Ball Fever: Setting up this week’s big games in 4A/5A boys basketball
Welcome back Fever hoop fans! Week 2 of the season certainly didn’t disappoint and our Ball Fever crew got to catch some solid live action!
Let’s get to it:
The Look Back
Wednesday, Dec. 11
Started the week off with thegameofthenight.com Blake Olson crew at the Chap/Tridge “Tip Off Classic” Game 1 of the night Smoky Hill vs. Legacy. Defensive pressure from the No. 7 Buffaloes was the theme of the night.
Turnovers created break away baskets for Jalen Weaver (led scoring with 20) and Quinten Rock who had the Legacy defense on a “yo-yo” hitting deep three’s and then using the pump fake to get in paint for sweet floaters.
Folks! Smoky has been known for high flyers over the years and the young soph Anthony Harris Jr. is a highlight reel waiting to happen! He scored in double digits as well in Smoky’s 20-point win over Legacy.
Game 2 at Chap on Wednesday featured the home squad Wolverines hosting the FNE (Montbello) Warriors. The Warriors were undersized and don’t have the depth Chap has but did they ever play with heart, especially early and were only down six points at the half.
Unfortunately for the Warriors, Kobe Sanders and Aaron Jacob caught fire from behind the arc and the duo combined for 36 points leading to Chap pulling away in the 2nd half to 79-59 final. A really bright spot for the Warriors in the loss is another young soph 6’4 Travea Bolden, who led with 14 points in the loss.
Friday, Dec. 13
Big time semifinal match up in the Tip Off Classic in Chap hosting the No. 7 Smoky Hill Buffs. Chap did not start slow as they did Wednesday night and came out with Kobe Sanders cooking early and held a six-point lead before Smoky turned up the heat on defense.
Numerous forced turnovers turned into transition buckets for Quinten Rock who finished with 23 points and Jalen “Da Problem” Weaver who poured in 21 points of his own.
Sanders finished the 5-point loss with 25 points as the game’s leading scorer and was joined by two “super sophs” in double digit scoring with Jeremiah Coleman and Joel Speckman scoring 14 points each.
Absolutely ZERO fear in the young PG Coleman facing the Smoky vets!
Highlights? Speaking of “super sophs” Smoky has one as well who the Fever crew now refers to as Anthony “highlight reel” Harris Jr! Check out a couple of his sweet dunks here:
HIGHLIGHTS! No. 7 @SmokyHillHoops over No. 11 @Chap_Hoops GREAT GAME! @9NEWS Facebook Live @9Preps @UMassAthletics pic.twitter.com/OLKIbruhm5
— Blake Olson (@BlakeOlson1) December 14, 2019
The Look Ahead
Tuesday, Dec. 17
• Denver East, now up to No. 3 in this week’s rankings, has been off for a week. We’ll see if there’s any rust for the 4-0 Angels and leading scorer (23 pointper game) “super soph” Langston Reynolds as they travel to south to Palmer, who is 3-1 early.
• Centaurus is new to the 4A rankings coming in at No. 9 and they will get a test from Continental League Ponderosa who is 4-1 so far. Folks, if you haven’t seen him Centaurus has an elite senior in Owen Koonce who is worth the price of admission! Koonce averaging 17 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 steals this season.
• Also new to the rankings in 5A is Legend coming in at No. 9 will host 4A Broomfield. Legend averaging 62 points per game and Broomfield only 50. We’ll see if the Eagles can keep up with a ranked 5A squad.
• Fully covered 5A No. 2 Smoky Hill and their high flying stars. They face Northglenn this night and it’s safe to say there will be more “highlight reel” action for the Buffs in this one.
• Intriguing match down south as 4A No. 7 Golden travels south to Sand Creek to take on the 4-1 Scorpions.
• Possible game of the night type action here in No. 6 Eaglecrest hosting No. 10 Fairview! Junior Greysen Carter will need all of his 16 points per game for Fairview to keep pace with the Raptors Trio of Ruckard, Robinson, & Wilson who lead Eaglecrest to a 70 point per game average.
The Raptors return home from a 2-1 effort in New Mexico “Cleveland Invite” out of state.
Wednesday, Dec. 18
• Wednesday begins a hand full of our state’s top teams taking on some of the nation’s best at the Las Vegas Tarkanian Classic. Here’s our #BallFever tweet setting up the action and listing the teams/divisions:
See @OHShoopSquad in that Platinum division in Vegas @TarkClassic@GwPatriotsbball @GHSWolvesHoops @valorsportsnet all in "Orleans" division@Chap_Hoops & @RaiderBoysHoops in "Select" Division
Will be fun to follow #copreps @COHoops5280 @BlakeOlson1 @PrepHoopsCO #BallFever pic.twitter.com/UWgbMmvvNb
— Coach T CO Truth 2026 (@BallFever_CO_Tr) December 15, 2019
Follow us on Twitter for all of the tourney action and updates! Valor Christian, Overland, and George Washington.
• Let’s get back to the in-state action! Not a ton of top games on a light Wednesday night in our 5A/4A big school action but
• Chatield visits the city at Denver South, who is still looking for that first win.
• Unbeaten Green Mountain goes to Hinkley, who is off to a 4-2 start.
• Arapahoe vs. Lakewood in a battle of two teams looking for their fifth win after Arapahoe recently helped Coach Pachner reach is 400th win of his career!
Thursday, Dec. 19
• Rugged junior Nolan Marold leads ThunderRidge in points and rebounds and he’ll have to play big while the Grizz are out of state at the Kruel Classic with first opponent Florida’s St. Thomas Aquinas.
• Mountain Vista drops from No. 3 to No. 10 in our poll this week and they start the Cherry Creek tournament vs 4A Thomas Jefferson.
Our Ball Fever buddy Blake Olson will have you covered all week on 9News Facebook Live:
We’ll have all these games Live this week! @creek_hoops @Legend_Hoops @MtnVistaBball @FossilRidgeHS @TJSpartans @LHSAppComp @basketball_ct #Fairview pic.twitter.com/d8Yqvmzmyy
— Blake Olson (@BlakeOlson1) December 16, 2019
• The Columbine Classic tournament starts Thursday as well and the No. 7 Rebels won’t be a kind host to Grand Junction.
• No. 7 Golden with a tough match vs 5A Fossil Ridge in the Power to Play tournament.
• Legend, ranked in 5A, tangles with Lincoln in the Creek tourney who is the No. 8 team in 4A.
• Denver East is in the Mullen Tournament and start vs. Chatfield.
• So weird to see a Regis team sitting on an 0-7 record early on and here comes Zion Ruckard’s 18 points per game for Eaglecrest so it gets no easier!
• Cherry Creek will find their groove now that the “football studs” are getting back in the swing and they start their tourney vs. Vista Ridge.
• Our state’s No. 1 squad Rangeview and Chaparral both have LATE night 9 p.m. action in Vegas!
Friday, Dec. 20
• A big matchup down South with No. 3 Cheyenne Mountain traveling to No. 5 Pueblo East.
• No. 3 Denver East gets Broomfield at the Mullen Christmas Classic this time.
• Fountain-Fort Carson’s turn to try and blemish Columbine in the “Classic.”
• As noted previously, it’s been a rough start for Regis and again it’s tough facing the high flying Smoky Hill Buffs No. 2 in 5A.
• A lot of our Friday night action is “TBA” due to the results of all this great tournament play … we’ll keep you updated via Twitter!
Saturday, Dec. 21
• We’ll see how the week goes and if Green Mountain is still unbeaten after a challenging week and they get it on with Denver South Saturday.
• Game 3 of the Columbine Classic for the Rebels! Can CU commit Luke O’Brien keep up a crazy 27 points per game and 15 rebounds? Are you kidding me Luke?!!! 27 point, 15 rebound “monsta” double double average through their 3-0 start.
• Fever Crew likes this one! 4A No. 1 Lewis-Palmer hosting 5-1 Vista Peak. Nice early test!
• Need some 5 p.m. action? Denver East and tourney host Mullen get it on!
#CantWait to wrap up our local and out-of-state tournament action next week! Some of our best facing the nations best but there’s plenty of action to get out and see hoops fans, enjoy!
