Ball Fever: Parity in 5A and 4A boys basketball making every game count

Palmer Ridge Lewis-Palmer boys basketball

Late January, folks! As our mid-week report took a look at, this is that time of year the league leaders start to rise mid-season but parity has 5A and 4A squads making every game count…

Let’s take a look at the end of Week 7!

Thursday, Jan. 17

Good looking “big man” Eric Olsen, a sophomore, scored 16 points and added 7 rebounds for Heritage on the night, but it was not enough to hold off Highlands Ranch. The Falcons earned another league win 48-45 on the road.
It was Colton Sanders’ turn to step up for No. 5 ThunderRidge, scoring 13 in another balanced effort for the Grizzlies as they out-paced Douglas County by 16 on the road.
Regis has suffered its fair share of close game losses, but that tide is starting to turn for them in recent wins and they upset No. 8 Rock Canyon on Thursday. Jamil Saffidiene was all over scoring 16 points with 4 rebounds and 5 assists.
No. 2 Chaparral couldn’t afford a let down after taking down No. 1 Mountain Vista. Tanner Giles was sure to not let that happen, leading four Wolverines in double figure by scoring with 14 at home in the win.
Speaking of last week’s No. 1 Mountain Vista, they didn’t play their best ball in the big showdown at Chap but Simon May and crew were back in rhythm with May leading scoring at 19 points along with Ben Grusing’s 18 as they ran up 91 total as a team!
It what used to be a highly contested “city rivalry” game Denver East stated loud and clear that’s not the case this year. The Angels beat Denver South 89-31 with their seniors Kwane Marble and Caulin Swain combining for 39 big ones!
A long time coming for Coronado but they finally got over the hump vs. Rampart and Mays was a big reason why.

Friday, Jan. 18

The Fever Crew was blessed again to join Blake Olson for the 9News “Game of the Night” at Grandview, who was hosting Eaglecrest. After seeing Grandview three times live in the last week we’ve been totally impressed with the roster Coach Rogers has put together for the defending champs.

Extremely balanced with their inside and outside play but most impressively their interior presence hasn’t been matched yet and we weren’t sure it could be on a CO court.

Enter Eaglecrest! The Raptors controlled 80 percent of this game until midway through the final stage where a break away “and-1” lay up by the Wolves was followed by a Raptors technical that put it out of reach.

We will have more on the Raptors soon but Aaron Bokol and Ty Robinson’s toughness (along with a lengthy overall roster) had Eaglecrest competing at a high, confident level on the road. Highlight of the night was an unbelievable right-wing dunk by Robinson that brought everyone to their feet.

#JAM OF THE NIGHT on THE GAME OF THE NIGHT last night! @9NEWSSports @BallFever_CO_Tr @EaglecrestHoops @Grandview_HS pic.twitter.com/Dol7le2sie

— Blake Olson (@BlakeOlson1) January 19, 2019

Catch the entire broadcast here if you’d like to take a look back.

In other games:

Top-10 4A action in Centaurus and Greeley Central got Friday started and junior Owen Koonce dropped 23 points on the road to help No. 10 Centaurus look to rise even higher after winning this one by 10 points on the road.
No. 7 Rangeview really spreads the ball around and it was junior Christopher Speller’s turn to lead this night, scoring 19 in the 30-point win over Prairie View. Speller added 4 rebounds, 4 assists, and 6 steals — straight “Stat-stuffin!”
Trey Brushke and Shane Shadowen combined for 26 points but it was not enough to slow 4A No. 2 Longmont, who beat Mountain View by 21 on the road.
Mark Dolan scored 23 points for Fairview, who’s trying to hold on to a top-10 spot beating Monarch by 28!
No. 6 Smoky Hill gets another Centennial win over Mullen and super soph Jalen Weaver stepped up with 23 points in the 12-point win.
Brett Finnegan and Julian Lucero combined for 30, scoring 15 points each for No. 5 Pueblo West, who downed Pueblo Central by 26.
Lincoln traveled to Scottsbluff, Neb., last week and came away with a sweet 2-point victory on this game winning play! TJ Bamba scored 21 in the win and Ty Foster added 19 along with the game-winning assist!

Lincoln Lancers 88

Scottsbluff HS (Nebraska) 86

Ty Foster to ➡️ Josh Perez for the game winner 🏀💪🏾‼️#GoLancers pic.twitter.com/J3nDkvLMbY

— Lincoln Lancer Hoops (@LincolnHoops_) January 19, 2019

Windsor seems to always battle No. 3 Holy Family tough and battled again but lost this one by 10.
ALWAYS tough in the Centennial and No. 4 Overland knows that well! League foe Cherry Creek upset the Trailbazers by 10 with an explosive fourth quarter outscoring Overland 29-21 to seal it.

Saturday, Jan. 19

Pueblo East Lewis-Palmer boys basketball

Ball Fever “CHAT”: The No. 1 4A team in the state, Lewis-Palmer, had their game rescheduled but it didn’t stop their two stop studs from piling in 50 points total! Player of the Year candidate Joel Scott scored 25 and running mate Matthew Ragsdale equaled that 25 in the cruise by over 30 points vs. Air Academy.

The Fever Crew had the pleasure to catch up with “sharp-shooting” senior Matt Ragsdale after the Rangers big win last weekend! Ragsdale, who had to miss the first five games of the season stated, “I feel really good. Sitting out gave me a different perspective and taught me to not take anything for granted. It’s a blessing to be back out there with my teammates.”

On the current “run” the Rangers are on Ragsdale added, “We can’t let the run get in our heads or get complacent. Every team is going to give us their best. I’m really excited for this team and the opportunity we have this year…one game at a time! We are very hungry, but also willing to get better. That’s fun to be a part of!”

Thank you, Matt Ragsdale, for the “chat”! His desire for the TEAM to excel came through clearly and we don’t doubt that team first, positive attitude will lead to results! Matt is averaging 17 points, 3 assists, and 3 rebounds per game for the Rangers.

In other action:

Don’t look now but Wheat Ridge was No. 9 in 4A last week, 12-3 overall, and put something on D’Evelyn 82-64 at home!
Not the GW/Bellos “Saturday ThunderDome” 2:30pm match-up that we know from the past but the Patriots and Warriors rekindled the city DPL tradition and Myron Hamilton scored 23 for the Bellos. It was not enough as GW pulled it off by 6 and bounced back from the Standley Lake loss.
How about a “don’t look now” southern edition? Harrison is 11-3 and unbeaten in league play with a SUPER SOPH Donta Dawson, who is aggressive as they come, and hitting his perimeter buckets/free throws as well! Harrison beats Sierra by 7. Donta different man.
Steamboat Springs in our 4A top-10 last week but Glenwood Springs said, “hold up!” and beat Steamboat on the road 54-51!
TEN players in the scoring column and FIVE players in double figures equals Coach Wood’s Mountain Vista Eagles throwing up 91 points on visiting Falcon in non league play.
ThunderRidge, No. 5 last week, had three players drop 12 points each in the road win vs. Arvada West.
Make it 9 straight for Ralston Valley and Dennis Pleuss is our guy all over Jeffco action.
Luke O’Brien’s 24 and a last-second stop propel Columbine over Valor.