DENVER — The pressure of the Class 3A girls state title game molded Kinley Asp into a diamond in front of the audience at University of Denver’s Hamilton Gymnasium.
The Colorado Springs Christian School freshman finished with a game-high 29 points including 10 in the fourth quarter as the third seeded Lions defeated five seed Vanguard 57-41.
Colorado Springs Christian’s title is its first since 2002.
“I was so excited when that buzzer sounded,” Asp said. “I had tears of happiness in my eyes. All the work that we put in and we stayed hungry for that ring.”
Asp lit up the scoreboard in the first half and finished with 15 points in 16 minutes, but the Coursers trailed 27-25 at halftime.
(Marcus Hill)
However, Vanguard picked the wrong time to go cold and Colorado Springs Christian chose the perfect moment to get hot.
Grace Minihane, who finished the first half with three points, began to cook in the third and scored four points in the frame and ended the game with 13.
Asp also added five in the third, including a 3-pointer that gave CSCS a 37-34 lead with 1:30 on the clock.
CSCS led 39-34 at the end of the third and then Asp proceeded to erupt in the fourth quarter.
The Lions freshman connected from mid-range, in the paint and at the charity stripe to help spark a 18-4 run after her 3-pointer that gave CSCS the lead.
At the end of their run, CSCS led 55-38.
“We just started working harder and getting stops on defense,” Asp said. “Everybody was running the floor and that brought the energy up.”
The Lions held the Coursers to 16 points in the second half and scored 33 en route to victory.
“I’m so excited,” Asp said. “This is the best feeling I could have.”
