Ball Fever: "Top dogs" rising in boys basketball - Colorado High School Activities Association

It’s that team where our cream is beginning to rise to the top! We don’t expect a lot of movement in our top-10 polls this week as things played out nicely for the majority of the favorites this week.

It’s that time of year where balance is rearing its head with a few “top dogs” controlling the top spots!

Let’s check it out.

Week in review

Tuesday, Jan. 9:

This week gets started with No. 1 Rangeview battling adversity and surviving Aurora Central. Check out Stephen Priest’s complete report.
Last week’s No. 5 ThunderRidge got a big-boy 18-point, 9-rebound effort from Clay Verk in a league win over Castle View.
The Fever Crew made it out to FNE (Montbello) hosting No. 4 Regis on Tuesday, where Jack Eberhard was snapping the shots. Montbello received a tremendous boost late in the game from a Sekou Cisse SportsCenter-style And-1 dunk with 3 minutes to play, but missed free throws and late miscues stopped the Warriors from beating Longmont and Regis in back to back games.
Isaac Hirsh’s 18-point, 7-rebound night for No. 7 Rock Canyon helped secure the 6-point road win at Heritage.
This kid may be our favorite “stat-stuffin” candidate of the year! We’ve talked about Sierra’s CJ Jennings before and check out the show he put on vs. Harrison. Josh Watt took in one of the best performances of the season.
Jacob Pfaffinger led four Fort Collins players in double figures with 20 as they got a big 16-point league win over Monarch.
Chaparral having a tough year with a very young squad got 10 points each from freshman Ronnie DeGray and Bryce Matthews in a win over Highlands Ranch. The lone senior on the squad, Dominic Coleman, led the way with 21 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists and 1 steal!
Longmont no longer our 4A No. 1 but they start week strong with 20-point win over a good Thompson Valley squad. Justinian Jessup with 23 and Kolton Bachman 21.
Windsor is gaining on top-10 votes in our poll and get another strong win 72-56 at Roosevelt behind a 14-point, 11-assist, 8-rebound effort from Noah Baldwin and 21 points from Jimmy Mitchell.
A little Ball Fever “dig” in the stats revealed a Greeley West team that’s playing the ball under the radar a bit at 13-2. They took down Fairview this night and Cordell Gillingham scored 25 points in the impressive win.
Vista Ridge, our 4A No. 9, made a fourth quarter comeback and won by 2 at Palmer Ridge with Hunter Maldonado scoring 19.

Wednesday, Jan. 20:

Overland Cherry Creek boys basketball De'Ron Davis

Sand Creek lefty D’Shawn Schwartz was named to ESPN’s top juniors in the country last week and celebrated scoring 21 points, 5 rebounds in a home win over Cheyenne Mountain.
The new No. 2 Eaglecrest again proved they are worthy marching to a 13-0 mark with tough road win at Cherokee Trail. Dan Mohrmann is all over it!
No. 1 Pueblo South took on 5A Liberty and pulled away in fourth quarter for the 5-point win.
Big De’Ron with the double-double on Wednesday night vs. Creek and Matt Minton snapped the shots.
Great to see Nathan Davis’ return to the court for Mullen scoring 12 points but wasn’t enough to take down Grandview, whose Lechaun Duhart scored 20 for the Wolves.
Big man Dallas Walton with a 20-point, 13-rebound double-double for A-West but not enough to take down No. 8 visiting Chatfield.
No. 5 Golden making it tough for Evergreen to get back in the top-10 holding them off 59-55.
Manel Ayol’s 14 points helped the FNE Warriors bounce back from the heartbreaker vs. Regis and got a 5-point road win at Prairie View.
No. 2 Lewis-Palmer was looking the part with a 29-point win over Discovery Canyon fueled by Jonathon Scott’s 14 points.
Conifer playing well and receiving top-10 votes last week ran into the Valor Eagles losing by 26 as stud Jalen Sanders scored 21 in the win.

Thursday, Jan. 21:

Doherty cruised on this night with SIX, yes SIX players in double figures led by Dalven Brushier’s 17 as they throttled Coronado.
Fountain-Fort Carson with a much needed road win at Palmer Ridge behind TJ Lucero’s 19 points.
Really expected this one to be tight but Lakewood won by 26 over visiting Rampart.
What a week for CJ Jennings, who has another 30-plus-point performance as Sierra routed Canon City.
No. 1 Rangeveiw had numerous players in double figures as they did what they were expected — win big — at Northglenn. Perhaps more impressive than the points the Raiders scored was the one point they allowed in the second quarter! Yes, the EMAC not the strongest league to test Rangeview the rest of the way but give props to Coach Palmer for taking all comers in their aggressive non-league schedule!

Friday, Jan. 22:

Top-10 match-up in the “Centennial Tough” league Friday night as Overland beat Cherokee Trail! Check out Stephen Priest’s report.
Continental league top match was captured by Matt Minton, where Regis held off Legend.
Jack Eberhard took in the Arapahoe/Cherry Creek Friday night fest.
The East Angels, currently No. 5, took care of business vs. JFK as expected but great to note the return of Samba Dioum for East who had 14 points, 6 rebounds. With the addition of Alex May, as well, East looks to be getting strong!
No. 7 Rock Canyon continues to impress with balance and defense. This time only allowing 38 points to Chaparral while the Jags rang up 71.
Close early but huge second half run by the No. 2 Raptors lifted Eaglecrest over Grandview, with Colbey Ross scoring 17.
Aurora Central entered league play with a bang beating Prairie View soundly and Elijah Coleman scoring 21.
The Front Range league beating each other up early and it was Mountain Range’s turn to mix things up as Mike Polson’s 19 help lift them over Fort Collins.
Scorekeeper may be looking for a sub or day off after Pueblo West ran it up 102-78 on Pueblo County.
Arvada West played Chatfield tough and followed that up with a 23-point win over Lakewood. A healthy Luke Neff, who scored 20, is big for the Wildcats.
Wheat Ridge has been playing strong ball which makes Golden 17-point on the road all the more impressive.
Joe Golter scored 17 as Holy Family cruised against Berthoud. Holy Family holding steady at No. 8 in 4A.
No. 1 Pueblo South continues it’s southern dominance with 24-point victory at Pueblo Centennial.
Must have felt like déjà vu for Denver South and TJ as they played a classic game last week only to repeat the down to the wire action in a 80-77 win that the Rebels pulled off again. How about Connor Nelson dropping 30 for D. South along side Chudier Bile’s 22-point, 12-rebound double-double? FRESHMAN ALERT: Bright spot for the Spartans as Jodaun Dotson contributed 12 points in a huge game.
Lewis-Palmer took a scare from defending champ Air Academy needing overtime to get the win 75-67. Jonathon Scott with the huge 30-point night!
Vista Peak earned a few top-10 votes and Te’Rae Johnson’s 12 points led to road victory at Skyview.

Saturday, Jan. 23:

Kyle Rynearson scored 19 as Bromfield ended the week on a high not pulling the upset in overtime over Holy Family.
ThunderRidge started strong 24-12 in first quarter and never looked back as they took bragging rights from Highlands Ranch 74-55.
Golden has been hot in 4A but a road trip to 5A Fort Collins brought on a 59-46 loss as Brian Read scored 19 for Fort Collins.
Two of our top 2017 guards put on a Saturday night show as Braxton Bertolette (19 points) and Isaac Essien (23 points) for Mountain Vista lead the Eagles to a home win over Fossil Ridge.
Our first DPL battle at the historic Thunderdome was GW and FNE (Montbello) Warriors! The Patriots were hitting on all cylinders as Jon’il Fugett could not miss piling up 26 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists. The Warriors were led by Aaris Bonds who scored 20 and Sekou Cisse added 14. Both these squads will have fun tilts with Denver East for the DPL title this year!
No better week than CJ Jennings who finished with 19 points, 5 rebounds, 5 steals in Sierra’s 3-point win over Discovery Canyon.
Five players in double figures as Lewis-Palmer rolled up 98 points at Elizabeth. The Rangers 14-1 now!