Cougar girls basketball shines against Silver Creek

The Niwot High School girls basketball team experienced a mixed week, falling 53-15 to Legacy High School on Feb. 4 before bouncing back with a 56-47 Senior Night home victory over Silver Creek High School on Feb. 7.

Heading into their matchup against the Legacy Lightning, the Cougars held a 9-9 record, while Legacy stood at 10-7. Despite the close records, the game quickly turned lopsided as the Cougars struggled offensively.

Niwot shot just 17% from the field and hit only one three-pointer throughout the game. Freshman Alaina Loomis led the team with six points, while senior Thalia Almaraz contributed five. Despite their shooting struggles, Niwot remained aggressive on defense. They tallied 14 rebounds and 13 steals.

However, their 18 fouls and 11 turnovers gave the Lightning extra opportunities to extend their lead. The Cougars were unable to respond, and Legacy's efficient scoring ensured that Niwot never had a chance to form a comeback.

Three days later, the Cougars flipped the script with a resilient performance against the Silver Creek Raptors in front of a packed home crowd.

Niwot honored its five seniors–Jiselle Sales, Hadie Adams, Madison Ackerman, Peyton Rhodes, and Almaraz–before the last home game of the season.

The seniors were recognized with heartfelt speeches, flowers, and posters from their underclassmen teammates. Niwot also presented each of Silver Creek's five seniors with a rose before tipoff.

The Raptors entered the game with a 3-13 record, but they put up a strong fight early on. Once the game began, both teams brought intensity, and the first half remained competitive.

Sales opened the scoring with a basket to give the Cougars an early 3-0 lead. Niwot played with energy, but Silver Creek kept pace, taking a narrow 16-14 lead by the end of the first quarter.

The second quarter was marked by missed opportunities, including a technical foul that resulted in free throws, but the Cougars could not capitalize. The Raptors took advantage of Niwot's cold shooting stretch, extending their lead to 23-19 at halftime.

The Cougars' fortunes changed in the third quarter as Almaraz and Sales led an offensive surge. Almaraz hit a crucial three-pointer to give Niwot a 28-27 lead, followed by a layup to push the Cougars further ahead. Loomis added key points and with a late push from Silver Creek, the third quarter ended with the Raptors clinging to a 38-37 lead.

In the fourth quarter, the Cougars took full control. Niwot's defense created turnovers that led to fast-break opportunities. One of the game's defining moments came when freshman Alexis Austefjord made a highlight-reel play, saving the ball from going out of bounds and setting up junior Payton Johnson for a critical basket. Moments later, Austefjord stunned the crowd with a no-look layup behind her shoulder while she was falling out of bounds.

With Silver Creek struggling to score from the field, Niwot took advantage. A three-pointer from junior Ella Zechman extended Niwot's lead to 50-38. The Cougars maintained their defensive pressure to keep the Raptors from closing the gap. In the final minutes, Adams and Loomis converted free throws to seal the victory, making it a memorable Senior Night celebration.

Almaraz finished with a standout performance, leading the team with 15 points, eight assists, and 10 steals. Loomis contributed 14 points while shooting an efficient 50% from the field. Sales added seven points and eight rebounds, while Austefjord, Johnson, and Adams made key contributions in the fourth quarter to secure the win.

With their record now at 10-10, the Cougars will look to build on this momentum as they head into their final three regular-season games. They will face Monarch High School on the road on Feb. 11 before traveling to Frederick High School on Feb. 13.