BOULDER – Jahmall Fountain knows how to start basketball games and, most importantly, how to end them.
The Sierra senior forward put up the Stallions’ first 10 points against Pueblo East Saturday at the Coors Events Center. Then he closed with eight of his team’s first 10 points in overtime. Fountain’s 20 points propelled Sierra to a 61-56 win against the Eagles, giving the Stallions two consecutive Class 4A titles.
“He’s a closer,” Sierra coach Otis Johnson said. “He’s definitely a senior who is going out having done something. I think we’re the first team from Colorado Springs to (win two straight basketball championships).
Fountain got some motivation from Johnson as well. “Coach was telling me great players come out with great games,” Fountain said.
Fountain did go scoreless in the middle two quarters, but the Eagles kept ahead through seven points from Chris Fielder in the second quarter and another seven from Wesley Gordan in the third.
Jordan Gregory led Pueblo East with 19 points overall and teammate Mitch Secora put on a second-half surge to score 12.
The game certainly ended better than it started, as neither team could sink a shot in the first 2 ½ minutes. Gregory finally snapped the cold spell with a longish jumper, but that seemed to wake up Fountain for his barrage. Sierra also got a steal and layup and three-pointer from Mark Hatcher to close out the first quarter with a 15-4 lead.
The Eagles kept reducing the Stallions lead, putting together a 10-point run in the third quarter. East finally went ahead 37-35 late in the third quarter after an Abel Martinez basket. Martinez also put back a Gregory miss for a quick four-point lead.
Three baskets from Hatcher (10 total points), got the Stallions back on track. East was looking to get Secora free inside and the 6-foot-7 senior hit an overtime layup, and both Gregory and Josh Sandoval hit big three-pointers in the extra period.
“You know, basketball is a game of spurts,” Johnson said. “I credit the Pueblo East coaching staff (led by Dave Ryder) with getting them back. I think our seniors did that for us. This was our third overtime game this season and that showed us how to react.”
Sierra played an aggressive schedule that included Class 5A teams and finished with a 26-2 record. Pueblo East was 25-2.
Regis makes it a repeat in Class 5A
Regis Jesuit mostly stumbled in the first quarter, then got up and scored the knockout blow for a 61-56 overtime win against Fairview. The Raiders trailed 13-0 and then 15-4 at the quarter, but the championship instinct emerged to eventually give Regis its second consecutive title in Class 5A.
“I got a little worried after the first quarter,” Raiders guard Joey Ptasinski said. “But we’ve been behind like that a lot this season.”
Regis coach Ken Shaw saw a lot of effort from his opponent, obviously fired up by the presence of star player Darragh O’Neill, who played despite an injured ankle.
“Fairview just came out ready to go,” Shaw said. “I don’t know if we came out a little flat. (Later) we created things off the dribble. We didn’t panic.”
Ptasinski, known for his outside shooting prowess, went 0-5 on three-point attempts in the first half. He finished as the game’s high scorer with 24 points and hit both three-point attempts after the break.
“Usually, when I hit some shorter jumpers or drive it in, then it comes around,” he said. “Right when I let those go (the two in the second half), I knew they were in.”
The Knights relied on 18 points from Shane O’Neill, Darragh’s younger brother, and Michael Melillo (17 points). Darragh finished with six points, about 20 less than his season average, and fouled out.
Regis was 27-1 for the season, with the only loss coming in California in double overtime. Fairview was 22-6 and had hoped to erase the memory of its only loss last season. That was in the state semifinals, to George Washington, and left the Knights with at 26-1.
Regis still has talent such as point guard Michael Clark and 6-7 Ryan Winters returning next year, but the program will miss seniors Bud Thomas (8 points) and Ptasinski.
“They’re leaving with some legendary accomplishments,” Shaw said.
