Ball Fever: As mid-season approaches, boys basketball heats up
The hoops is hot as we approach mid-season and dig into league play, folks!
We will touch on our top two 5A teams in the mid-week thoughts at the end of this report. As far as 4A? Shoot … there’s plenty of folks who believe, with good reason, that 4A Lewis-Palmer and defending champ Longmont can play with anyone at any level!
Let’s see how they fared in early Week 7 play.
The Look Back
Monday, Jan. 14
- Wheat Ridge playing good ball and up to No. 9 in our 4A poll but 5A Ralston Valley was having NONE of it using a 26-9 fourth quarter advantage to pull away 87-55! Jordan Stratch scored 24 and junior Caden Gigstad 25 in the win.
- EVERYONE got involved as Denver East raced Kennedy, putting up 103 points. “Freshman Alert” as RaShawn Wilson was “stat-stuffin” 16 points, 9 assists, and 6 steals for the Angels! With Langston Reynolds and Wilson strong contributors as freshman East has to be pumped about that tandem’s future.
- The Bellos (FNE) took a strong record into Boulder but we had a feeling this would be a real test for them and junior Adam Sessions led three Panthers in double figure scoring as Boulder was not a kind host dropping the Warriors by 14.
- Matthew Ragsdale and Joel Scott at it again combining for 36 for No. 1 Lewis-Palmer. The Rangers continued their run with an 18-point road win at Discovery Canyon.
- Columbine is now outside the 5A top-10 and Castle View has joined at No. 10 but it was SIX Rebels scoring in double figures led by Luke O’Brien’s 18 that secured the 12-point league win.
- Arvada West dropped from the Top-10 but got 21 from Josh Rogers along with Taylor Kline’s 19 to secure the 13-point win over Monarch and start the week off right!
- Broken record here, but this young man Javonte Johnson is becoming “must see” hoops for Cheyenne Mountain tallying a “Monsta” double-double of 31 points, 16 rebounds to help his squad hold on late by 2 over Sand Creek.
- Air Academy’s Lark with 17 as they take down Falcon.
Tuesday, Jan. 15
It’s not often we get a 5A No. 1 vs. No. 2 regular season match-up but when we do the Fever Crew will do our best to get there!
This night we were honored to be Blake Olson’s guest on the 9News “live” Game of the Night with Chaparral hosting unbeaten No. 1 Mountain Vista.
The JV game went to double-OT and perhaps that took some of the wind out of Vista’s sails as they seemed to come out a bit off. They pushed the pace in Coach Wood fashion, even after made Chap buckets, but the Wolverines were supremely confident in their own gym from beginning to end — even without big man Bryce Matthews down to injury.
A big part of that Chap confidence was the hot left hand from junior point guard Kobe Sanders. Sanders started with hitting tough-angled shots from all over the floor. Hes finished with 19 and big man Dalton Waldron stepped up with a double-double inside in Matthew’s absence.
This was a total and complete game by Chap to take down No. 1!
Photos from the game are available here.
If you missed the showdown … catch the full replay here.
In other games:
- Fairview, in at No. 9 in 5A, and faced a Poudre squad coming in at 12-2 but the Knights held court to go 4-0 in league play winning by 14.
- Quincey Jewett starting to garner some serious attention as a double-double machine for No. 7 Rangeview and added another 21-point, 18 rebound “monsta” in the blowout of Westminster.
- Pueblo West and Pueblo East pride on the line with Brett Finnegan’s 18 points leading a balanced attack of four in double figure scoring for No. 5 West in the 10-point win.
- Jackson Hayslip poured in 19 points for No. 7 Greeley Central as they held off Niwot in a close one 50-49!
- Nothing wrong with a little double-overtime action in the city! Lincoln pulled this one out late 60-58 over GW to begin DPL play.
- No. 3 Holy Family jumped out 33-16 at the half and it was never close beating Berthoud by 24 on the road!
- We talked about defending 4A champ somehow “quietly” rolling along undefeated and Coach Kloster kept those winning ways rolling.
- Peyton Egloff’s game winner earned a Regis an upset of ThunderRidge in another Continental slow-down 30-point battle.
Wednesday, Jan. 16
- Wednesday nights in the Centennial League have been special as long as we can remember and Kenny Foster added to the legend, doing “Kenny thangz” for the Buffaloes hitting this sweet fade-away for the win over No. 4 Overland
Final.
#4 Overland – 70
Smoky Hill – 71#OTV @aurorasports @CHSAA pic.twitter.com/wfZeInJHIj— OverlandTV (@OverlandOTV) January 17, 2019
- Eaglecrest has dropped from our top-10 but a blowout of Arapahoe and strong play of late has us hopeful for a #CentennialTough effort at Grandview Friday night! We’ll be there, and the Raptors only have one league loss!
- How much fun have we had following Josh Rogers and Arvada West?!! He took full advantage of the moment tonight: 41 points with SEVEN 3s…that’s Ball Fever!! A-West wins by 6!
- Wheat Ridge is serious about their 4A Top-10 spot, beating Golden by 11!
- Speaking of “must see” TV No. 1 Lewis-Palmer wins by 31 (again) and they are getting air time!
Mid-Week Thoughts
With Chaparral taking down unbeaten Mountain Vista, the Fever Crew sees Grandview and Chap moving into those top two 5A spots. The Wolves did their part again beating Mullen by 14 to remain unbeaten in Centennial league play.
The Fever Crew will be in the house as Eaglecrest tries to find a chink in Grandview’s armor Friday night!
Can’t wait … get out and enjoy, folks!
