The No. 3 ranked Wizards are just 32 minutes of basketball away from their first state championship in 100 years after Thursday’s 35-32 win against No. 2 ranked Vista Peak. The game was close for the entire fourth quarter, but thanks especially to the defense, the Wizards were able to get the win.
“It was super emotional, because we didn’t know who was going to win until the buzzer went off, blood pressure was through the roof,” coach Jon Rakiecki (staff) said after the game. With 1:30 left in the game, the Wizards had possession of the ball, the score tied 32-32. With no shot clock in the game, strategically the Wizards decided to run the clock all the way down to about 10 seconds, when they called a timeout. Inbounding on the baseline out of a stack formation, forward Johnnie Reed (12) hit a cutting Madden Smiley (10) for what ended up being the game-winning layup. “I knew eventually at some point in the game that the backdoor was going to be open. And it was a read by Madden, we have that UNC connection. I got it there and we won the game,” Reed said.
Both Reed and Smiley’s dads coach together for the University of Northern Colorado basketball team and have known each other for a long time. All their years of playing together shone in the most important moment of the season. “It’s kind of that little brother, older brother connection. We made eye contact and I knew he was open,” Reed stated.
The Wizards defense then held strong on Vista Peak’s final possession, forcing an out-of-bounds turnover after using all their fouls to give and holding on to win the game. Defense was the story of the game, as Vista Peak came into the game averaging 72 points per game and were held to just 32 in the game. After losing to Vista Peak earlier this season 65-48, coach Rakiecki knew what was coming this time and composed a defensive game plan that couldn’t have fared much better. “Our boys bought into it, not only that, they executed it perfectly,” Rakiecki said on the game plan.
A large part of the game plan was limiting transition opportunities and forcing Vista Peak into primarily half court sets. “That’s typically a 20-point thing for them, we just took that away,” Rakiecki said on the transition defense. The defensive success also can largely be credited to the defense inside. Vista Peak’s 6’10 forward Kyree Polk usually has success down low, but the team did a good job keeping him in check. Deacon Schmitt (10) and Henry Jones (12) were assigned the matchup and both had great defensive games. Additionally, Vista Peak usually is a good team on the offensive glass and often get quality shots on second-chance opportunities. Led by Smiley’s nine rebounds, the Wizards did a great job controlling the glass, something Rakiecki thinks was no minor stat. “The game was going to be won or lost on the glass,” Rakiecki said.
Vista Peak is an athletic and big team and used that to their advantage in the first matchup, but the Wizards were ready this time. “Coach said this before the game: ‘They might be bigger, they might be more athletic, but they can’t see the size of our hearts,'” Reed said.
The Wizards defense jumped out to a great start and never looked back, as they only allowed five points in the first quarter. Windsor was in control of the game for most of the first half, but Vista Peak was able to end the half on a 9-2 run and make the halftime score 19-15. The Wizards continued to lead all game, until with 4:30 to go, Vista Peak for the first time tied the game 30-30. This was the first point in the game since the beginning that the Wizards were not leading. Both teams traded missed field goals down the stretch as scoring stayed at a premium, but the Wizards were able to fight for the win. “Our defensive effort is the reason we’re in the state championship,” Rakiecki said.
The Wizards are set to play No. 4 Mesa Ridge for the championship at 11:45 on Saturday, March 9. This comes after Mesa Ridge defeated No. 1 Northfield 70-59 on Thursday. Mesa Ridge enters the game with a 25-2 record and on a 21 game win streak, while Windsor has its own 18-game win streak. Mesa Ridge is looking for back-to-back state championships, as they were the team to eliminate the Wizards last year in the final four. The team is led by brothers Tevin and Bryce Riehl, who lead the team in scoring. Once again, the Wizards will be looking for a revenge win, and the stakes have never been higher. The team remains focused on the ultimate goal, which now sits just one win away. “We’ve got one more to go and that’s the goal,” Smiley said about the championship.
The team is determined to break the 100-year championship drought, and is not done quite yet: “Our will to win is off the charts. Every single guy in that locker room wants to win,” Reed said.
