Timnath and Delta both make history by advancing to 4A girls basketball Final 4

DENVER – Denver Coliseum is a long way away from Chicago, but Go Cubs Go is a feeling that connected those two cities.

For the first time since the girls basketball program began in 2022-23, Timnath is headed for the Class 4A girls basketball Final 4.

They advanced through the Great 8 with a 60-38 win over Pagosa Springs.

With no desire to fall into a Coliseum hibernation-like state, the Cubs jumped out to a fast lead against the Pirates and steadily built it through the first three quarters.. Getting off to a fast start was something Timnath wanted to accomplish and knew it would set the tone, not just for the quarterfinal game, but for its remaining time at the Coliseum this weekend.

“That was crucial, I think,” junior Gretchen Deines said. “We adjusted really well and really fast and I think that was helpful because I don’t think Pagosa was ready for us to come out as strong as we did.”

The Cubs shot 52.4% from the field and 47.4% from 3-point range. They had three players score in double figures as Izzy Schimmelpfennig and Lily Eisenbrener each scored 10 while Deines led the Cubs with 15.

Pagosa senior Karsyn Shahan scored a game-high 18, but the rest of the team struggled to get to the basket as the Pirates combined to score 20 around her.

This is a major step forward a the Timnath program that went 11-12 two seasons ago. The Cubs made it to the 3A Great 8 a year ago, but lost to Ignacio by two points in a bid to get to the Final 4.

That stumble made Wednesday’s win all the more impactful for the players who have been with the Cubs since the program started two seasons ago.

“It’s such a cool opportunity and something I’ll never forget,” Deines said. “I’ve been here since the beginning, since my freshman year, and seeing how we’ve continuously built each year has been awesome.”

The Cubs need just one win to get to the state title game, which will be played Saturday at Denver Coliseum.

(6) Delta 37, (19) Colorado Academy 24

In the first few minutes of both halves, the Delta Panthers weren’t playing their game. And it showed as Colorado Academy went on big runs.

But coach Kyle Crowder calmed his girls down and just reminded them that getting to Denver Coliseum was accident. When they settled down, the baskets started falling and the Panthers successfully punched their ticket to the first Final 4 in program history.

“We’ve always gotten to the [Great] 8, but we’ve never gotten past it,” senior Breezy Huff said. “We just wanted to make our own history.”

Huff served as the heart of the Panthers while Taylor Somers proved to be the one pouncing when opportunity struck. Somers scored a game-high 21 points and ended with a double-double as she also grabbed 12 rebounds.

The Coliseum tends to be a tough place to play, especially for teams making the trip from the Western Slope. Once the nerves subsided, Delta maintained control of the pace and the game.

“We play our best when we play our game,” Huff said. “We weren’t playing our game [early]. When we slowed down and started making better passes, we succeeded.”

The matchup with Timnath on Friday will be ripe with historical implications as neither team has played in a Final 4 game which means someone will be making an appearance in the state championship game for the first time.