LONGMONT — An emphatic, two-handed jam signaled the beginning of the end for No. 22 Grand Junction’s chances of advancing out of the first round of Class 5A state boys basketball tournament. Longmont senior power forward Rhys Odom was more than happy to deliver the omen that brought the 11th-seeded Trojan fans to their feet.
Odom punished the Tigers through the final nine minutes, 48 seconds of their contest on Friday night, netting six points with his dunk, a midrange jumper that was just a toe away from counting as a 3-pointer, and a pair of free throws after Grand Junction began desperation fouling.
All of it sent the Tigers into the offseason, while the Trojans enjoyed a 41-34 victory and a second-round date with No. 6 Windsor on Tuesday.
“I’ll do it in practice but not really in a game. It really was just a huge moment for us. It just brought a ton of momentum for the team,” Odom said. “It’s win or go home from this point on, so I really think it’s just that we got to work. This could be the last time we play, so why not leave it all out there for the team?”
Junior point guard Dominic Lombrano paced the Trojan offense with 14 points, but Odom complemented his efforts well with 11 of his own. Sophomore shooting guard Ty Gaddis chipped in nine more for good measure.
Longmont missed the talents of senior Joey Foot, who’s been in limbo in concussion protocol. Head coach Jeff Kloster hopes he’ll be able to return to the floor against the Wizards.
The Trojans began the game a bit rusty on defense, while the Tigers scored on each of their first few possessions to further put pressure on the home team. Grand Junction led by an 8-1 score before Longmont started putting together the defensive stops that had evaded it up to that point.
The Trojans oiled the scoreboard with a series of free throws before a Gaddis triple revved the offensive motor up. His nine first-half points proved vital in their methodical comeback, and he — fittingly — gave them their first lead with a long shot in the final minute of the second quarter.
“Ty hit a crucial three to get us going early in the game,” Kloster said. “We mentioned to the boys that it was going to be a process where everyone had to do their part throughout the game, because there were going to be big moments from every one of them. The kid that really stood out was Rhys Odom. Rhys Odom got some crucial rebounds.
“He just played some really, really great minutes. Shot fake, put it down with a jam. It really ignited the crowd. I was very pleased and happy for him because with him, he’s accepted a role where sometimes he comes off the bench. And tonight, he proved that the mental part of the game is so important that whatever minutes you get, you’ve got to make sure that you make the most of it. And he made the most of those minutes tonight.”
Longmont led 20-19 at the half, but couldn’t quite shake the Tigers through the next eight minutes. Odom and freshman David Valles stepped up to take control, as they collectively put 10 of the Trojans’ final 13 points on the board.
Now, the Trojans will have to see if they can replicate that magic against the Wizards, who flattened No. 27 Pueblo East with a 69-39 rout on Friday night.
“We always talk about being a second-half team,” Kloster said. “I don’t like coming out of the gate where I’ve got to call a timeout and we’re down 8-1, and then all of a sudden, we’ve got to chip away, chip away, chip away. But the good thing was they embraced that opportunity where they just kept believing in the process. They didn’t fire up quick shots. We always preach we want the uncontested look. Fortunately, tonight, we had enough to have another day of basketball for tomorrow.”
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