Holy Family and University set for epic match-up in 4A girls basketball Final 4

DENVER – With the memory of last year’s state title loss in its head, the Holy Family girls basketball dialed up the intensity in the fourth quarter.

The Tigers outscored Alamosa by 10 points to grab a 58-39 win over the Mean Moose to punch their ticket to the Class 4A girls basketball Final 4 for a third straight season.

The Tigers advanced to the state title game last year, but fell to Brihanna Crittendon and Riverdale Ridge. With the Ravens now in 6A, the Tigers are determined to reclaim their spot atop the 4A basketball ranks.

“We can’t take this for granted,” Tigers junior Enyiah Contreraz said. “Last year we lost that state championship and it hurt. We want to get back this year and just not take anything for granted.”

Two years ago, Holy Family beat D’Evelyn 49-44 to claim their seventh state title in school history. Last year’s loss to Riverdale Ridge was the first time that the program had reached the title game and not come away with a title.

But Wednesday’s Great 8 game, the kickoff to the final weekend of hoops at Denver Coliseum, was a clear reflection of their mindset for the next few days.

Alexcia Oaxaca scored a team-high 12 points while Contreraz had 11 and Alyssa Quintana had 10. There was no one player standing out and powering this effort. The Tigers play a team game and have a team goal on their mind.

“We all wanted this together, not just as one person,” Contreraz said. “We struggled last year with passing the ball a lot, but we feel like we’re going far with how we play now.”

The Mean Moose kept the game close in the first half, heading into the locker room at halftime down just four points. Morgan Ortega scored a game-high 13 points and was 3-for-4 from 3-point range.

The Mean Moose finished 19-7 this season and advanced to the Great 8 for the first time since getting to the 3A Great 8 in 2019.

(1) University 65, (9) D’Evelyn 23

DENVER — Revenge was on University’s mind when it took the court at Denver Coliseum against D’Evelyn in the Class 4A girls basketball Great 8 on Wednesday night.

D’Evelyn had eliminated University in the Final 4 of the 4A state tournament in 2023 and Great 8 of the 4A state tournament in 2024. Top-seed and undefeated University completely dominated the Jaguars with a 65-23 victory to advance to the semifinals later this week.

“It was a little personal for us after the last two years,” University senior Janay Kravig said of facing D’Evelyn. “We came out with a lot of energy.”

University (26-0 record) jumped out to an early 14-0 lead in the opening quarter and never looked back. The Bulldogs will face No. 4 Holy Family in the 4A Final 4 on Friday, March 14, back at the Coliseum.

Kravig and fellow senior Addison Harding bucked the perception that is tough to shoot at the Coliseum. Kravig was 5-for-6 from 3-point range for a game-high 17 points. Harding was unstoppable in the paint shooting 7-for-9 from the field for 15 points.

“I just think it was one of my good nights,” Kravig said. “My teammates did a good job of finding me and I just let it go.”

Natalie Trujillo (7 points), Allizzey Madrigal (8 points) and Maddie McNair (8 points) showed how diverse the Bulldogs’ scoring attack is this season.

“We are super unselfish,” Kravig said. “We find the person who is hot at the time. I think we are very versatile.”

It was the sixth straight season University have advanced to at least the state quarterfinals. The Bulldogs are still looking for that elusive state title. The Bulldogs last trip a state title game was back in 2022 when Platte Valley defeated University for the 3A title.

“Hopefully. Fingers crossed,” Kravig said of the University’s shot to grab its first girls basketball state title. “We just need to focus on us and not look too far ahead. Just focus on the game in front of us.”

No. 9-seeded D’Evelyn had its season ended at the Coliseum for the fourth straight season. The Jaguars have advanced to at least the Great 8 of the state playoffs over the last four years.

“I think everyone underestimated us this year,” D’Evelyn coach Chris Olson said of the Jaguars’ 22-win season after the graduation of Peyton Marvel and Macy Scheer, who combined to average over 33 points and more than 20 rebounds per game last year. “I think we underestimated ourselves at times this season.”