Ball Fever: Putting a bow on Week 8 action in boys basketball
Welcome back to the end of Week 8, folks! The snow storm couldn’t stop our mid-week action and the time off for some equaled some really good ball to end the week.
The basketball community united around one of our Doherty Spartans who is battling though an illness, one of our top point guards in the state invited to the Steph Curry’s “UnderRated Tour” is our Ball Fever “Chat”, and our teams who have not lost a game in CO continue to roll! Let’s take a look back and then preview this week’s best stuff:
The Look Back
Thursday, Jan. 24
Our Ball Fever “chat” with Rangeview point guard Jodaun Dotson let us with a couple words in mind: Humble teammate!
Dotson and the Rangers have now one eight straight after beating visiting Vista Peak 80-60 in their sole game of the week. Double-double “machine” Quincey Jewett again led the Raiders with 17 points and 16 big boards while Dotson was his usual consistent self: 13 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 steal!
Dotson, on his role as one of the lead guards on the squad: “Since there are only three seniors on the team its important we have strong leadership.”
Dotson credits the teams championship game run in a winter break Las Vegas tournament to the squads uniting. “We are really coming together as a team and I am enjoying my teammates,” he said. “We had a great experience in Vegas and its great for Colorado basketball to have Rangeview and Overland make it to an out-of-state championship game.”
Dotson sees the Raiders capable of making a run with the state playoffs and the Fever Crew has to agree and with humble, unselfish leaders like Jodaun Coach Palmer’s crew is well on their way to post-season success.
Speaking of Dotson’s humility, he was pretty quiet about his opportunity to meet Stephan Curry and Jodaun’s true honor of being invited to Curry’s “UnderRated” tour in Los Angeles for 24 of the top players around the nation who were deserving of additional exposure due to being “underrated but undeterred!”
Jodaun is definitely that…keep it up Mr. Dotson!
First stop complete! Thank you Los Angeles! pic.twitter.com/bKq4TpCLJo
— Underrated Basketball (@underrated) January 21, 2019
- What a great choice for the 9News Game of the Night in a 4A top-10 match between Mead at Holy Family! Had the pleasure of going on “live” with Blake Olsen and the Mav’s fast paced approach didn’t let us down as they pulled the upset on the road! Catch the entire game here.
- Got a chance to chop it up with #copreps vet Jon Yunt as well as Brad Cochi who was all over the report for BoCoPreps.
- Senior Mark Dolan with his version of “stat-stuffin” 18 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals in No. 8 Fairview’s 12-point win over Legacy.
- No. 5 Pueblo West and Pueblo South have been in different directions this year with the Cyclones enjoying more success but in a rivalry game you can throw the records out the window. Junior Taylor Harris’ 22 point, 11 rebound double-double helped West secure the 63-56 league win!
Friday , Jan. 25
- Centaurus was up to 4A No. 8 in last week’s poll and a 23 point, 11 rebound double-double from senior Nate Totel helped notch another win by 16 over Northridge.
- Two big seniors Austin Holt and Clay Verk combine for 32 points (16 each) as the No. 7 Grizzlies got the home league win by 11 over Castle View.
- The three big guns on No. 3 Mountain Vista Grusing, May, and Pulling all score in double figures with Rhys Pulling scoring 13 and May getting a double-double with 11 rebounds launched the Eagles to a league win by 16 at Ponderosa.
- Three players in double figure scoring led by lead man Luke O’Brien’s 21 gave No. 9 Columbine a one-sided 30-point win over Pomona.
- Watch out 4A for the Lancers as Lincoln is steadily climbing our poll at No. 6 and got a road win at Standley Lake behind power guard TJ Bamba’s 13 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 4 steals. Felton, Bamba, Brown, and Bamba “stat-stuffin” and carrying a heavy load!
- Joel Scott, lead “dawg” of No. 1 Lewis-Palmer continues to add to his Player of the Year profile and the Rangers claim as “pound for pound” best in the state with a 84-47 pounding of league foe and Scott poured in 32 big ones!
- No. 4 Cheyenne Mountain’s loss to No. 1 Lewis-Palmer was well documented and we were curios to see how they would respond. Senior Will Louis’ 21 points led the way and Javonte Johnson added 9 points, 12 rebounds in the bounce back vs. Vista Ridge winning by 10.
- 40 combined points from No. 1 Chaparral’s duo of Joseph Dalton (24) and Kobe Sanders (16) in a 10-point home win vs. a “game” Highlands Ranch squad. Sanders adding 1 rebound, 5 assists, and 1 steal to what many feel are a Player of the Year profile…definitely a candidate as a junior!
- That rare “1,000 point club” is always a team accomplishment and Josh Rogers 20 points in Arvada West’s 11-point win over Dakota Ridge put him in that company!
- It’s great for high school players when “Coach K” is in the house with camera in toe! Check out Keyser Images from Legend and Douglas County.
- Catch the entire Legend/DougCo game here if you missed the action!
- As Brad Cochi notes, No. 2 Longmont knows the eyes of the state are on their 16-0 run and they have no problem with that!
- And check out this SWEET video from our Ball Fever buddy Troy Renck! Two-sport stud Brady Renck off the glass to Calvin Seamons for the oop? Sheesh!
Had cool fastbreak in @GoTrojanNation's win. @bdawg125 to @RealCalvinS for the jam. #Denver7 pic.twitter.com/xPr05TvFNQ
— Troy Renck (@TroyRenck) January 26, 2019
- Regis is finding its way and the double-double machine Daniel Carr is a big reason why!
- In perhaps their “best game of the year” D’Evelyn took a big step forward taking down Evergreen and our guy Dennis Pleuss is on it.
Saturday, Jan. 26
All of our basketball community prayers were with the Doherty Spartans and their sophomore Schafer Reichart who was dealing with a flu that turned into a serious infection and he is fighting hard at Denver’s Children Hospital.
The Spartans won the game Saturday afternoon over Rampart and they were off to be with their guy!
Our program at Children’s Hospital last night to support our guy. Not able to see him just yet but soon! pic.twitter.com/EDUnuzdiQS
— Doherty Basketball (@Doherty_Hoops) January 27, 2019
- Chad Robinson started hot for Cherokee Trail when they visited Smoky Hill earlier and he scored 19 in this one but not enough to get over the hump vs. the No. 4 Buffaloes who won the Centennial battle by 14 on the road. Not to be outdone by Robinson Smoky’s stars Quentin Rock and Kenny Foster combined for 32 points! Rock had 21 come in the first half and Foster 32 points, 12 rebounds, and 8 assists just missing that triple double!
- 5A Top-10 Centennial League action with Eaglecrest visiting Overland. The Raptors have been playing strong ball at the right time but a 16-7 second quarter advantage for the Trailblazers along with 20 point, 11 rebound double-double from Graham Ike was too much on the road. Bring your hard hat every night Centennial!
- A little more Centennial Saturday? Credit Arapahoe for playing tough at Sitting Eagle Gym behind 21 points from Bryson Stephens but not enough to slow 5A No. 2 Grandivew who won by 7!
- No. 3 Holy Family needed to bounce back at home and they responded with a 13-point home win pushing them to 13-3 overall and 8-1 at home.
- Look for Mead to move up in this week’s 4A poll after the road win at Holy Family followed up with convincing win over Berthoud. Unbeaten in league play and 13-3 overall behind Jax Wilke’s 14 points, 8 rebounds a game!
The Look Ahead
Monday, Jan. 28
- Cheyenne Mountain vs. Falcon
- Wheat Ridge vs. Bear Creek
- Pomona vs. Arvada West rivalry!
Tuesday, Jan. 29
- Game of night candidate: Regis vs. No. 1 Chaparral!
- 16-0 No. 1 Lewis-Palmer vs. Vista Ridge!
- No. 2 Longmont vs. Thompson Valley!
- Douglas County vs. 16-1 Mountain Vista
- Greeley Central looks to rebound vs. Mountain View
- Greeley West vs. Poudre 14 & 13 win squads!
- Rising 4A Mead vs. Windsor
- City Ball! Denver East vs. a Top 4A Lincoln!
- Rangeview continues to roll vs. Adams City
- T-Ridge/Pondo Continental!
- Pueblo? West vs. Centennial is on…
- Holy Family vs. Fort Morgan
- Cheyenne Mountain vs. Discovery Canyon will be close!
Wednesday, Jan. 30
- 5A Top 5! Overland/Grandview #CentennialTough
- No. 2 Longmont back to back nights vs. Silver Creek!
- Good one in ranked Columbine vs. 13 win Ralston Valley!
- Smoky Hill streaking faces Cherry Creek…
- Arvada West vs. Bear Creek Jeffco…
- Cherokee Trail vs. Eaglecrest
Thursday, Jan. 31
- Continental! No. 1 Chaparral vs. Rock Canyon
- Columbine vs Mountain vista 5A Top 10!
- Highlands Ranch/T-Ridge neighborhood rivalry!
- Holy Family vs. Roosevelt…
- Legend vs. Regis, Continental too
Friday, Feb. 1
- Game of Night Candidate: 5A Top 10 rematch Grandview @ Smoky!
- No. 1 Lewis-Palmer vs. Sand Creek!
- Steel City Showdown: Pueblo West vs. Pueblo East!
- Greeley Central vs. Silver Creek
- Broomfield vs. Fairview northwest!
- Niwot tests No. 2 Longmont!
- Cheyenne Mountain vs. Palmer Ridge
- Cherry Creek/Eaglecrest Centennial!
- Can Aurora Central be a test for Rangeview?!!
- Overland vs. Arapahoe
Saturday, Feb. 2
- Ralston Valley/Pomona rivalry!
- Columbine & Lakewood renew…
- City Ball??? East/Bellos & GW/South!
- Holy Family vs. Erie
- Doherty’s turn to try No. 1 Lewis-Palmer wraps up the week!
Sheesh! This is a great week of games, folks! Trying times in many of our communities but two things I know: when I’m coaching hoops or in the gym watching our No. copreps athletes there’s no other time my mind is clear and feel more connected to others! Go out and enjoy…
