The tough mainly 5A Southwestern League games during the regular-season may have helped the Montezuma-Cortez High School boys basketball team capture the Class 4A District VII Tournament on Saturday night, Feb. 23, in Brownson Arena at Mesa State College.

"I really think it helped out," MCHS head coach Wade Mortensen commented on Monday, Feb. 26. "It is a little tougher league than the Western Slope League simply because of the 5A schools. Year-in and year-out, Fruita-Monument and Central (of Grand Junction) have good teams. Our kids get lots of experience playing them at home and away. It certainly gave our kids a lot of confidence they could do well in this tournament."

The Panthers led the game from early in the first quarter, but lost it midway through the fourth quarter before responding with an 18-9 run to finish the game and beat top-seeded Steamboat Springs 56-48 at Brownson Arena at Mesa State College.

The Panthers advance to the regional tournament at 7:30 tonight in Ron Wright Memorial Gym. (see related story).

Marcus Mortensen paced the Panthers with 18 points, including two 3-pointers, but the biggest 3-point plays came from Kyle Chandler and Jeff Anderson. With 3:11 left in the game and Cortez leading by two, Chandler made a backscreen cut underneath the basket, received the pass, hit a reverse layup and was fouled. He netted the free throw to put the Panthers up by five. After a missed Steamboat Springs field goal attempt, Anderson drained a 3-pointer to put Cortez up by eight.

Anderson, who was inserted into the starting lineup six games ago (he started the first few games but lost his spot and then played back in), has been a spark for the Panthers, who have won every game since he moved into the starting lineup. He added 11 points.

The Panthers led 16-10 at the end of the first quarter thanks to some untimely miscues by the Sailors. Cortez led 24-19 at the half. MCHS, though, saw its 10-point lead evaporate late in the third quarter and disappear with less than five minutes to go in the game because of some defensive lapses.

The Panthers held Steamboat to 15 of 43 from the field (35 percent). The Sailors were led by Danny Weber with 16 points. Ryan Kiely scored 11.

In the semifinals on Friday, the Panthers beat Rifle 71-65.

Cortez trailed 19-14 at the end of the first quarter. The score was tied 35-all at the half. Cortez outscored the Bears 17-12 in the third quarter and outscored them 19-18 in the fourth. Marcus Mortensen was nearly unstoppable as he gunned in 28, Layne Frazier added 14 and Mike Rivas 11.

In the quarterfinals on Thursday, Cortez outlasted Palisade 60-57.

Palisade led 14-13 and 27-24 at the half. Palisade outscored Cortez 15-14 in the third quarter but Cortez came back strong in the fourth, outpointing their opponents 22-15. The Panthers got balanced scoring as Rivas scored 15, Anderson 14, and Chris Garland 13.

"I thougtht our defense was just outstanding through the whole tournament," Mortensen reported. "That’s what won it for us. The kids played some of their best basketball of the season during the tournament. They really played well and decided they could win it."

On the girls’ side of the bracket, the Panthers are heading to Regionals for the first time in several years. They came in second place after losing to SWL rival Montrose 44-39. MCHS still advances to the regional tournament despite the loss. The top five teams in the district tournament advanced to the regional playoffs.

Cortez, which fell behind by 17 in the third quarter, made a fourth-quarter run to pull within 41-39, but it was too late because the Indians made three of four free throws in the final seconds to seal the title.

The Panthers lost for the third time this season to Montrose.

MCHS made a 7-2 run to close the third quarter and pull within 12. Montrose, though, led by 13 with five minutes to go in the game when senior guard Denise Newlin found her stroke, hitting three three-pointers that eventually pulled the Panthers within two points. Newlin led Cortez with 14 points, including 12 in the fourth quarter.

Montrose (20-2) held Cortez to 9 of 32 from the field (28 percent) for the game, including no field goals in the second quarter when the Indians broke open the game and led by 10 at halftime.