DENVER — Before its Great 8 matchup with Palisade, Lewis-Palmer boys’ basketball talked about legacy. 

The Rangers have five state championships — their most recent was in 2022 — and the banners hang proudly in the Lewis-Palmer gym. 

Final Four appearances also earn a banner, and the No. 8 Rangers add one more after taking down No. 1 Palisade 63-46 in the 5A Great 8 on Saturday at the Denver Coliseum. Lewis-Palmer (18-8) dominated from start to finish, leading 34-13 at halftime and running away with the win in the second half to end the Bulldogs’ (23-3) seven-game win streak. 

“Their names will never come off our wall now, and that’s something that mattered to them as a collective group,” Ranger head coach Bill Benton said. “We want to leave our mark through this. We want to be known as that team that just plays great defense. They take pride in themselves and each other for it.” 

A year after falling in the Sweet 16, the Rangers will face No. 13 Silver Creek in the Final Four on March 12. The Raptors took down No. 12 Mesa Ridge earlier on Saturday to end the Grizzlies’ season. 

“It’s great for the team. We needed this after losing in the second round last year,” senior Jonas Miller said. “But that’s not our overall goal. We want to make it as far as we can, and the Final Four is the next step but not the ultimate goal.”

Miller led the Rangers with 17 points on 7-of-10 shooting and five rebounds, followed by sophomore Devin VanderMeer with 17 points and four rebounds. The Rangers finished with 45.5% shooting from the field and shot 10 for 27 (37%) from 3-point range. 

Lewis-Palmer held Palisade to 32.9% shooting from the field, led by Hunter Howard with 15 points, all from 3-pointers, and five rebounds. 

The Rangers also outrebounded Palisade 31-20 and earned 11 points from nine Bulldog turnovers. Lewis-Palmer recorded five turnovers and 24 bench points to Palisade’s five.

Defense was the Rangers’ No. 1 priority going into Saturday.  

“We talked about using the word suffocating,” Benton said. “If you play with that suffocating mindset of always putting pressure, that is hard to overcome. The guys didn’t get greedy with steals or trying to make a big play. They did it the right way.” 

A 15-0 run put the Rangers up 19-4 through the first quarter, with Miller accounting for 10 of those 19, including two 3-pointers. Lewis-Palmer held the Bulldogs scoreless for eight minutes of play between quarters to finish the first half with a 21-point edge. VanderMeer had a big third quarter to help the Rangers lead 51-29 into the fourth. 

Walking up to the Coliseum was “scary” for VanderMeer, but as soon as he and the team stepped on the court, it felt natural. The Rangers’ tradition of success reminds them that they belong. 

“They play for and with each other,” Benton said. “We just need to continue to focus on us. We know when we play the right way we can put ourselves in this position. They have learned from their successes and struggles and that’s the sign of a team that really gets it.”