Ball Fever: Setting the stage for boys basketball at the break
Our mid-week report covered fantastic finishes and prepped us for some of our top squads heading out of state.
Our Fever Crew has seen our top players compete with some of the nations best during the spring/summer and had no doubt our CHSAA squads would open eyes in Florida and Las Vegas this week!
Guess what? They absolutely did and we had some sweet local performances along the way as well. Check it out!
The Look Back
Thursday, Dec. 20
- Our 4A No. 5 squad Lincoln got the end of week report started with a tight 44-43 win over Lexington Catholic (Kentucky) and three of their studs scored in double figures led by James Felton’s 17 points.
- Mountain Vista, 5A No. 2 squad, started the Creek Holiday right with a 21-point win over Vista Ridge with Ben Grusing and Corban Gamble score 13 points each.
- No. 4 Ranked Rangeview is in Vegas as well for the Tarkanian Classic and Quincey Jewett was ready putting up 15 points with 7 rebounds along with Jodaun Dotson’s 14 points in the 14-point win over Juan Diego Catholic from Utah.
- Valor got 20 points from Roger Rosengarten but it wasn’t enough to get over the hump vs. Centennial (NV) in Las Vegas losing 84-77.
- Our No. 1 team Chaparral was tested right away in Las Vegas by Timpview of Ogden Utah. Kobe Sanders scored 20 points with 3 assists in the loss by 8 for the Wolverines.
- Kwane Marble is no stranger to Las Vegas high level play and helped the Angels to a win “stat-stuffin” 24 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, 5 steals in 9-point win over Preston Wood Christian out of big bad Texas!
- No. 5 Grandview on the road for Vegas action as well took a loss to Rancho Christian (CA) by 8 despite senior Davon Walker’s 15 points.
- Senior Tre Martin poured in 16 points and super soph Kendale Johnson Jr. matched his 16 points but George Washington came up short in first Las Vegas action for them vs. Spring Valley (NV) 70-66.
- It seams like Cherry Creek only plays close games and those young sophs are playing with poise. This night Julian Hammond III scored 18 and Myles Purchase 10 points including the sweet baseline floater that won the game by 2 over Thomas Jefferson
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bro3mt-FsXn/?utm_source=ig_twitter_share&igshid=v7l5o7fledpa
- How about overtime for No. 6 ThunderRidge out in Florida Game 1! This one was back and forth the entire way with the Grizz winning 51-48 over Pembroke Pines (FL).
- Our 4A No. 1 Lewis-Palmer continues to roll early behind player of the year candidate Joel Scott and now they’re even stronger with the return of sharp-shooting Matthew Ragsdale!
- Three undefeated teams and Alameda is one of them!
Friday, Dec. 21
The Fever Crew got over to the Creek Holiday Tourney and it was worth it as host Cherry Creek and Fairview made it fun in a game of swings and runs.
Fairview had the most important run with a bunch of their 3-point shots coming in the second half, keeping the Bruins just far enough away in the 81-76 tourney win.
Those sophs Julian Hammond (26) and Myles Purchase (17) continued to lead the young Creek squad that will be a tough “out” come tourney time!
In other games:
- No. 8 Overland starts with a win in Las Vegas Tark action with FIVE players scoring in double figures and big Ike Graham led the way with a 14 point, 12 rebound double-double! Fourteen point win over Desert Vista.
- No. 1 Chaparral gets back on track with 9-point win over Boyd Anderson (FL) out in Vegas and Kobe Sanders continues to play out of his mind scoring 35 of Chap’s 63 in the win!
- Rangeview sent Vegas a message pounding Agassi Prep by almost 30 points and that inside/out tandem of Jodaun Dotson and Quincey Jewett were HUGE again combining for 43 of the Raiders 73 points!
- “We ain’t scared of Compton!” said the senior big man Malik Patton who scored 20 points and pulled down 9 rebounds for GW in their 9-point win over Dominguez (Compton CA). Kendale Johnson helped Malik inside with 9 points and 11 rebounds. When Johnson gets inside he’s a different dude!
- ThunderRidge jumped on Cardinal Gibbons 16-8 in the first quarter and never relinquished the lead to get their second tourney win out in Florida!
- Three Angels in double figures and this time senior Caulin Swain led with 19 points in East’s win over Desert Oasis in Vegas. FRESHMAN ALERT: might be our first freshman “stat-stuffin” moment from RaShawn Wilson’s 18 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists and 2 steals!
- Grandview drew some tough squads in Vegas and dropped another to Chino Hills (CA) by 12 on day 2 in Tark Classic.
- No. 7 Rock Canyon continues out of state winning ways by 13 over McArthur (FL).
- On “Alumni Night” Arapahoe got a needed win over Dakota Ridge by 2! Great tradition Coach Jansen.
Great night last night. Warriors beat a tough, well coached Dakota Ridge. Then 5th annual alumni games to follow. 70+ alumni. One of the best nights of the year to reconnect with former Warriors! Why you coach! pic.twitter.com/u08XUQGHgw
— Brad Jansen (@coachjansen) December 22, 2018
- Mountain Vista has a balanced attack and it showed with 4 players in double figures and this time Rhys Pulling scored 17 in the Creek Holiday Classic win over Doherty.
- Game of the night candidate held up to its hype as it took overtime for Eaglecrest to beat Regis by 4 in this showdown! High flying soph Ty Robinson put up 18 points for the Raptors and Raiders big man Daniel Carr matched that 18 in the loss.
- Everyone got involved for No. 3 Smoky Hill as they put up 95 points on the visit to Northglenn!
Smoky Hill 95, Northglenn 44
Final pic.twitter.com/5HeQdEPSvc— Smoky Hill Hoops (@SmokyHillHoops) December 22, 2018
- Arvada West was feeling quite DEFENSIVE only giving up 24 points to Mountain Range while Josh Rogers scored 23 and senior Oliver Lindeblad pulled down 12 rebounds!
- No. 4 Cheyenne Mountain continues to put up BIG numbers and tonight it was 79-60 over Coronado with senior Will Louis scoring 18.
- “Whoa!” another “monsta” double-double for big Ike Graham and this 20 point, 14 rebound effort came in the Trailblazer waxing of Denver East in Las Vegas 72-40!
- Cole Bott put up 20 points and helped Valor to their first Vegas win by 10 over Central (Fresno CA).
- Another CO win out of state? Yep! Rangeview 58-53 over Grant (Portland OR).
- In top 10 4A action Pueblo West sinks one at the buzzer to take down Holy Family!
Saturday, Dec. 22
Ball Fever Chat: When you lead your team to a 2-1 Tarkanian Classic Las Vegas Trip, score 20, 35, 25, and add a game winning shot in the final game we have to catch up with you for a little Ball Fever “Chat”!
The smooth lefty from Chaparral, Kobe Sanders, has been on an absolute tear and in true lead point guard fashion he was giving kudos to his teammates when we had a chance to catch up:
“Players are finding their role on the team but so far it’s working out,” Sanders said. “Guys are really stepping up in their individual roles and my favorite is our center Dalton Waldron who doesn’t get a lot of the ‘pub’ but does his job and at 6-foot-5 is out here in Vegas banging with dudes 6-foot-11!”
With the target of being No. 1 on their back Sanders knows that defense is what will get their squad over the top stating, “We’re number 1 because of our focus on defense this year. We can score the ball but if we defend like we did vs. teams like T-Ridge and Smoky, we’ll be set.”
Kobe can score the ball with the best in the state but he’s embracing his new role as a distributor and leader: “My role this year is to lead the team and keep everyone involved,” he said.
The Fever Crew had the pleasure of spending time with Sanders this spring/summer and his poise, leadership, and desire to get others involved comes as no surprise. The young man comes from an outstanding family and the Chaparral community should be proud to have this young man leading the way!
Check out Kobe’s game-winning lay up in Chap’s final Vegas game:
Game winning layup today by @kobesanderss. He finished with 25 points @tannergiles22 had 14 and @BryceMatthews24 had 8. @tizzylewis1 was a dog on D. We finished the @TarkClassic 3-1 and took 3rd place in our bracket. Good finish to the first semester. #gottakeepimproving https://t.co/HQexhJjjFp
— Chap Hoops (@Chap_Hoops) December 23, 2018
In other games:
- Seniors Caulin Swain and Kwane Marble combined for 48 points but not nearly enough as the Angels lost their last Vegas game 94-73 to Grant out of Portland, OR.
- No. 1 Lewis-Palmer made a rare trip into the city to face Vista Peak and Matthew Ragsdale showing again he’s ready to ball scoring 21 points in another dominating 18-point win for the Rangers.
- Lincoln had some ups and downs in their trip to Vegas but finished with a win and their three big “dawgs” all scored in double figures.
🏀 Tarkanian Classic
📍 Las Vegas, NV
📅 December 22, 2018
Lincoln Lancers 62
Desert Oasis (NV) 56
Kwaheem Brown & James Felton 17pts apiece
Ty Foster 14pts
— Lincoln Lancer Hoops (@LincolnHoops_) December 22, 2018
- Our local Cherry Creek Holiday Classic brought some good games too and gave folks a chance to see this Mountain Vista squad that has soared (see what we did there?) to the No. 2 spot in the state and they didn’t disappoint going 3-0 this week and winning the tourney title game by 18 points over Fairview, who has been playing strong ball themselves. Multiple players who can step up on this Eagles squad and Simon May stepped up with 18 points in the championship game! Coach Wood flat out gets it done.
Mtn Vista, Cherry Creek Holiday BB Tournament Champs. #VistaBB pic.twitter.com/pqmUcdRFWh
— Vista Basketball (@MtnVistaBball) December 22, 2018
- In another local tourney, the Mullen Classic, we had a performance for the ages! Our Digital Media Guru, Ryan Casey, will have to give us the goods on if this is some kind of record but if I was a betting man I’d say Christian Davis’ 55 points with an INSANE FIFTEEN THREE POINTERS might just qualify for the record books as Mullen raced away from Chatfield 91-58!
- Rock Canyon won it last year and this time the T-Ridge Grizzlies went down to Florida and brought back some hardware winning the Kruel Classic! it was low scoring 49-42 and T-Ridge shut Corner Canyon (Utah) down in the third quarter 15-4 to seal the title. Big man Bailey Verk named tourney MVP!
Great tournament- Congratulations!! pic.twitter.com/nUYo0H5uJ3
— ThunderRidge (@TRidgeGrizzlies) December 23, 2018
- NO BETTER way to end 2018 Ball Fever with two of our CO squads meeting in the Tarkanian Classic “Select” Division championship game in Las Vegas! We’ve discussed the ultra tough schedule Coach Fisher always throws at his Overland squad and that battle tested mentality certainly helped the Trailblazers go undefeated in Vegas beating our Rangeview squad 64-57! Big man Ike Graham was named tournament MVP and putting up 26 points, 14 rebounds with 2 assists had to be a big part of that!
64-57, Final, OVERLAND!!! Select Division Champions at the @TarkClassic Congrats Graham Oke on being named @TarkClassic Select Division MVP! 💚🏀💙#OVE @OHShoopSquad @aurorasports pic.twitter.com/YhtshKE3En
— Overland Athletics (@WeAreOverland) December 23, 2018
The Look Ahead
Umm…uhhh…well, folks. My look ahead consists of Christmas Cajun Turkey and New Years Crab legs!! That. Is. All.
Don’t worry though, our main man Ryan Casey, has you covered regarding the rules over the break
Our young men are pushing each other here in Colorado and CLEARLY proved we have what it takes to perform at the national tournaments and stage! Can’t wait to see what 2019 has to bring…Ball Fever will be here to cover it ALL for you. Peace.
