WINDSOR — Nobody can beat a team that can’t stop draining 3-pointers. Sixth-seeded Windsor boys basketball bestowed that hard lesson onto No. 11 Longmont during a 64-31 Class 5A Sweet 16 home victory on Tuesday night.
The Wizards shot lights-out from deep while the lights went out on the Trojans’ season. Now, the Wizards will move on to face No. 3 Dakota Ridge during the Great 8 on Friday. They’ll return to the Denver Coliseum looking to sweeten the bitter taste that last year’s 57-53 title game loss to Mesa Ridge left them with.
“Oh man, we knew we were capable of it, but that was probably the best we’ve had this year,” said Windsor junior shooting guard Madden Smiley, who led all scorers with 24 points. “I think that was big for us, especially going to the Coliseum. Obviously, we knew we had some unfinished business trying to get back to that Coliseum and get back to that championship game. It hurt a lot last year losing it. I think we all knew that we were trying to prove something tonight, and I think we did that.”
Smiley said the team’s chemistry sets them above last year’s squad, and hopes that can carry them all the way to the pinnacle.
Behind Smiley, senior shooting guard John Backhaus contributed another 14 points, while the Trojans saw eight points apiece from freshman point guard David Valles and senior center Levi Varga. Windsor finished the night 69% from downtown, going 9 for 13.
The Wizards sank eight of their nine first-half attempts from long range, and wouldn’t allow Longmont to reach the rim much through their spectacular kleptomania.
Smiley had 17 points in the first half alone, and sliced through Longmont’s defense like a knife through butter, then used that utensil to stab the Trojans any time they charged toward their own basket. The Wizards led 38-7 at the half, but wouldn’t let the Trojans get their feet under them until all starters checked out in the fourth quarter.
Windsor head coach Jon Rakiecki has been waiting a long time for this moment.
“We’ve known that we’ve had that ability for years and we really struggled this year putting entire games together, especially shooting the ball the way we did tonight,” he said. “We kept fighting that battle all season. What about the matchup? It’s Longmont. I mean, they were in our league for years, and we’ve always had tough matchups with them. It’s a rivalry game for us, so our guys were ready and they played really loose.”
The Wizards improved to 19-6 with the victory after placing second in their 6A/5A/4A Northern League, while Longmont ended its run with a 16-9 record and fifth in the Granite Peaks League. Rakiecki looks forward to seeing how far his boys can carry this flame.
“We went to the Final Four two years ago and got blown out and been embarrassed by Mesa Ridge. Last year, a tough first quarter with some jitters kind of put us in a hole we couldn’t get out of. We were four points away. You talk about fuel for the fire for these boys. They have more than anybody could imagine because of the heartbreak they’ve experienced.”
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