LAFAYETTE — Like a two-handed slam through a chandelier, the basketball program at Centaurus was another example of how especially fragile sports seasons can be during a pandemic.
Out of quarantine, the Warriors made their long-awaited return on Tuesday night and then abruptly had their season pulled away for good following a 45-43 loss to visiting Sand Creek in the opening round of the Class 4A state tournament.
JT Lewicki scored 13 and Mario Everett had nine as Centaurus, the 15th seed, played its first game since Feb. 19. In it, the Warriors came out frigid from the field as No. 18 Sand Creek built an early lead, but then they rallied and took their first lead in the opening seconds of the fourth quarter.
It just didn’t last.
Tied at 42 in the final minute, Sand Creek big man Konner Morgan hit his sixth shot of the frame to give the Scorpions the lead for good. Centaurus missed a free throw and a desperation 3 in the final seconds.
“I thought we’d knock off the rust a little quicker than we did,” Centaurus coach Travis Maron said. “I knew we’d compete and play hard. I thought we’d play better but we didn’t. Hats off to Sand Creek, they came ready to play and executed well. We were definitely in our own way tonight. Absolutely 100% I’m not going to say 18 or 19 days (off) was an excuse, but it showed itself tonight.”
Centaurus (4-5) earned a home playoff game despite only playing eight games in the regular season. Like other winter programs across the state, an exposure to the coronavirus inside the program shut things down for weeks. Different though from teams like the Shining Mountain girls, who were recently ruled out of the postseason, the Warriors were able to come back just in time.
Everett said they had three practices to tune up.
“It’s hard, obviously,” the senior said. “Not seeing everyone for two weeks is hard. And coming back you have one focus and it’s to win. Just came up short.”
The time off was most apparent early on. The Scorpions — who’d played six games over the last few weeks while Centaurus sat out — scored 11 straight in the opening quarter before Lewicki’s bucket finally nixed its scoreless drought with 2:09 remaining in the frame.
The Warriors settled in from there, pulling as close as three in the first half. They took their first lead on Kevin Bedford’s bucket with 7:49 left in regulation.
Ryan Vaver extended the advantage to 39-35 in the waning minutes before Morgan scored seven straight to put the Scorpions up three. Morgan had come off the court limping in the first half, but returned and led all scorers with 17 points.
Sand Creek will face No. 2 Longmont Thursday.
