For the first time in a while, Air Academy faced adversity on Friday — but the Kadets were able to quickly escape from it.

Air Academy, No. 1 in 5A, overcame a first-quarter deficit in the Round of 16 to beat No. 16 Palmer Ridge 47-28. The Kadets advanced to the Great 8 with the win.

“It’s a great win,” junior Tatyonna Brown said.

The Kadets (24-1) didn’t score until four minutes into the game and fell into an early 5-0 pit. For a team that entered Friday on a 17-game winning streak, this was a fairly unfamiliar position.

But the Kadets didn’t panic.

Instead, they switched their defense and took control of the game. Air Academy pivoted from a zone defense to a man defense, which prevented the Bears from scoring easy points in the paint.

“It was our defense,” Air Academy coach Phil Roiko said. “We’re all about defense.”

And from there, the Kadets’ offense rolled.

The Kadets, who trailed 8-4 at the end of the first quarter, went on an 11-0 run in the second quarter before holding a 20-13 lead at halftime.

“We became more physical and got used to their game,” Brown said. “I think we did well with that.”

Air Academy didn’t let up.

The Kadets outscored the Bears 27-16 in the second half to earn their 19-point margin of victory.

“Our intensity was huge,” senior Caitlin Kramer said. “We didn’t let them get in our heads.”

Brown led the Kadets with 13 points, while Kramer logged 12. Eight of the 10 Kadets who entered the game scored.

For Palmer Ridge (15-10), Delanie McMullen and Corinna Arellano each scored seven points.

Palmer Ridge’s loss is its third against the Kadets in the 2023-24 season. The Bears lost 57-35 to Air Academy in January and 40-30 in February.

“Hats off to Palmer Ridge,” Roiko said. “This was a battle until the fourth quarter. They had a great season.”

Air Academy clinched its spot in the Great Eight at the Denver Coliseum, scheduled for March 1. The Kadets will battle No. 8 Frederick, which beat Vista PEAK 51-32 on Friday.

With the competition only getting steeper, the Kadets don’t see Friday’s adversity as a bad thing.

“You want those tough games,” Roiko said. “Having that experience to battle through adversity is valuable for us.

Brown added, “It makes us really confident that we can go further into the playoffs.”