Doherty gets bench warrant/ Reserve center serves notice that

0 Comments | Gazette, The (Colorado Springs), Mar 13, 2003 | by DANNY SUMMERS

DENVER - Followers of Doherty basketball are familiar with stars such as Patrick Hannaway, Chad Burger and Brandon Dyett.

On Wednesday, they got to know Russell Carlston.

Carlston, a 6-foot-8 seldom-used junior center, scored eight of his career-high 10 points in the fourth quarter as the No. 3 seed Spartans staved off a Columbine charge to score a 53-45 victory in the quarterfinals of the Class 5A state tournament at the Pepsi Center.

"Russell has always come through," Doherty coach LeRoy Valdez said. "He's been in very crucial games. He's made a difference."

Carlston helped land Doherty (21-2) in Friday's semifinals at the Pepsi Center, where it will face Denver East (21-1). The Angels, who won the state title in 1999, defeated Gateway 51-45 to advance to the semifinals. Doherty is searching for its first state title.

Denver East defeated Doherty by eight in the season opener. "I'm not going to predict who's going to win," Hannaway said. "But if we bring our A game it will be very close."

Carlston played most of the second half after Hannaway and Dyett got into foul trouble. Hannaway picked up his third foul with 3:28 remaining in the third quarter and was taken out until the start of the fourth. He finished with a team-high 15 points, 16 rebounds and six blocked shots.

Dyett, who scored 11 points to go along with five steals and six rebounds, fouled out with 57 seconds remaining in the fourth.

Doherty led 43-32 with 4:25 remaining in the fourth on a Hannaway dunk. But Columbine (16-6), after not scoring for more than seven minutes, roared back again, pulling within 49-45 with just under a minute remaining.

Burger (eight points) and Ramon Tafoya sealed the Doherty victory with two free throws each down the stretch. Doherty made 8 of 16 free throws in the game.

"It was ugly," Valdez said. "Maybe we put self-imposed pressure on ourselves. I don't know. But I didn't see us playing real relaxed on offense. Our defense made the difference tonight."

Doherty shot 52 percent from the field, but only 1 of 5 from beyond the 3-point arc. Columbine made 9 of 26 3-pointers.

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