COLORADO SPRINGS - A quick start made all the difference for Cherry Creek in its 60-49 victory Thursday in the Class 5A tournament against Mountain Vista.

The third-seeded Bruins rode a 10-point first-quarter burst from forward Taylor Montgomery, while the seventh-seeded Golden Eagles couldn't seem to shake off the cobwebs.

The Bruins led 12-4 after one quarter, continuing a Sweet 16 trend at World Arena where the higher-seeded teams established comfortable leads and kept opponents from coming back.

Montgomery, who led all players with 22 points and 12 rebounds, was stopped only by foul trouble.

His production in the second quarter dropped to only a three-pointer after being forced to the bench, but Kyle Behrens, Mountain Vista's leading scorer, couldn't take advantage of Montgomery's absence.

Bruins guard Karl Heimbrock, listed at 6-foot-1, took over the assignment against the 6-4 Behrens. As Heimbrock stayed with him, many of Behrens' points came on second-chance baskets.

"I've been in the position to 'help-side' quite a lot," Heimbrock said. "My goal has been to be able to pick up and help on (our opposition's) main athletes."

Behrens still scored 16 points to lead the Golden Eagles, but none came easily.

Trey Eckloff, Cherry Creek's 6-10 center, had confidence in

Heimbrock, even against a skilled shooter such as Behrens.

"Karl's a competitor," Eckloff said. "He wasn't going to let Behrens get the basket too easily."

Cherry Creek (17-7) outscored Mountain Vista (14-11) in every quarter except the fourth. A barrage of three-pointers from Jordan Smith closed the gap, but Montgomery and Eckloff responded.

The Bruins' outside game also got a big lift from 6-3 senior forward Scott Traina, who drilled four three-pointers.

Mountain Vista......4	12	13	20	-	49
Cherry Creek......12	14	17	17	-	60

MV - Ryan Dore 0 4-4 4, Trevor Jessup 1 0-0 2, Jordan Smith 3 2-2 11, Eric Anderson 1 0-2 2, Adam Ringstad 3 1-2 8, Josh Munsterman 1 0-0 2, Scott Winter 2 0-0 4, Kyle Behrens 8 0-5 16. Totals 19 7-15 49.

CC - Scott Traina 4 0-0 12, Carter Ahlbrandt 0 2-2 2, Karl Heimbrock 1 4-4 6, Ryan Link 2 0-0 4, Taylor Montgomery 8 4-7 22, Trey Eckloff 7 0-0 14. Totals 22 10-13 60.

Three-point goals - MV, Smith 3, Ringstad; CC, Traina 4, Montgomery 2.

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