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Basalt boys look for redemption

Staff Report
Post Independent Photo/Kara K. Pearson Basalt's Darren Duroux looks to the basket for a shot during Saturday's rivalry game against Roaring Fork. Basalt lost, 48-38.
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The Basalt boys basketball team had a solid regular-season run that led to a second-place finish in the 3A Western Slope League, but the regular-season finale was a downer.The Longhorns fell 49-45 to last-place Hotchkiss to wrap up their season Saturday night.Just three days later, the Longhorns can erase the loss from their memory.Basalt has an opportunity to redeem itself in the first round of the District 2 tournament when it hosts the Bulldogs at 7 tonight at Basalt High School.Although momentum may not be on the side of the Longhorns (8-4 league, 10-9 overall), judging from the season as a whole, Basalt should have the upper hand against Hotchkiss (2-10, 4-14) in its home gym.

Basalt won three of its last four games to claim the No. 2 seed in the league and downed Hotchkiss 58-48 earlier in the season at Basalt High School. Cody Burkholder and Darren Duroux have been on fire the last couple of games, despite the upset by Hotchkiss. Burkholder, who averages 15 points per game, went off for 31 on Friday night against Cedaredge and had 16 against Hotchkiss. Duroux posted 16 points in the 61-41 victory over Cedaredge and 15 against Hotchkiss.Hotchkiss’ only other league victory came at Aspen on Feb. 5.The winner of tonight’s game advances to the semifinals Friday at Palisade High School to play the winner of the Olathe-Gunnison contest, also tonight. Top seed Roaring Fork has a bye through the first round and takes on the winner of tonight’s Aspen-Cedaredge game, Friday at Palisade. The championship and third-place games are scheduled for Saturday. The top four teams advance to the regional round of the playoffs.Basalt girls head to Aspen for opener

When it comes to tournament play, sometimes the most entertaining games are the first-round contests between the middle seeds.The Basalt and Aspen girls basketball teams enter tonight’s 7 p.m. District 2 playoff game with identical 6-6 league records. The winner earns a spot in the tournament semis and a regional playoff berth.The game is slated for 7 p.m. at Aspen High School.Aspen gained the homecourt advantage by sweeping the Longhorns during the regular season. The Skiers downed Basalt 43-32 in Aspen and 47-37 at Basalt High School.The winner of tonight’s game faces top seed Roaring Fork on Friday night at Palisade High School. Roaring Fork had a bye through the first round after claiming the league title.Tonight’s other two first-round games will decide the other semifinal game as Olathe travels to Cedaredge and Gunnison is at Hotchkiss. For the losers, the season is over. The winners play Friday night, with the championship and third-place games scheduled for Saturday at Palisade. All four teams to advance to the semis earn a regional-round berth.



Basalt at Class 3A District 2 TournamentFirst roundBoys – No. 7 Hotchkiss at No. 2 Basalt, 7 p.m.Girls – No. 5 Basalt at No. 4 Aspen, 7 p.m.• Top four teams advance to regionals. The semifinals are scheduled for Friday night, and the championship and third-place games are Saturday. Friday and Saturday contests are all at Palisade High School.• The Roaring Fork boys and girls teams both earned a bye to the semifinals after winning the 3A Western Slope League regular-season title.


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