Valor girls basketball takes driver’s seat in 6A Jeffco

ARVADA — Valor Christian’s girls basketball team punched it into overdrive in the fourth quarter Friday night at Arvada West High School.

The Eagles scored 29 points in the final quarter to pull away from the Wildcats in the Class 6A Jeffco League showdown. Valor grabbed a 73-44 victory to take command of the conference that is nearly at the half-way point.

“It feels great,” Valor junior Peyton Jones said after the Eagles (13-2, 5-0 in league) opened up the 1-game lead in the conference standings against the rest of the field. “We are just looking to move forward. Prepare for playoffs. Preparing for the next game. That is our mentality. Moving forward and continuing to dominate.”

Valor has continued its domination of the present and recent past in 6A Jeffco. The Eagles’ margin of victory in their first five league games is more than 36 points. Valor has a 19-game conference winning streak dating back to the 2022-23 season.

A-West was actually the last team that handed Valor a conference loss. The Wildcats defeated the Eagles 66-56 back on Feb. 1, 2023. Jones admitted that it was in the back of the Valor’s mind of when A-West handed Valor its last league loss.

The Wildcats (12-2, 3-1) was right in the game midway through the third quarter. A-West went on a 9-0 run over the span of about a minute with a pair of 3-pointers from senior Saylor Swanson and a deep ball from junior Aubri Cespedes that cut Valor’s lead to 31-29 with 4:48 left in the third quarter.

“We knew we were going to come in and get a great effort from Arvada West. They were 12-1 (record) for a reason,” Valor coach Jessika Caldwell said. “We needed to absorb their run and then go on our own run.”

The Eagles’ run came in a big way. Valor outscored A-West 42-15 in the final 12 minutes of the game. Jones poured in 20 points after halftime to finish with a game-high 27 points.

“I think what is really special is not only can she (Jones) do that, but we have other players who surround her that can do that,” Caldwell said of her defending 6A champions. “I think that is what continues to elevate her game.”

Senior Quinn VanSickle had 15 points after halftime to end with 22 points to go along with 9 assists.

“She (VanSickle) is just steady,” Caldwell said of the Eagles’ experienced point guard. “I think what is incredible about her is she has continued to grow her game. I think you saw that tonight.”

Valor was nearly shot the ball 50 percent from long range, going 9-for-20 from beyond the 3-point arc.

“Valor has been beating so many teams to 30-plus points,” said Swanson, who finished with 12 points on four 3-pointers for the Wildcats. “The first three quarters were positive, but it doesn’t mean anything if we can’t get it done in the end. I’m defintely excited to play them again.”

A-West and Valor will have its rematch on Feb. 6 in Highlands Ranch.

“I think Arvada West is a great team. They are competitive,” Jones said. “They gave us one of the best fights.”