Deron Orr Jr is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Gilbert High School for AZPreps 365.

Carl Hayden Community fell to the Boulder Creek Jaguars 69-60 on the road Thursday night after a hard fought playoff game.

Down by five at halftime, Carl Hayden started the third quarter with a transition steal by Carl Hayden guard Kendre Pride, who got the 'And-1' layup. He missed the free throw. The crowd erupted as Carl Hayden cut the lead to three points. 

Carl Hayden had momentum as the team started to feed off the energy of the crowd. Pride came out in the second half more physical and aggressive. “I didn't want to have the feeling I had last year that I was trying to get  to the next step in the tournament,” said Pride.

Carl Hayden started the second half with more energy and more physicality, taking a charge on Boulder Creek sophomore forward Andrew Bhesania. That foul put Bhesania in foul trouble with four fouls with 4 minutes 30 seconds left in the third quarter. He sat the rest of the quarter. The penalty caused Boulder Creek coach Justin Collard to erupt with emotion and get a technical foul.

Fans started chanting and yelling at the team to wake up. Boulder Creek didn't go down without a fight; it was a back-and-forth battle between the teams. Boulder Creek led 43-40 entering the fourth quarter.

Carl Hayden senior forward Adrien Armstrong scored and was fouled, but missed the free throw, bringing Carl Hayden to within one. Boulder Creek hit a 3-pointer for a 46-42 lead. 

Two possessions later, with good defensive stops by Carl Hayden, Pride came  down the lane and was fouled. He hit both free throws, cutting the lead two. But Boulder Creek kept answering. 

Carl Hayden came up short. Coach Rodney Brown encouraged all his players to raise their heads as they walked to the locker room. “It's a learning experience for y’all and a learning experience for me,” said Brown.

Armstrong came out of the locker room with his head held high. “This my last high school game; I'm taking this as a learning experience,'' he said. "I had fun with my team every day. These are my boys, and I hang out with them every day. Just being around them every day was the best memory. Being able to talk to them and tell them anything is my best memory of the season."