Fairview comes up just short in bid for playoff win

PREP BOYS BASKETBALL STATE PLAYOFFS

Fairview’s Spencer Brown, left, drives to the basket during the Knights’ first-round playoff game against George Washington on Friday. BRAD COCHI — FOR BOCOPREPS.COM

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By Brad Cochi

For BoCoPreps.com

DENVER >> Whether in a win or a loss, the Fairview boys basketball team had to battle in every game it played this winter.

That grit allowed the Knights to emerge from a tough Granite Peaks League and capture a spot in the Class 6A postseason. On Friday night, the 16th-seeded Knights (16-8) traveled to face No. 17 George Washington (15-9) in the first round of the state playoffs.

In the end, the Knights’ season ended with a 60-51 loss on the road. But true to form, the Knights went down fighting. “I thought we had a great year,” Fairview head coach Andre Goldberg said. “I thought we exceeded a lot of people’s expectations. Our guys really stepped up, and our seniors stepped up. We had great leadership, and some guys had some really great years. I told them after both our wins and our losses there’s no one I’d rather go to battle with than these guys. We’re not the tallest or most athletic team, but we just fight every day.”

The Knights, who were potentially on track to host a first-round playoff game but lost their final four regular season contests, trailed 8-5 after the first quarter and 20-15 at halftime. Throughout much of the game, neither team led by more than a few points.

Leading by five points to start the fourth quarter, the host Patriots built a 10-point lead with 4 minutes, 55 seconds left in the game and the Knights couldn’t close the gap.

“I’m really proud of our fight,” Goldberg said. “Our guys have been battling all year long, and that’s just a testament to what kind of people they are. We didn’t do enough, but we had great stretches and we put up a heck of a fight. I’m really proud of our guys.”

Junior Toray Davis (12.3 ppg) led the Knights with 17 points. Senior Spencer Brown (17 ppg) scored 12.

George Washington’s Jack Young led the Spartans with 15 points.

This most recent postseason appearance was Fairview’ third in as many years. The Knights last reached the second round of the state tournament during the truncated 2021 season.

George Washington will face the winner of Friday’s first-round game between No. 1 Rangeview and No. 33 Cherokee Trail in the Sweet 16 on Tuesday.