Lewis-Palmer’s gymnasium is decorated with so much orange and black from its various banners that it’s easy to forget there’s an actual brick wall on the other side.

Upon entering the school’s gym a glance to the left shows a plethora of runner-up banners. And in front, a wall displaying a banner from every Rangers title season from their 1969 championship banner to Lewis-Palmer’s last triumph with their 2022 boys basketball victory.

The eighth-seeded 18-8 Rangers will return to Denver Coliseum on Thursday to compete in the 5A Final Four at 12:45 p.m. against No. 13 Silver Creek (22-4) with a shot to clinch a berth in Saturday’s final.

“That’s the one they want to add to,” assistant coach Mark VanderMeer said, pointing toward the wall opposite the Rangers’ practice. “I know they don’t want to add to the (runner-up) side.”

The Rangers recognize the only time success comes before work is in the dictionary and they’ve demonstrated the hunger every team says it has following a tough postseason loss. The Rangers bowed out of the 2025 playoffs in the Sweet 16 via a 52-45 loss to Standley Lake and reiterated several times “we’ll be back next year.”

The Rangers began 2-3 but closed the regular season with wins in eight of nine games. Senior Jonas Miller said those early dings to teams like Chaparral and Regis Jesuit helped their mentality throughout an arduous campaign.

“Those built us as a team,” Miller said. “Those got us closer as a team. Getting ready for those games, we had to have a similar approach to the way we get ready for games now.”

Miller and his Rangers teammates illustrated that intensity during their practice Tuesday. It’s the final week of the season, but Lewis-Palmer’s players operated with such fluidity that it’s clear why each cog in the Rangers machine churns without fail.

Players called out names to avoid unnecessary contact during defensive drills, rebounded shots, passed it to a teammate who then handed the ball to another Ranger who practiced their free throws. Only momentarily did the machine experience a glitch.

During a form-shooting drill, players were required to hit 25 shots from a select spot before moving to the next. The Rangers counted “16, 17, 18, 20.” Clearly an accidental omission and a slip players could have ignored.

But a Ranger shooter corrected his teammate, they hit 19, 20 and all the way to 25 to advance in the drill. Minor detail, sure, but that’s what pushed this team to the Final Four.

“That’s the accountability piece with it that they have among themselves,” coach Bill Benton said. “They don’t want to let each other down or be the guy who is last in the sprint. They have great accountability to each other with these things. Sometimes, it’s my voice, but oftentimes it’s their voice. Guys will say, ‘Hey, next play.’ They know they can’t do that all the time. … They trust each other and know you’re getting on them because you want them to do well.”

Through three tournament games, the Rangers have shot 51 percent, 40 and, against top-seeded Palisade, 54. Against the No. 13-seeded Raptors, who run a full-court press and 2-3 zone, the Rangers are suited to handle Silver Creek’s style. However, Benton realizes his team needs to remain passionate to advance to Saturday.

“Everybody wants a state championship,” Benton said. “But we tell the guys you have to go earn this and they’ve earned it on and off the floor. I think our attention to detail and how we go and attack their pressure and zone is there. If we have that intentionality, we have the opportunity to finish the deal.”

Four area 3A teams remain alive at state tournament

While Colorado Springs Christian is the only area girls team remaining, three boys teams, including No. 3 Banning Lewis, have a shot at the title. The 3A tournament will resume Thursday with Great Eight games at University of Denver.

Here is a snippet about the Pikes Peak region’s last teams standing:

Boys

No. 3 Banning Lewis (23-2)

Next opponent: No. 6 Resurrection Christian, 8:30 p.m.

The Stallions outscored SkyView Academy 25-16 in the fourth quarter and 11-8 in overtime to keep their season alive. Matthew Lebron finished with a game-high 44 points to lead Banning Lewis and Jordan Jones added 15 points and 12 rebounds.

Banning Lewis is just two wins away from its first championship berth but must knock off two-time defending champion Resurrection Christian as the teams face each other for the first time.

This is just the seventh year of Stallions basketball and their comeback victory in the Sweet 16 gave Banning Lewis its most wins in team history, which dates to the 2019-20 season.

No. 12 St. Mary’s (18-7)

Next opponent: No. 13 Colorado Springs Christian at 10:15 a.m.

Sophomore Dominic Lewis led the Pirates with 20 points in their 58-52 victory over No. 5 Peyton to advance to the quarterfinals. St. Mary’s has found its touch at an opportune time.

The Pirates managed a 14-point overtime win against Bayfield behind another strong performance from a sophomore, Cruz Artaechevarria, who scored a team-high 19 points.

St. Mary’s scoring has come from a wealth of sources and has helped the Pirates plunder multiple teams. Four players score in double figures. The Pirates are led by Jeremiah Starr, who averages 12.3 points.

They’ll need all their stars clicking against CSCS, whom the Pirates beat 65-60 on Feb. 28 to split the season series at 1-1. The quarterfinals showdown serves as a rubber match and will give the winner a ticket to Friday’s semifinals.

No. 13 Colorado Springs Christian (18-7)

Next opponent: No. 12 St. Mary’s at 10:15 a.m.

The Lions boys look to continue their season and inch closer to their first championship since 2016. CSCS will enter the quarterfinals on a two-game winning streak and face the team that handed them their previous loss.

Maxamiliano Cota-Cordova scored just 12 points – well below his average of 23.8 – and was 5-of-12 shooting for the Lions in their last matchup with the Pirates.

But, during the Lions’ last two games, the senior’s touch returned and he scored 26 and 21 to help push CSCS to the quarterfinals.

In their past four meetings, St. Mary’s and Colorado Springs Christian have alternated wins and losses with the Pirates winning 65-60 Feb. 28. The Lions have not lost back-to-back games to the Pirates since 2024.

Girls

No. 6 Colorado Springs Christian (21-4)

Next opponent: No. 3 Yuma at 8:45 a.m.

Less than two weeks ago, the Lions were held to their lowest total of the season in a loss to Buena Vista’s Demons. CSCS’ win to advance to the Great Eight wasn’t pretty, but it avenged a loss to the Demons and helped the Lions secure another trip to Denver.

The Lions face an Outlaw team that commits just shy of 22 turnovers per game. That’s a positive for the Lions, who average 19.6 steals and use the press to power their offense.

And with a pair of 1,000-point scorers in Rose Ross (19.6 points per game) and Jordyn Rollins (16.7), who also combine to average nearly 12 steals, the Lions will look for opportunities to create offense with their defense. A win for the Lions would give them their fourth consecutive Final Four berth.