Ball Fever: Putting a bow on the big-school boys basketball season
Well, folks, now that we’ve all had a little time to catch our breath from the action-packed Friday/Saturday hours spent at the Denver Coliseum for the 5A and 4A Final 4 end to the season.
I hope your were a part of the more than 8,000 fans who took in all the action, but if not, we have you covered with a look back, and we’ll also do our “way too early” look at next year.
And since it was so popular on Twitter, let’s take a stab at a 5A and 4A “All Tourney Team” along with a MOP (most outstanding player) from each classification. And as our post-title games Saturday night “twitter fun” reminded us, “We’re not talking about the entire season, and not lifetime achievement!” We’re just talking about the five IMPACT guys that impressed our Fever Crew. No disrespect to anyone’s game or season.
Let’s get the to good stuff!
The Look Back:
5A Final 4
- Timely “stuff” from Caleb McGill and a whole lot of Dayne Prim launched Grandview into the title game over T-Ridge, Dan Mohrmann all over it.
- Coach Hammons of GW predicted it would come down to free throws and Brian Miller has this overtime thriller for the Patriots over top seed Rock Canyon.
4A Final 4
- Controversial call at the end of this titanic 4A match up, Lewis-Palmer’s tight two-point survival of Pueblo West.
- The top seed Pueblo South goes down in 4A as well with Longmont shooting the “lights out” and Brian Miller recaps it.
- Check out our photo gallery from the 5A and 4A action.
5A Championship
The first one is the sweetest and Dayne Prim put in some “inside work” to propel Grandview to their first ever state title win over George Washington who couldn’t find the range from outside.
5A All-Tourney Team
Selected players reflect the views of Thomas Trotman and feedback from the Fever Crew, not CHSAA or CHSAANow.com.
- Dayne Prim, Grandview (MOP)
- Jon’il Fugett, George Washington
- Tyson Gilbert, Rock Canyon
- Kaison Hammonds, ThunderRidge
- Ronnie DeGray III, Chaparral
4A Championship
Joel Scott, of Lewis-Palmer, led a fierce comeback in the fourth quarter for the Rangers but not enough to take down Luke Johnson’s Longmont crew.
Doesn’t get much better than championship joy! Check the photos here
4A All-Tourney Team
Selected players reflect the views of Thomas Trotman and feedback from the Fever Crew, not CHSAA or CHSAANow.com.
- Luke Johnson, Longmont (MOP)
- Joel Scott, Lewis-Palmer
- Marcell Barbee, Pueblo South
- Nieyeme Smeyer-Williams, Pueblo West
- Matthew Ragsdale, Lewis-Palmer
The Look Ahead
When you lose a state title game there’s something that obviously buts a “burning in your belly” to return as we’ve seen in recent years. Next year, we totally see Lewis-Palmer, who returns their two leaders in Joel Scott and Matt Ragsdale, having this year’s experience to lean on in getting back to the title game. Our Fever Crew looks for a return from them.
In 5A, Chaparral almost returns its full roster and does return its impact players led by Ronnie DeGray III, who will not only carry the torch for Chap’s run next year, he will literally be carrying the torch as he was recently selected to the Team USA U18 squad that will be traveling to Germany to compete next month!
I’m very excited to say I have been selected to play with the USA U18 Select Team and will be traveling to Germany at the end of this month!🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/BPU7easd5q
— Ronnie ”RD3” DeGray III❄️ (@Ronnie_DeGray23) March 13, 2018
With DeGray’s running mates Kobe Sanders, Joseph Dalton, and Bryce Matthews all returning we see them back at the Coliseum and for more than just the Great 8 this time.
Thank you players and coaches for treating us to another outstanding season of hoops! You make it so fun to follow. And none of this happens without the support of my “left” hand man, “Digitial Media Guru” Ryan Casey.
Enjoy the offseason, folks.
