Someone always seems to step up to complement the potent post players Golden’s girls basketball team has in senior Blakelee Midyett and junior Tawny Drexler.
Junior Amber Nelson played that role against Thompson Valley in the second round of the Class 4A state tournament Saturday, Feb. 25, at Golden High School. The junior guard sank four 3-pointers in the Demons 50-35 victory of the Eagles in the Lou Piel Region.
“A bunch of people have been trying to keep me confident. That has been a problem for me all year,” Nelson said. “Tonight it just came to me, I guess, and it was my time.”
The win also propelled Golden (17-7 record) to the Sweet 16 for the second straight year. The Demons face Pueblo South (19-5) at 7:45 p.m. Friday, March 3, at Auraria Events Center on the Metro State College campus in Denver.
Golden will take an 11-game winning streak up against Pueblo South.
Nelson helped keep the Demons’ winning streak alive, notching 12 points in 12 minutes in the second half. While Nelson was hot from the outside, Midyett and Drexler controlled play under the basket, combining for 28 rebound.
“We knew that they were mainly an outside game. When they came in for the drives we were ready for them and we played on our toes,” Midyett said. “We started off a little shaky and didn’t do exactly what we needed to do. Coach called us out on it.”
Golden forged a 20-17 halftime lead and continued to stretch the advantage in the second half with Nelson’s 3-pointers providing the cushion.
The Demons led 34-28 entering the final quarter and the final margin marked Golden’s largest lead of the game. Midyett led all scorers with 14 points. Drexler added 13 points in the win.
“We always know we’re going to get good play from our post (Midyett and Drexler), but you never know which of the guards is going to on or off,” Golden coach Jenny Cook said. “Tonight it was Amber and she’s been struggling a little this season.”
Golden (17-7) squares off against Pueblo South (19-5) at 7:45 p.m. Friday, March 3, at Auraria Events Center on the Metro State College campus in Denver.