Ball Fever: Great individual performances continue in league play

Welcome back, hoops fans! Find our mid-week report right here.

We caught some nice individual performances from top players/teams but then this young man from Golden comes out and claims a 47-point double-double effort that may have been one of the best of the year. Adam Thistlewood has Golden on a mission!

Speaking of focused, our Ball Fever “chat” caught up with a senior star from the No. 2 squad in 5A, ThunderRidge, and Kaison Hammonds is ready to lead by example … with his mates ready to do “whatever it takes!”

Let’s get to it:

The Look Back

Thursday, Jan. 25

Regis Jesuit Highlands Ranch boys basketball

Regis’ late run gets them over the hump in a top-10 match vs. H-Ranch!
Big man Tre Pierre got Thursday started with a 20 point, 13 rebound double-double in Widefield’s 8-point win over Sierra. Derrian Reed scored 24 in the loss.
Check out Kelsey Lowry’s nice work covering No. 9 Doherty holding off Liberty.
Quite a night for junior Grant Wilkinson who exploded for 39 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 assists in Pine Creek’s 18-point win over Coronado.
No. 3 Chaparral was without stud junior Ronnie DeGray III but his running mate Kobe Sanders simply caught fire nailing 7 three pointers for the Wolverines as they beat Heritage by 14. Sanders finished with 25 points total.
Young soph Mark Oneil scored 16 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists to help Fairview snatch “braggin rights” from rival Boulder 57-44.

Friday, Jan. 26

Denver South George Washington boys basketball

Due to a HEAVY road schedule GW Hoops held their senior night on Friday and Denver South didn’t know they were in for a Patriot Party as “G-dubb” rolled 82-46. How about NINE big blocks for senior Tray Pierce on the night and fellow senior Jon’il Fuggett added the scoring punch with 29!
Smoky Hill looking to get back in our top 10 and more importantly a signature league win which they earned Friday night over No. 7 Grandview. Junior Kenny Foster is increasing his scoring pace and now at 15 points per game.
No. 5 Denver East held Thomas Jefferson to single digits in two separate quarters and that led to a big blow out of 40 points with junior Kwane Marble “stat-stuffin” 20 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists, and 6 steals!
Silver Creek cooled off a bit and is now No. 7 in the poll but hit Northridge with a 25 point loss and Trent Dykema secured a nice double-double of 23 points and 13 rebounds. Quite a feat from the guard spot!
Ryan Ongala helped Rangeview take “braggin Aurora rights” from Vista Peak scoring 19 points and pulling down 6 rebounds in the 56-53 win.
Upset CITY! Pueblo West who was handled by Pueblo South also lost a heart breaking 1-point loss to upset minded Pueblo East who are led by Marcus Winston in points and rebounds this season.
No. 1 Lewis-Palmer wasn’t messing around vs. Sand Creek winning by over 40 points and Joel Scott scores 28 to go along with Matt Raggsdale’s 16 on the night.
Golden, 4A No. 4 last week, beat a solid D’Evelyn team by an impressive 20 points and Adam Thistlewood might just have hit the “MONSTA” double-double of the year dropping 47 points with 10 rebounds! Watch this team to use adversity to make a late season run.
Junior A. Rodriguez scored 27 for Pueblo Centennial but not enough to halt hot Pueblo South who showed no let down in the 68-57 win.

Saturday, Jan. 27

Regis Jesuit ThunderRidge boys basketball

Our state’s No. 2 5A squad ThunderRidge continues roll along at 14-1 and the teams senior leader took some time for a “Ball Fever” Chat after Saturday’s thumping of Legend 79-54.

Senior Kaison Hammonds is leading the Grizzlies at 16 points per game and his love for T-Ridge shines through as he explains that including Gold Crown youth ball he’s been a part of the program for 9 years

“I feel like our team has been working hard and we’ve been pushing each other to get over the hump and win a state championship,” said Hammonds, who added he remembers losing the state title to Overland and a Final 4 loss last season.

Hammonds commented that he loves the way his teammates will do whatever it takes to win, “Whether that’s playing hard defense, or taking a charge that changes momentum, my teammates and I will do whatever!”

Hammonds feels his memories of tough losses and experience will help T-Ridge come playoff time, but right now he’s focused on league play saying, “Rivalries versus Rock Canyon and Mountain Vista, playing in front of pack Continental crowds” is what he really enjoys. “There’s nothing like it!”

Look for this talented young man to play long beyond our high school scene. He has next level ability, gives his all on BOTH ends of the floor, and that will make some college coach happy in the future.

Arvada West said “not so fast, Bear Creek” as they tighten the league up!
Mesa Ridge joined last week’s top ten and if they keep 5 players scoring double figures like they did in putting up 88 points on Canon City they may very well stay. Senior Tristan Widic led all with 22 points.
Montbello (FNE) is short their senior star Sindou Cisse due to injury during the Kansas tournament and that didn’t bode well for their ThunderDome “city showdown” with No. 5 Denver East. Stud Daylen Kountz took full advantage of Cisse’s absence scoring a game high 26 points with 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals in the Angels blowout win.
Speaking of Continental league rivalries, No. 1 Rock Canyon may have another senior we can add to “The Firm” of Gilbert, Masten, and Williams! Joe Bryson scored 10 points and pulled down 5 rebounds to join “The Firm” in double digit scoring taking down the Eagles 68-53 to keep the Jags unbeaten on the season.
Evergreen, up to No. 8 last week in 4A, gave 22 points to Standley Lake’s Garrett Martin but they held on for the home win by 13.
Longmont, led by Luke Johnson averaging 18 points per game, routed Roosevelt by 45 Saturday!
No. 6 Valor used a team, defensive effort to hold Littleton to 39 while putting up 56 of their own and the full roster contributed to the scoring column.
Lewis-Palmer shaking off that first loss to a 4A squad and got 41 combined points from Joel Scott/Matt Ragsdale to hold on to that top spot in win over Erie.