Tytus Winters and Monta Scott scored all but three of No. 6 seed Sierra’s 27 fourth-quarter points to defeat the No. 11 Denver North Vikings 71-66 in a 4A state playoff opener.

The excellent backcourt duo generated steals at midcourt and turned around a game where visiting Denver North led by 12. Scott shot 3-for-4 from beyond the arc in Wednesday’s game, and Winters closed, going 8-for-12 on free throws in the fourth.

“I figured I couldn’t miss them because it was game time and they were on the line,” Winters said. “I felt like I just had to help my team win, just had to do whatever I could to win.”

“Just outstanding execution on their part,” Sierra coach Terry Dunn said of Winters and Scott. “Shot selection, and just the confidence to knock down big shots, when we needed them to make big shots.”

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Sierra’s defense and offensive tempos juxtaposed one another, as they fought frantically to generate turnovers, and then effortlessly put the ball in the basket.

“We knew we had to come out and play physical, play smart, and do whatever we could do to get this win,” Scott said.

Sierra’s biggest trouble on defense was an inside-outside presence in senior guard Ibashi Vandevelde and forward captain Clinton Brown. Brown posted up, generating rebounds and second chances for the Vikings, while adding 17 points, including an important three-point play that kept Denver North within striking distance with a minute left.

Marco Gonzalez came off the bench for Denver North, scored eight points and was 2-for-2 from 3-point range. His high-paced attack and strong defense nipped at the Sierra lead, as he and Brown worked together to get the game within two points with a minute left.

Gonzalez’s strong play, however, came as a result of coach Dunn’s defensive strategy. It was all a part of the plan.

“I thought that we needed to put a little more pressure on the ball and contain the ball,” Dunn said. “(Then) force (Brown and Vandevelde) to give it up and make somebody else make plays. I thought we did a good job of that in the second half.”

Vandevelde, who finished with 13 points in the first, distributed the ball well and drove to the net with ease. However, Sierra’s defense stifled him in the second, allowing him to score only two points.

Denver North boasted a taller lineup in Brown at 6-foot-4 and Isaiah Martin at 6-7. The Vikings had complete control in the first half, but Sierra really stepped up and got physical, stopping North’s offensive rebounding.

While Sierra’s defense waited for the second half to step up, KeAndre’ Lewis responded to the Denver North 18-5 run in the second quarter with eight of his own points. He finished the game with 11, going 2-for-2 on 3-pointers. With his help on offense and some perseverance in the paint, the game was theirs.

Sierra (15-9, 10-5) will advance to play Thompson Valley (16-7, 11-3) on Friday at Thomas Jefferson, their first matchup of the season.