Defending champion Sierra boys advance to 4A semis

GOLDEN • Everybody had a challenge for Jahmall Fountain.

His coach wanted him to play like his idol. His teammates wanted to see more fire.

“I had to step up to the plate,” the Sierra senior said.

He did.

Rescuing the Stallions from a slow and “jittery” start, Fountain scored 19 of his game-high 20 points in the second half to help Sierra pull away from Thomas Jefferson 65-43 and earn a return trip to the 4A semifinals.

See a photo gallery from Sierra's quarterfinal victory

Sierra will face Lewis-Palmer on Thursday in Boulder, the second straight year the 4A Metro rivals will meet for a chance to play for a title.

The Stallions were the last team most figured would have to fight nerves. The defending state champions (24-2) haven’t lost — and have scarcely been challenged — since Dec. 12, but Sierra was nearly unrecognizable as it badly misfired on open shots and blew layups in a four-point first quarter that saw the Spartans take a three-point lead at the Colorado School of Mines.

“It was the jitterness,” said Kamryn Williams, the only Sierra player who handled the emotions early as he scored 10 of his 18 in the first half, including all four first-quarter points. “Just going into a Great 8 game and playing a great team, I think that’s what got us was the jitterness.”

Sierra recovered in the second quarter and took a four-point lead into the locker room. That’s where Fountain became the target of seemingly everybody in a Sierra uniform.

“My teammates were like, ‘We need you to play harder,’” Fountain said. “I like to be challenged.”

Coach Otis Johnson had a more specific challenge for his 6-foot-3 forward. Knowing he needed his most versatile athlete to help neutralize Thomas Jefferson’s quickness, Johnson reminded Fountain that Kobe Bryant plays his best when a game is on the line.

That’s all it took.

“He said this is what makes Kobe different from everybody else,” Fountain said. “This is what makes Kobe better. So go out there and separate yourself in the second half.”

With Fountain pounding away inside, Sierra slowly established itself offensively on the inside while playing the pressure defense that has become its calling card.

After Thomas Jefferson (18-8) forced four second-half ties, it finally couldn’t keep up. Fountain’s contested 3-pointer from the corner pushed the lead to double digits for the first time as Sierra went on a 26-5 run that turned the nail-biter into a blowout.

Others took turns at the wheel of Sierra’s offense. Chris Fielder scored 11 and Wesley Gordon scored five-straight when the outcome was still very much in doubt.

But the half belonged to Fountain, who did all his team and coach asked of him.

“I tell you what, he’s a classy kid,” Johnson said. “I’m just glad I have him on my team.”