The No. 6 Coal Ridge Titans boys basketball team left everything on the court Friday night at the Denver Coliseum, nearly pulling off a stunning comeback before falling 67-62 to No. 10 Colorado Academy in the Class 4A Final Four.

“I am so proud of their effort, their guts, and their determination,” Titans head coach Paul Harvey said. “That was an amazing effort, and we hope we made Coal Ridge and the entire Western Slope proud. We’re so grateful for all the parents, teachers, students, outstanding band and cheerleading squad support.”

Down 18 points late in the second quarter, Coal Ridge refused to go quietly, erupting for 45 second-half points to claw back into the game. The fourth quarter was a nail-biter, but the Mustangs managed to hold off the surging Titans in the final moments.

Colorado Academy came out firing, not missing a shot until putting 17 points on the board. The Titans struggled to keep up as the Mustangs dictated the pace early, building a 14-point halftime lead.

Harvey’s halftime adjustments sparked a shift in momentum.

“They shot lights out in the first half, and we missed a ton of open inside looks,” Harvey said. “I told the team that it would flip, but we had to make a few adjustments on defense and be more aggressive on offense.”

The Titans stormed out of the locker room with an 8-2 run, forcing Colorado Academy to call a timeout. By the three-minute mark in the third quarter, Coal Ridge had cut the deficit to five.

It wasn’t just their shooting that fueled the comeback—Coal Ridge’s relentless defense rattled the Mustangs, forcing turnovers and tough shots as the Titans nearly doubled their third-quarter scoring output.

The final 90 seconds stretched over 15 minutes with fouls, free throws, and frantic possessions keeping fans on edge.

Colorado Academy nearly crumbled under the pressure, committing turnovers, missing free throws, and stepping out of bounds as Coal Ridge clawed within a single possession.

After senior captain Ben Simons drilled a 3-pointer with seven seconds left, the Titans had one final chance to tie the game. But a few unlucky bounces sealed their fate, ending their season one game short of the program’s first state championship appearance.

“I couldn’t be more grateful to be a part of this team,” Simons said. “I’m bummed it had to end, but only one team can come out on top. This team was special. I’m proud of how we played together, and I’m so grateful I got to play in the Final Four.”