Ball Fever: Boys hoops teams start to jockey for postseason position

Hoop fans! Midseason ball is heating up and the thick of league play is upon us. Each win counts and wins on the road have proven to be especially difficult.

ThunderRidge, George Washington, Pueblo West, and Sand Creek look like they will remain atop our Class 5A/4A rankings respectively.

The cream is rising but more surprises are surely on the horizon!

A Look Back

Monday, Jan. 16

Senior Djimon O’neil scored 19 for Fountain-Fort Carson but Columbine held on at home winning 56-50.
Grand Junction jumped on Ralston Valley 60-42.

Tuesday, Jan. 17

Faith Christian D'Evelyn boys basketball

Grand Junction Central jumped out to a 12-5 first quarter advantage, leading to 46-42 win over Fruita Monument.
A different Wolverine led the way again in Chaparral’s Parker rivalry win by 13 over Ponderosa where junior Wayne Fisch scored 16.
D’Evelyn continues to roll and Matt Mathewes was on the scene.
Mead got 23 from senior Michael Ward in the second half comeback 65-63 over Windsor.
Jack Eberhard with the action shots of No. 6 Rock Canyon topping Regis.
Another comeback as No. 9 Silver Creek followed Hunter Becvar and his 23 points to chase down Longmont in a tough one!
Everyone got in the action for Vista PEAK and the No. 7 Bison thumped Adams City.
Douglas County felt the muscle of No. 1 ThunderRidge where Corey Seng led four Grizzlies in double figure scoring with 19 in the win.
Sierra’s back in our 4A poll at No. 10 and senior Stephan Deedan scored 21 in win over Harrison.
Jeff Tucker took in a little ThunderDome action as GW beat Montbello (FNE).
Matt Johnson Jr. is on a tear for Rangeview and was “stat-stuffin” again with 23 points, 3 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1 steal in rout of Thornton.
Pueblo West returned to No. 1 in 4A and came out strong throttling Pueblo County 93-67.
Every now and then you get a 89-87 game that’s worth looking at all the great performances! This nail biter was won by Doherty behind Brevin Brimble’s 29!

Wednesday, Jan. 18

Eaglecrest’s scoring ability is well documented but Dan Mohrmann caught them getting seriously defensive allowing ZERO points in the fourth quarter, routing Cherry Creek.
Dennis Pleuss caught No. 5 Golden and their “uptempo” changes!
Jalen Sanders drops 25 points for Valor in No. 3’s home win over Evergreen.
Road wins are tough in Centennial league but Gage Prim and LaChaun Duhart are making it a habit for No. 4 Grandview. This was a tight four point win at Overland with young sophomore Dane Prim adding 12 points.
Charles Dinegar score 17 for No. 4 D’Evelyn as they locked down defensively blowing out Littleton.
No. 3 Chatfield continuing to show that they are not only offense beating Bear Creek 83-55.
Smoky Hill, No. 10 in 5A, used strong first and fourth quarters to earn an impressive win at Centennial foe Arapahoe by 15!
4A No. 2 Sand Creek held Cheyenne Mountain to less than 7 points in two separate quarters leading to 37 point lopsided victory.

Thursday, Jan. 19

Sierra The Classical Academy boys basketball

Sam Masten (29 points) has been joined in the back court now by tough Tyson Gilbert, who added 21 points in the squad’s blowout of league foe Ponderosa 94-50. Gilbert has played four games after transferring to Rock Canyon this year and is averaging 15 points, 2 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals, adding to an already strong Jaguar squad. On Rock Canyon’s recent success and joining the Jags Gilbert stated, “It’s great being back on the court at the varsity level. My teammates have helped to make the transition smooth for me!” In our Ball Fever chat, Tyson also added, “Coach Grams and the coaching staff challenge us in practice to be our best everyday! The support we get from our student body is special! Hopefully we can continue to grow to be the best we can be!” Gilbert’s positive outlook and attitude on and off the floor doesn’t surprise our Fever Crew at all as we’ve watched this young man mature in club and school ball! The Jags have a special one here and this Gilbert/Masten back court has to be dealt with this year and next.
Dan Mohrmann was in the house as Classical Academy threw a double team at stud CJ Jennings that didn’t phase him.
It took over time for Regis to take down Douglas County! Jack Eberhard has the Action Shots.
Road Trip! Montbello (FNE) and Pine Creek traveled East to Kansas for the Colby tournament with the Warriors Sindou Cisse, scoring 17 to earn the win.
Youth is being served at Chaparral where three sophomores score in double figures and junior Wayne Fish with 21 beating Castle View on the road.

Friday, Jan. 20

Grandview, now 14-1 overall, took advantage of a four point third quarter from Cherry Creek to pull away and Max Potter has the full report.
Silver Creek continuing a strong week with three seniors scoring in double figures beating Longmont and Sam Schlegel led with 18.
Eagle’s seniors flying high as Jalen Sanders 30 along with Kayle Knuckles 25 hleped Valor pound Standley Lake 83-39.
It was the shot heard across Aurora Friday night in the TOP TEN Alert! Gatorade player of the year, Colbey Ross, reminded everyone that he’s capable of late game heroics with this last-second “step back 3!”

And here it is….Colbey Ross does it once again with ice in his vains. The step back 3 to win it. #ALLIN pic.twitter.com/FF09fnZyM7

— Eaglecrest Athletics (@raptorathletics) January 21, 2017
Senior R. Vaughan lit it up for 30 Pueblo Centennial points but not enough to take down No. 1 Pueblo West who won by 17!
D’Shawn Schwartz, averaging 26 points per game, led No. 2 Sand Creek again in 17 point win over Palmer Ridge.
Upset in a big way with Holy Family cooling off No. 6 Mead! Sophomore Kyle Helbig scored 19.
Senior Michael Dillon helped Evergreen pull off an upset as well knocking off Golden 60-53. Dillon scored 16 in the win.
D’Evelyn has won 8 in a row folks and J Brinkerhoff’s 19 helped them take down Green Mountain.

Saturday, Jan. 21

Top-10 Alert! Katie Pickrell took in Silver Creek taking the league match over Vista PEAK.
Jack Eberhard was on site for No. 2 GW and saw them pull away putting up points in the second half vs. Regis.
Thomas Jefferson’s roster has been bolstered and improvements showed immediately as the Spartans battled Denver East to a one point game but Daylen Kountz 30 points for the Angels proved to be too much.
Cherry Creek felt the sting of the Prim brothers! Gage and Prim combine for 38 points in Grandview’s win over the Bruins.
4A No. 1 Pueblo West knocked off 5A Mullen by 20 points to wrap up this week in hoops!

A Look Ahead

George Washington Regis Jesuit boys basketball

Monday, Jan. 23

Longmont at Mountain View starts the week for our match-ups!
Monday night delight! Eaglecrest travels to the city for annual Top-10 battle with Denver East.

Tuesday, Jan. 24