There are no easy wins in the postseason, as the Fossil Ridge boys basketball team mounted a comeback to defeat the Chaparral Wolverines 60-51 in the first round of the Colorado 6A Boys Basketball Playoffs. 

Chaparral came into this game red hot, carrying that momentum into a 10-0 lead over Fossil, leaving the returning Matthew Boldt and the rest of his team shocked. 

“They’re a solid basketball team,” Boldt says. “I don’t think we were ready to play against them. But after that slap in the face at the beginning of the game we were ready.”

Boldt was playing in his first game since January 31 after suffering an ankle injury against Fort Collins. However, his return made an important impact on the game, peppering nine points along with seven rebounds and three blocks to reestablish himself as a major offensive threat as well as a defensive stonewall. For Boldt it doesn’t matter about the stats, instead it’s all about the opportunity. 

“I’m just happy to be back,” Boldt says. “I can’t complain whether I score zero points or 25.”

After that early shock Fossil settled back into their style of play, knocking down some open looks to take a 27-23 lead into halftime. Once again the Sabercats were led by forward Nick Randall, who added nine first half points to calm things down for the home team, eventually finishing with a total of 14 for the game.

But the Wolverines refused to go away, as an early 8-3 run to start the second half swung the momentum away from Fossil. The Sabercats responded with an 8-0 run of their own, with all of the buckets scored by two-guard Domenic Leone. Leone finished alongside Randall with 14 points, but those eight points proved to be crucial, giving Fossil a seven-point lead they would never relinquish.

“We played really well and made some shots in the second half,” Leone says. “That’s what got us the win.”

Leone is notorious for stepping up in the postseason, averaging 14.7 points per game in seven playoff games across three seasons. For the senior it’s all about preparing himself and his mind for the heighted environment to elevate his game to the next level.

“It’s win or go home,” Leone says. “I have a max of four games left and I’m taking it a game at a time.”

Fossil Ridge will be back in action at home during a second round face-off against the #19 Doherty Spartans on Saturday, February 25 at 3 p.m.