Ball Fever: Non-league matchups heat up as the early-season slate continues

Jack Eberhard/JacksActionShots.com

Week 1 certainly didn’t let us down and we now dig into more early season tournament and non-league battles! A few times are rising to the top early…but has anyone really been tested yet? Let’s check out the mid-week action!

Monday, Dec. 4

• Broomfield got the "Fairview Festival" tourney off to the right start beating Palmer by 19 points. Seniors Justin Berry with 13 and Devin Martinez 11.
• Fresh off their tourney success in Fort Collins, Denver East is also in the Fairview Festival and beat Sierra soundly by 30 points with FOURTEEN players getting in to the scoring column led by Daylen Kountz’s 21!
• Arvada West used a 20-8 second quarter advantage to control Denver South and win in the Fairview Fest tourney 55-46.
• Coach Calvin McCoy made his return to the sidelines of Adams City but Pomona ruined the homecoming party winning on the road 55-28.
• Preseason No. 10 Grandview jumped out to a 27-8 first quarter advantage and just kept on trucking in their debut win 80-43 over Brighton. Junior Dayne Prim led the scoring with 16 for the Wolves.
• Sophomore Jalen Paige scored 16 points for Fairview as they kick off their tourney putting a "30-piece" on Hinkley 80-50.

Tuesday, Dec. 5

• The Fever Crew made it out to Gateway’s home opener vs. Cherry Creek! The Bruins did not get the memo of Gateway playing well out west at the Grand Junction tourney and jumped all over the Olympians early and often! Bruins are led by senior Demitri Stanley and have some talented youth that will bode well for the programs future! Three players in double figures on this night… check out the "Action Shots" here
• The Ralston Round Up tournament is under way and Mountain Range more than doubled Standley Lake 71-35. Two juniors, Brandon Romero and D. Wright scored 18 points each.
• Chatfield off to a rough start this year and Monarch sent the Chargers to 0-3 with a 64-58 win at home.
• Avery Remboa scored 30 points but it wasn’t enough to stop Pomona from making it 2-0 this week with the 82-77 home victory.
• Junior Andrew Sepeda carried a heavy scoring load for Greeley West scoring 26 of the teams 56 points in 7-point win over Wheatridge.
• 4A Preseason No. 1 Golden took a loss week 1 but bounced back impressively beating 5A Fossil Ridge by 15!
• Senior Malik Fofana helped Montbello (FNE) continue their strong start to the season scoring 26 points vs. "ol skool" DPL foe Manual.
• Rampart lost an early tourney game to GW but have looked strong since and strong senior Xavier Johnson’s 21 led to the 9 point win over Vista Ridge.
• The Fever Crew saw this as a possible "game of the week" candidate and No. 1 Rock Canyon’s 3-headed senior monster of Masten, Gilbert, and Williams all scored in double figures to help seal the tough road win at Eaglecrest. Senior Morgan Brown scored 17 inside for the Raptors in the loss who played well without a couple of football studs who haven’t joined quite yet.
• Rangeveiw has to play a strong non league schedule and they continue to roll early as Devin Collins scored 14 points in the 13-point win over Dakota Ridge.
• Ralston Valley got serious on "D" in the fourth quarter holding Legacy to only 4 points in the final stage but not enough to complete the comeback as they lost by 1. J Stapleton with 13 points and 3 rebounds in the win.
• Preseason No. 5 in 4A Holy Family was not joking around and took Niwot to the wood shed 65-28!
• GW bot back on track with a blowout up north 86-39 over Poudre. FRESHMAN ALERT: Kendale Johnson paced the Patriots with 16 points, 6 rebounds in the win!
• We have another "30-piece" sighting from Fort Collins senior R. Oligmueller who scored 30 (4 three pointers) in the Lambkins win over Aurora Central.
• How do you get six players in double figures? Score 98! Coronado pulled out a "can of whoopin" on Sand Creek winning 98-66 with senior Ashton Rogers scoring 21.
• Preseason 4A No. 3 Pueblo West took a loss to Cheyenne Mountain 72-68 and junior N. Bassett led all scorers with 19!

Wednesday, Dec. 6

• Derrian Reed kept his hot streak going scoring 18 in Sierra’s win over Palmer!
• Valor made a statement in the Chaparral Tip Off Classic with a 75-58 win over Cherry Creek. Valor might be moving up from that No. 8 spot in our preseason poll!
• That Doherty tradition of senior led deep squads seems to be right on track as the Spartans took down Lincoln in the T-Ridge/Chap kickoff tourney 68-49. Senior Kyrel Benford led three in double figure scoring with 15.
• CU Commit Daylen Kountz was once again the lead man for Denver East as the Angels continue to roll early. This night it was 62-48 behind Kountz’s 21 points at the Fairview Festival!
• ThunderRidge will be moving up our rankings after their run in California and coming home to a 91-20 win over Grand Junction in tourney play! Yes, 91 is impressive but our Fever Crew who watched this one stress that "D-FENCE" is the staple of this crew. Kaison Hammonds with 25 on this night!
• Another squad that has our full attention is Chaparral! Only a couple games in but they are healthy and look good again beating Rocky Mountain by 13 in the Tip Off Classic.

Midweek Thoughts

It’s very early, folks! So, a little free-style off the top our Ball Fever dome brings Rock Canyon, East, Chaparral, and ThunderRidge in 5A ball.

We haven’t forgot you, Smoky Hill! The Buffaloes had easy CO games before heading out of state for tourney play so we’ll closely watch that.

Rock Canyon? Early test? Check!!

Denver East? Undefeated…all on the road in tourney play…and well, Daylen!

Chap? Watch these guys…Ronnie DeGray III as versatile as they come and he’s assisted by a smooth point guard in Kobe Sanders.

T-Ridge? Kaison, Kaison, Kaison…Hammonds is the real deal and gives his all on both ends of the floor.

We’ll be digging into 4A a little more in coming weeks as well but most impressive so far = Lewis-Palmer!

Lots of action still to be viewed this week, folks! Get out and enjoy the hoops!