Defending champion Mesa Ridge blitzes Dakota Ridge, earns return trip to Final Four behind pushing style
DENVER – You won’t find a basketball style comparable to that of Mesa Ridge this week at Denver Coliseum. Maybe any coliseum – or Colosseum – for that matter. At least not in the last 2,000 years or so.
The Grizzlies bring to the floor an attacking, gladiatorial blend of speed and power and relentless physicality that simply stands alone. And it sure does work.
The defending 5A champions, seeded fourth, blitzed their way past No. 12 Dakota Ridge 68-44 on Friday and into a second consecutive Final Four.
“Unselfish and defense, that’s how we describe ourselves,” said Tevin Riel, who scored 16 points in Friday’s victory and has averaged 20.5 points over his last four playoff games since going for 23 in the state championship game a year ago. “We like to play with each other, as you can tell in that game. And we like to play defense.”
The defense is clearly the focus, and the reason Mesa Ridge (24-2) has allowed an average of 54 points during an eight-game playoff winning streak (while scoring 72 points per game).
“Defense, defense, defense, defense, defense,” said Zander Iwanski, who poured in a game-high 21 points as he hit 5-of-5 3-pointers to go with eight rebounds. “We don’t let anyone get anything easy on us.”
But it’s more than defense. That energy is taken onto the offensive side, and turned into all-out attack with players like Iwanski, whose build suggests tight end more than basketball player. Iwanski is, in fact, a tight end. He caught three touchdown passes this past season, according to statistics in MaxPreps. Iwanski is also a standout baseball player who hit .426 last season. Tevin Riehl holds the football program’s mark for interceptions. Bryce Riehl plays quarterback, throwing for 1,755 yards this past season. Several others are multisport athletes, too. This makes sense. Most teams playing Friday put on the court, for the most part, typical-looking tall, slender basketball players, playing conventional-looking styles. Mesa Ridge looks like a group of athletes attacking with a sense of hunger. This produces a frenetic chaos that leads to points in the paint, kick-out 3-point looks and, in a word, a lot of fun.
The approach allows the Grizzlies to share the wealth on offense. Bryce Riehl scored 17 on Friday and defensive stopper Tanner Widic’s 13 points put him in double figures with the Riehl brothers and Iwanski.
On a day full of quarterfinal games that saw multiple teams suffer through prolonged shooting slumps, Mesa Ridge in many ways takes that out of the equation.
“We get a lot of transition points because of our defense,” said coach Joel Babbitt, who arrived at Mesa Ridge last year and has yet to lose a playoff game with the program. “We’re trying to be relentless defensively. We’re trying to be constant and never stop what we’re doing and keep trusting, and hopefully that transitions into some offense.”
The Grizzlies suffocated the Eagles (18-8). They went up 8-2 within the first three minutes and led 38-17 at halftime. Mesa Ridge won the rebounding battle 39-19, shot 43.5% from 3-point range and limited Dakota Ridge to 36.5% shooting from the field. They also sent Dakota Ridge to the free throw line for just one attempt.
More than anything, it was a study in team identity and the enthusiastic implantation of a particular style.
“I think it’s through practice and brotherhood,” Iwanski said. “We have such a great bond with this team. We love each other.”
Mesa Ridge plays Dakota Ridge in 4A boys basketball quarterfinals at The Denver Coliseum on Friday, Mar. 1, 2024. Mesa beat Dakota Ridge 68-44. (Liz Copan / special to The Gazette)
Mesa Ridge plays Dakota Ridge in 4A boys basketball quarterfinals Friday at The Denver Coliseum. Mesa Ridge won 68-44.
Mesa Ridge plays Dakota Ridge in 4A boys basketball quarterfinals at The Denver Coliseum on Friday, Mar. 1, 2024. Mesa beat Dakota Ridge 68-44. (Liz Copan / special to The Gazette)
Mesa Ridge plays Dakota Ridge in 4A boys basketball quarterfinals at The Denver Coliseum on Friday, Mar. 1, 2024. Mesa beat Dakota Ridge 68-44. (Liz Copan / special to The Gazette)
Mesa Ridge plays Dakota Ridge in 4A boys basketball quarterfinals at The Denver Coliseum on Friday, Mar. 1, 2024. Mesa beat Dakota Ridge 68-44. (Liz Copan / special to The Gazette)
Mesa Ridge plays Dakota Ridge in 4A boys basketball quarterfinals Friday at The Denver Coliseum.
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