GLENWOOD SPRINGS (12/6/13) — Both Glenwood Springs’ boys and girls teams got off to sizable early leads and withstood second-half runs to defeat Coal Ridge in the Demons’ 2013-14 basketball season openers.
GLENWOOD GIRLS 57, COAL RIDGE 45
Jordan DeCrow picked up two fouls in a scoreless first quarter, but coach Jacky Gaddis gambled on keeping the junior guard in the game with an 11-6 lead. The decision paid huge second quarter dividends as DeCrow poured in 14 points, including back-to-back 3-pointers and the Demons shut out the Titans 15-0 in the final 4 minutes, taking a 35-12 halftime lead. Glenwood, with Madi Spence and Hailey Armstrong combining for 11 rebounds, controlled the boards 21-6 at intermission.
After hitting 8-of-15 shots in the 2nd period, Glenwood made just 4-of-16 in the third, as Britni Allen came off the bench with 4 points and 4 rebounds to fuel the Titans’ 14-10 advantage. The Demons led 47-26 after Laura McDermott scored just a minute into the final quarter, but didn’t make another basket until Jaime Crowley’s pass through the Titans’ full-court press resulted in a layup by DeCrow with 20 seconds left in the game.
But Glenwood made 8-of-10 from the line and still led by 24 with 3:43 remaining when Coal Ridge put together an 11-0 blitz, capped by Paige Ryan’s 3-pointer. However, the Titans could get no closer and missing 7 of 11 free throws didn’t help.
DeCrow led all scorers with 20 points with Delaney Gaddis adding 14, including 2-of-3 from long range along with 12 assists and 7 steals. Spence finished with 9 points and 10 rebounds before fouling out at the 2:25 mark. McDermott, despite 3 first-quarter fouls, which limited her play before intermission, scored 4 points in the second half and pulled down 10 rebounds.
Limited to a single free throw in the first half, Ryan came back to match Alicia Hampton’s 13 points to lead the Titan scoring. Allen, who did not play in the first half, scored 6 with 5 rebounds.
The Demons’ next game was to be in Gypsum on Tuesday, Dec. 10, but Eagle Valley will come to Glenwood instead on that date.
GLENWOOD BOYS 71, COAL RIDGE 53
The Glenwood boys team also started strong in the opener against Coal Ridge, outscoring the Titans 24-15 in the first period with Cam Horning scoring 10, and leading 40-23 at half, as Brian Burbidge dropped in a pair of treys and led the Demons with 11 at intermission.
Alec Herrera began the second half by scoring the Titans’ first 10 points, including two 3-pointers and after a 16-4 run through the first 4:40, Coal Ridge had shaved the 17-point gap to just five, 44-39. Then Jared Gambrel nailed a trey on a pass from Zack Peterson, who finished the quarter with a baseline jumper for a 49-39 Demon lead. Meanwhile the Demons man-to-man defense shut out the Titans for the final 3:20.
Horning, who led all scorers with 19, got hot again in the final frame scoring 9 in the Demons’ 22-14 finish, to insure Glenwood’s opening game victory. Burbidge tallied 15 before fouling out, Gambrel had 14 and Peterson came off the bench for a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds. Horning also matched Gambrel with 5 assists and Pete Steckler with 4 steals.
Herrera scored 14 in the second half, finishing with 18, followed by Andy Bowles with 12, and Richie Winkler with 8. The battle of the boards was even until the final quarter when Glenwood ripped down 11 to just 3 for the Titans. The Demons also committed just one turnover in the fourth period.
Glenwood will host Eagle Valley on Tuesday, prior to the Demon Invitational next weekend.
