ensured it would not happen again.
"We picked it up on defense and we moved the ball better in the second half," Beitzel said. "We got more open looks, took it to the basket more and got more easy shots."
Beitzel's three-point play with 4 minutes, 21 seconds remaining gave Centaurus its first lead at 53-52. A putback by Jake McDonald at the 2:40 mark made it a 58-57 lead, and the Warriors didn't trail again.
Six free throws by Zach Louth and two by Beitzel in the final 2 minutes iced it.
"Second half, we pressed and went into a man (defense)," Centaurus coach Mike Leahy said. "We started chipping away and we relaxed on offense."
While the Warriors held Sloan (21.8 average entering the game) to 10 points, Jefferson's Dominick Nichols nearly led the Saints (14-9) to victory himself. The senior poured in 26 points and converted 6-of-9 three-pointers. His 11 first-quarter points gave the Saints a 19-9 lead.
"Our team didn't come to play, that's all there is to it," Nichols said. "But we shocked a lot of people this year, and even though we lost in the first round, I'm still proud."
Centaurus began its comeback early in the third quarter, tying the score at 40 when reserve Brendan Puckett nailed a three-pointer with 44 seconds to go in the period.
Centaurus ......9...10...21...26...-...66......
Jefferson ......19...12...11...17...-...59......
C - Zach Louth 2 6-6 10, Colin Avery 3 0-5 6, Justin Schrenk 1 0-0 2, Devon Beitzel 8 5-5 22, Luke Galvin 2 3-4 7, Jake McDonald 3 1-1 7, Robbie Terwilliger 1 0-0 2, Brendan Puckett 4 0-0 10. Totals 24 15-21 66.
J - Gabe Andrade 4 0-1 8, Dominick Nichols 8 4-4 26, Gerald Sloan 4 1-3 10, Keenan Williams 0 2-3 2, Zach Kinsey 5 0-0 11, Pablo Soto-Aldana 1 0-0 2, Jowe Knight 0 0-0 0, Jason Pettes 0 0-0 0. Totals.
Three-point goals - C, Puckett 2, Beitzel 1; J, Nichols 6, Sloan 1, Kinsey 1. Fouled out - Williams.
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Photo
Jefferson's Gerald Sloan is surrounded by Centaurus' Zach Louth, left, and Jake McDonald in the fourth quarter of Tuesday's Class 4A first-round state tournament game at Jefferson. The Warriors outscored the Saints 47-28 in the second half to advance to the Sweet 16 against Skyline League rival Broomfield. HAL STOELZLE / ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS