AIR FORCE ACADEMY - Defending champion Hi-Plains is making a return trip to the title game after beating Caliche 53-50 on Friday in the Class A boys basketball state semifinals.

Junior Nathan Rueb scored 18 points to lead the Patriots (21-4) in a game that was tight until the end.

"It feels pretty good," Rueb said. "This is a whole team effort, and we're excited to do this."

Caliche (17-7) trailed by seven points with 1:10 remaining when Brice Kippes hit a three- pointer to make it 50-46.

On the next Buffaloes possession, after a free throw by Hi- Plains' Brock Benson, Rueb fouled Scott Gilliham. Gilliham hit one of two free throws to get Caliche to within four again.

After a timeout, Hi-Plains' Kent Herman couldn't inbound the ball, drawing a 5-second violation and giving Caliche life.

But the Buffaloes couldn't capitalize, missing two close-range jumpers and subsequently fouling Herman.

Herman hit one of two free throws to make it 52-47 before Kippes hit another three with 20 seconds remaining.

Kendal Rueb then hit one of two free throws to give the Patriots a three-point lead. Caliche couldn't get a shot, giving the Patriots the opportunity to win consecutive titles.

Caliche......7	12	11	20	-	50
Hi-Plains......10	12	15	16	-	53

C - Andrew Stieb 3 2-4 10, Craig Debus 4 6-11 14, Cody Zink 0 0-0 0, Derek Weingardt 4 0-2 10, Brice Kippes 3 0-1 8, Scott Gilliham 2 2-4 6, Mason Monheiser 1 0-0 2, Alan Gutierrez 0 0-0 0, Cory Stumpf 0 0-0 0. Totals 17 10-22 50.

HP - Evan Bancroft 1 0-2 2, Brock Benson 1 3-6 5, Kraig Tagtmeyer 0 0-2 0, Kendal Rueb 5 4-8 16, Kent Herman 5 2-4 12, Nathan Rueb 8 2-4 18. Totals 20 11-26 53.

Three-point goals - C, Kippes 2, Stieb 2, Weingardt 2; HP, Kendal Rueb 2. Fouled out - Debus, Zink, Rueb. Technical foul - Debus.

KIT CARSON 71, OTIS 39 - Kit Carson easily advanced to the championship game for the second consecutive year.

The Wildcats (24-0) will face Hi-Plains in a rematch of the 2006 championship game, which the Patriots won 52-50.

"Yeah, it's great to be back there. It's going to be a great game," Kit Carson point guard Ty Trahern said.

Trahern finished with 14 points, and Damon Dechant totaled a game-high 24.

Otis (20-5) kept within reach in the first quarter, but a buzzer- beating three-pointer by Dechant set the tone for the rest of the game.

This marks the third time in four years Kit Carson will play in the championship game. In 2004, the Wildcats beat Eads to win their first title.

Otis......13	4	13	9	-	39
Kit Carson......23	19	16	13	-	71

O - Karson Kuntz 1 4-5 6, Jordan Anderson 0 6-6 6, Guy Kuntz 0 0-0 0, J.P. Davis 7 0-4 14, Ben Ruiz 1 0-2 2, Zane Schoenfield 3 0-0 7, Jimmy McGrath 2 0-0 4, Scott Aughe 0 0-0 0, Lyle Rodgers 0 0-0 0, Dillon Patterson 0 0-0 0, Devin McCall 0 0-0 0 Totals 14 10-17 39.

KC - Damon Dechant 9 4-6 24, Joe Jolly 1 0-0 2, Curt Connelley 1 2-2 4, Andrew Maxcy 1 1-4 3, Stetson Mitchell 2 0-0 4, Ty Trahern 5 1-2 14, Tom -Rhoades 0 0-2 0, Tyler Stephenson 3 0-0 6, Antonio Arroyo 2 0-0 4, Jon Ball 3 0-0 6, Josh Hammer 1 2-2 4, Wade Jacobs 0 0-0 0. Totals 28 10-18 71.

Three-point goals -O, Schoenfield; KC, Trahern 3, Dechant 2. Fouled out - Schoenfield.

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