Time has arrived for Rampart

Devon Grant is eager to erase a memory.

Rampart’s senior guard has been motivated all season by a 22-point loss to Denver East in last year’s round of 16.

He’s spent countless hours working to improve his outside shot. He’s become dedicated to a more intense brand of defense.

And now, after a 21-2 mark in the regular season and an impressive playoff win Friday night, Grant and his teammates have come full circle.

The Rams again find themselves in the round of 16 — with a home game against Fort Collins looming Tuesday — and on the doorstep of the Class 5A state quarterfinals. It’s a position with which they are much more comfortable this time around.

“That loss made us want to play harder this year,” Grant said. “We knew we needed to play more defense so that’s been the main focus in practice.”

Rampart, which earned a first-round bye as the top seed in its region, amped up the defense Friday in an 81-56 win over Columbine. Grant had 12 points, but his role goes beyond scoring.

“My goal is always to get everyone else involved and just let the game come to me,” he said. “I’m always looking to make that extra pass and find a better shot for our team. I don’t worry about getting my shots too much. I know they will come if I just play within the offense.”

The Rams boast numerous scoring options in seniors Reuben Riggs-Russell, Lance Evans, Alex Koehler and Jacob Kimsey. But Grant, as coach J’on St. Clair said, is “the guy who makes everything go for us.”

Grant’s all-around game poses a variety of problems for opponents. At 6-foot-1, he possesses good size for a point guard, and his tireless work in the offseason has produced better accuracy with his shot.

“I think that’s a big difference from last year,” St. Clair said. “Last year he was shooting under 20 percent from the 3-point line, but now he’s over 30 percent.”

Four victories stand between Rampart and a state title — a memory Grant never would want to erase.

“We were hoping not to lose any games this year and that didn’t happen,” Grant said. “But we could afford to lose a game during the regular season. We can’t afford to lose any now.”