Ball Fever: Recapping the big boys hoops games from last week

The early week games didn’t let us down where action is concerned. Now lets get to the rest of Week 2, which provided more in-state tournament action and top squads traveling to Utah and California as well.

The Look Back

Thursday, Dec. 7

Mesa Ridge and Sand Creek got our tourney started play and the Grizzlies handed the Scorpions their second loss winning big by 24 points! Devin Nelson averaging 17 points per game early.
Jack Olson’s 16 and J. Stapleton’s 18 helped Legacy beat Westminster by 23 points in the Ralston tournament. Nice scoring from two juniors!
Brendan LaRose brings us this week’s first “Monsta” double-double scoring 26 points and pulling down 16 rebounds in Falcon’s tournament win over Vista Peak by 2!
Another great effort by a Colorado team on the road in Smoky Hill beating previously unbeaten Timpview Thunderbirds 64-58. Great start to the Great Western Shootout in Utah for Smoky!
Speaking of taking care of business on the road, Regis headed west to the De LaSalle Tournament (CA) and got a 57-52 win over St Patrick-St Vincent with senior Peyton Egloff’s 12 points leading in the scoring column.
Evergreen starts their local tourney action, the Paul Davis Classic, with a win.
The Fever Crew got to see Rampart up close and their only loss was to GW in tourney play week one. They move to 4-1 with a solid win over Montbello (FNE) which came down to the wire 75-73. Sindou Cisse put up 21 for the Warriors but Josh Cavalec’s second game this season with 24 helped Rampart take it.
4A Preseason No. 2 Pueblo South got an overtime scare from Widefield but held on to win by 3 in the extra stage.
Ponderosa, hosting their own Invitational this week, earned a 15 point win over visiting Mitchell.
Dennis Pleuss caught Centaurus playing “spoiler” in the Paul Davis Classic.
Rock Canyon is taking on an aggressive non league schedule that you can only love to see the consensus No. 1 team take head on! This night was a trip to always electric Overland where Tucson Redding scored 18 for the home Trailblazers but it wasn’t enough for the senior “firm” of Gilbert, Masten, and WIlliams who again all scored in double figures. The Jaguars have stepped up as the 5A team to beat early!
Another top team very active early is Golden who holds on in another tough one advancing to 5-1 early with a hard fought overtime win vs. Longmont. Adam Thistlewood averaging an early double-double of 23 points and 12 rebounds, folks!
Boulder went into Mountain Vista unbeaten but suffered their first loss when senior captain Conor Staib scored 13 for the Golden Eagles.

Friday, Dec. 8

It took TRIPLE OT for Horizon to get the win over tourney host Ralston Valley.
Ashton Rogers 16 point, 11 rebound double-double was big for Coronado in the win over Mitchell.
Senior Caden Sehr’s 17 points helped Legacy roll in Ralston Valley tourney and cap a 15 point win over Standley Lake.
Derrian Reed with another big outing dropping 25 points on Denver South in the Stallions tourney win over the Rebels.
What are the Bears cooking? Bear Creek won the first and fourth quarters by 12 points leading to a 26-point victory over Arapahoe who has been competitive early. Senior Manuel Perez with 20 in the win.
Shareef Robins was perfect from behind the three point line and scored 28 points leading Lincoln over Grand Junction in tourney play.
Sophomore Luke O’Brien continues to shine bright scoring 14 points for Columbine who shut down Heritage on the road 65-28.
Senior Elijah Martinez scored 14 for Regis as they won another game on the road in Cali holding off Serra from San Mateo 53-50.
Chaparral jumped out 26-12 in the first quarter vs. Valor and never gave up the lead winning 80-60.
Grandview came in as No. 10 in the preseason poll and are looking to rise finishing off a nice week 48-27 over Rangeview. Lock down defense!
Deven Nelsen scored 16 but Pueblo South looks hungry to return to last year’s ways winning by 11 in tournament play.
Our Fever Crew reported an electric atmosphere at Overland as George Washington came in for Denver vs. Aurora classic that came down to the wire. We have a “monsta” double-double alert for Tray Pierce who scored 16 points pulled down 14 rebounds and added a “rim protector” 7 blocked shots for the Patriots who won the game by 2!
One of our favorites, Victor Garnes Jr., hasn’t joined the squad yet after football but Eaglecrest continues its strong play. Seniors Branden Bunn and Kenny Thrower both score 15 in the easy win over Chatfield.
ThunderRidge continues the hot start early this time beating Doherty by 17 points in tournament play. Justin McCaw 13 and Kaison Hammonds 14 in this one.
Adam Thistlewood will be a force to stop in 4A hoops, folks! This night he went for a 24 point, 11 rebound double-double in the Demons 11 point win over Conifer.
Smoky Hill was in for another national test vs. Wasatch Academy in the Great Western Shootout. Smoky played tough, without one of their stars Kenny Foster, but WA stretched the lead out late winning by 22.
That duo of Marble and Kountz was at it again for Denver East scoring in double figures. The Angels beat Arvada West by 11 in the Faiview Festival.

Saturday, Dec. 9

Young soph LaDarius Mays scored 21 for Coronado as they got a solid tournament win over Vista Peak.
We talked about the youth coming for the Bruins and soph Sebastian Cole scored 16 for Cherry Creek who beat Lincoln by 13.
Senior Luke Johnson scored 19 for Longmont as they look to stay in the 4A top 10 after tight 3-point win over D’Evelyn.
Doherty bounced back with an overtime win by 6 vs. Valor with Demarious Carey “stat-stuffin” 18 points, 6 assists, 4 rebounds, and 3 steals!
Pueblo South, now 5-1, closes out the Steel City Shootout with a 16 point win over Sand Creek.
Big man John Harge stepping up big for Smoky Hill again out in Utah. The Buffaloes beat Timpanogos by 14 to close out their trip, with Harge averaging 14 points and 8 rebounds.
Regis’ California run came to an end with a 3-point loss but senior Sam Bannec was in a groove scoring 18 in the 3-point loss.
Two teams that may just be working their way into our top 5 this week played in the Chap/T-Ridge tourney. Chaparral is unbeaten and ThunderRidge had an excellent showing in CA and home before the two met Saturday. Junior Ronnie DeGray III is doing a little bit of everything for the Wolverines and Joe Dalton is hot from the 3-point line early this season. DeGray averaging 21 points thus far. Kaison Hammonds foul trouble didn’t help but this win by Chap was a credit to their overall team defense!