Cherry Creek’s girls basketball team is starting to believe and practice the team concept that so many coaches believe.

The Bruins are ranked third in the Jan. 30 Class 6A poll on CHSAANow.com and defeated No. 10 Arapahoe 53-41 in a Centennial League makeup game played on Jan, 30.

“We started off slow at the beginning and then going forth in the fourth quarter we definitely came together as a team,” said junior Julia Leach. “We played defense and scored buckets. We have to continue to play as a team and talk on defense. We just have to stay together. We can’t have any bickering. We worked so hard to get here and we just have to keep improving.”

Senior Braelynn Barnett echoed Leach’s thoughts.

“We’re doing good, way better than we did at the beginning of the season,” said Barnett. “We have so much potential and if we stay as a team and work together instead of working as one, we’ll get really far this season.

“It’s just us working together instead and playing 5 v 5 instead of 1 v 1,” she continued.“We’re making extra passes and I feel we’re really coming together as a team. We’re all talented individually but when we come together as a team we are just that much better.

“If we play one-on-one basketball, it’s not going to work.”

Creek coach Clint Evens has a young team with six sophomores, two juniors, a freshman and two seniors.

“There are a lot of sophomores,” said Evans. “It’s a young group but they all played last year.

“Over the last two weeks the team has looked really good. They are starting to play hard on every play.

“This group is starting to make some strides and go forward. It’s not like one step forward and two steps back.”

One of the sophomores, Tiana Chambers, claims the team came together quickly this season.

“All of us have known each other for a while and so we just clicked right away,” she said. “Everyone on the team can play and everyone contributes to the team. I just trust my teammates and know that they are there.”

Tiana Chambers scored 18 points in the game against Arapahoe. Barnett had 12 and sophomore A’neya Chambers came in with 10.

Gianna Smith led Arapahoe with 19 points while Sydney White finished with 15 points.

CC improved to 5-0 record in the league and 15-3 overall as the Bruins used a strong fourth quarter to down Grandview, 56-40, on Feb. 1. Arapahoe edged Eaglecrest, 54-50, the same evening as the Warriors upped their record to 10-6 overall and 3-2 in the league.