DENVER – The Centauri High School boys basketball team finished in fourth place at the Class 3A State Tournament after a 71-54 loss to Windsor Charter Academy Saturday at the University of Denver’s Hamilton Gymnasium.

Kellen Ball gave the Firebirds the early lead with a 3-point basket. Jace Haslett put the Falcons on the board with a layup, but Dayton Long also fired in a three for a 6-2 WCA lead.

Carson Shawcroft made a trey and Troy Sowards drove for a layup to give Centauri its only lead of the game at 7-6.

Long made back-to-back 3-pointers to give the Firebirds the lead for good. Todd Broyles cut the lead to 12-9, but Long hit a short jumper.

Carson Bagwell scored in the paint and added a free throw to reduce the deficit to 14-12. Andrew Schams made a layup, but Sowards scored again.

Long sank hit fourth three of the quarter to give WCA a 19-14 lead at the end of the first period.

Schams opened the second-quarter scoring with a layup, but Sowards answered with a dunk. Haslett made two free throws to bring the Falcons within 21-18.

Windsor Charter then ran off nine consecutive points. Schams scored four of the points, Ball three and Long two.

Sowards sank a three to end the rally, but Ball made two free throws, and Long hit another jumper.

Sowards scored in the paint and added a free throw to cut the WCA lead to 34-24. But Dom Pepin made two free throws and later a layup. Bagwell’s jumper ended the second quarter with the Firebirds leading 38-26 at halftime.

Schams made two free throws and then a layup to begin the second half. Bagwell knocked down a jumper, but Ball made another trey.

Kamryn Garcia and Sowards both made layups, but the Firebirds went on a 10-0 run. Ball scored six of the points and Long four.

Sowards ended the run with a pair of free throws, but Long and Frankie Jones both scored. Sowards hit a jumper, but Luke Unruh made one of two from the line. Bagwell sank a jumper, but WCA led 60-38 at the end of the third quarter.

Schams opened the fourth quarter with back-to-back threes. Bagwell accounted for the Falcons’ first points of the quarter, but Ball knocked down a jumper.

Haslett made a layup and added a free throw, but Ball split at the line. Bagwell made two baskets, and Sean Jarvies made a layup.

Bagwell and Garcia both made two free tosses, and Dallyn King made one of two to wrap up the scoring.

Sowards was Centauri’s leading scorer with 20 points, followed by Bagwell with 15.

WCA had three players scoring in double figures. Long led the way with 24 points, followed by Ball with 22, and Schams with 18.

Centauri finished the season with 26 wins and two losses.

Windsor Charter Academy 71, Centauri 54

Centauri – Shawcroft 1-3 0-0 3, Sowards 8-12 3-3 20, S, Jarvies 1-2 0-0 2, Bagwell 6-11 3-5 15, Haslett 2-7 3-3 7, McGinnis 0-0 0-0 0, D. Jarvies 0 0-0 0, Garcia 1-4 2-2 4, Broyles 1-2 0-0 2, King 0-0 1-2 1, Maestas 0-0 0-0 0, Gilleland 0-1 0-0 0. Total 20-42 12-17 54.

3-poiont goals – Shawcroft 1-3, Sowards 1-3, Garcia 0-2, Broyles 0-1. Total 2-9.

Windsor Charter Academy – Ball 8-11 3-4 22, Pepin 1-4 2-2 2, Long 10-15 0-0 24, Schams 7-10 2-2 18, Cronk 0-0 0-0 0, Fields 0-2 0-0 0, Hay 0-2 0-0 0, Unruh 0-0 1-2 1, Grizzle 0-0 0-0 0, Boyle 0-0 0-0 0, Jones 1-2 0-0 2, DePorter 0-0 0-0 0, Anderson 0-1 0-0 0. Total 27-47 8-10 71.

3-point goals – Ball 3-3, Pepin 0-1, Long 4-5, Schams 2-4, Hay 0-1. Total 9-14.

Centauri 14 12 12 16 – 54

Windsor Charter Academy 19 19 22 11 – 71

Fouls – Centauri 11, Windsor Charter Academy 20. Fouled out – Sowards.