Redemption: Kent Denver finds joy in first boys basketball title since 1997

DENVER – Elvis Lloyd punched in three days after the 2024 basketball season ended.

The Kent Denver senior guard led a swarming Sun Devil’s defense to a 71-54 wire-to-wire win over Colorado Academy in the Class 4A state title game on Saturday in Denver. It’s the first state title for KDS since 1997.

“We started playing when the season ended,” Lloyd said. “We started with open gyms and played 6A teams all to make us better. Our motto the whole time was we want to get back because the job is not done. We didn’t feel any pressure. Our coach always said, ‘it’s just basketball, pressure is going into your boss’ office and asking for a raise’”

Caleb Fay scored a game-high 20 points and had six rebounds, Lloyd scored 15 points and Gil Schayes added 11 points and six rebounds for Kent Denver (25-3).

“We said why not us, we have been practicing harder and playing harder than anyone since three days after our loss to Resurrection,” KDS coach Todd Schayes said. “We know adversity is going to hit. We know we have to be good and lucky. But, never once did we shy away from the pressure. We said we want to do this. We want to win.”

Clyde Love led Colorado Academy with 17 points, James Claypool added 15 points and eight rebounds and River Hamm chipped in 12 points on 4-of-7 shooting from 3-point range for Colorado Academy (18-10). The Cinderella run ended for the No. 10 seed Mustangs who were also state runner-up in 2014 and 2015.

The Sun Devil’s length and speed forced the Mustangs into turnovers on three of their first four possessions. It would be a harbinger of things to come as the Sun Devils forced 13 CA turnovers which led to 18 KDS points. CA managed just four points off seven KDS turnovers.

It was the third quarter that proved to be decisive for the Sun Devils who held a 18-10 edge in the stanza. KDS burst out of the locker room on a 5-0 run fueled by a Caleb Lukkes corner triple for a 45-34 lead. A triple from Josiah Seyoum put KDS up 51-39 with 3:54 left in the third.

Hamm answered with his fourth triple on the next Mustangs’ possession. But, Clay Tierney’s stretch bounce pass split two defenders and found Lloyd whose nifty up-and-under reverse gave KDS a 53-42 lead. Tierney canned a corner triple and the Sun Devils started to pull away with a 7-2 run.

“Time slows down for me when I jump up and get stuck in the air,” Lloyd said. “With all the defenders around me, I just have to make a move. Coach told us at half time he’s tired of not cutting the nets down after 30 years and wanted to do it.”

A Lloyd steal led to a Seyoum contested scoop in lay-up and a 16-8 KDS lead with 3:32 left in the first quarter.

Moments later, the versatility of the Sun Devils was on display when Caleb Lukkes drilled a corner 3-pointer for a 19-10 lead. Clay Tierney beat the first half buzzer with a trey as the Sun Devils went up 24-16 at the end of the first quarter.

In the first half, KDS hit 6-of-12 shots from beyond the arc, while the Mustangs kept it close with a 9-2 run near the end of the second quarter. Hamm canned his third triple of the first half and a Love layup capped the rally as the Mustangs closed to 38-34 with 1:31 left in the first half. Lloyd’s layup pushed the Sun Devil’s lead to 40-34 and set up what would be a big KDS second half.

If Sun Devils were motivated by disappointment this year, next year, Fay said they’ll have to embrace the target.

“It makes me motivated to do it next year,” Fay said. “I’ll remember everyone will be coming for our heads next year. We’ve been the No. 1 seed three years in a row. We just won state, we know next year everyone will be shooting for us.”