Ball Fever: Boys basketball’s league play is starting to come down to the wire
Tim Bourke
Welcome back hoops fans! Mother Nature took control of things last week and slowed our pace but we’re heading into the home stretch of the regular season, last week’s games will be made up, and league titles are on the line! Let’s get after it:
The Look Back
Monday, Feb. 10
C-R-A-W-L-E-D up 1-25 North last night to Mead to check out our 4A No. 1 for the first time this season. They didn’t let The Game of the Night crew down as Ball Fever got to join Blake Olson on the call once again.
Frederick did what they could to slow the game’s pace with some long possessions playing keep away and not letting Mead get out and “go”! Worked well at times and Mead had 31 first-half points but then exploded for a 41-point second half walking away with a 72-35 win.
Mead is stacked, folks! Young super sophs Shiers and Knusen along with Ward, Jacobs, and Maher’s leadership will make this team a tough “out” come tournament time for sure.
The Look Ahead
Four new teams in the rankings this week!
Tuesday, Feb. 11
- Discovery Canyon, who gave Cheyenne Mountain their first loss of the season last week, look for another big league win vs Lewis Palmer getting the big one’s started at 6pm!
- Boulder dropped a couple spots to No. 9 and face a talented Horizon squad. The Panthers will have to attempt to contain Horizon’s super soph Brock Wisne, who’s averaging 16 points, 10 rebounds per game.
- No. 6 Fairview didn’t get to play a game last week due to weather and they hope there’s no rust against 12-7 Rocky Mountain.
- Pueblo West did win their sole game last week but fell a couple notches in the 4A Top 10 poll and get a Pueblo South squad who’s hungry for a win at 3-15.
- Christopher Speller, of No. 1 Rangeview, picked up a college offer from Mesa Univ this week and the Raiders talented roster is home vs. Brighton this night.
- A little A-Town “braggin rights” with Vista Peak and Gateway! Another fun atmosphere in D-Town will be Denver South and Lincoln…
- The “show” know as the No. 1 Mead Mavericks head to Fort Morgan. The Mavs won round one of this match by more than 30!
- Is it possible to a “quiet” 15-3 and No. 3 ranking in 4A? Well that’s exactly what Longmont is doing and they rolled Centaurus by 20 in the first game earlier this season.
- A little late 7:30pm action down south in No. 2 Cheyenne Mountain facing Sand Creek for round two of their tangle…Cheyenne Mountain won the first game by only 5. This will be good!
Wednesday, Feb. 12
- No. 3 Smoky Hill gets us started this night vs. league foe Mullen. The Mustangs will try to slow down the high flying Buffaloes.
- Golden, 4A No. 7, has a big league game against Green Mountain who won the first match in an upset by 4 points at home. Golden will look for revenge on home floor!
- Eaglecrest has dropped from our Top 10 sitting at No. 11 and they will try to prove they belong vs. No. 2 league foe Grandview. The Raptors are 5-5 in league play so no shot at the Centennial title but they’d love to play spoiler to the Wolves who have only one league loss.
- In more #CentennialTough action the Arapahoe Warriors are riding high after a big weekend upset of Eaglecrest who the Fever Crew watched the Warriors play tough on the road earlier in the season. There was no surprise Arap played tough in the 1-point win at home. But this time Arap travels to hot Cherry Creek who is now up to No. 4 in 5A.
- Ralston Valley dropped two notches to No. 5 after a last second loss last week to Columbine on the road and now they look to bounce back vs. Lakewood.
- Valor, who remained at No. 8 in 5A, have a big one against Dakota Ridge who is unbeaten in league play and Valor has one loss…can’t afford another!
- The Fever Crew took in the Columbine upset of Ralston Valley and that win likely earned the Rebels the votes to jump back in our Top 10 at No. 7. They travel to Bear Creek to keep the momentum going.
- Out late in A-Town??? No. 1 Rangeview puts the unbeaten overall and league record on the line on the road at 13-5 Aurora Central 7:30 p.m. late one!
Thursday, Feb. 13
- Pueblo East, who took down 4A No. 8 Pueblo West in a big way Monday night, looks to keep their league run going vs. Pueblo Centennial.
- No. 3 Longmont hosts Mountain View and looks to keep their streak alive.
- This time Roosevelt will get their shot on the well documented No. 1 Mead Mavs!
- Pueblo West will be angry after Monday’s loss to P West and host Pueblo County.
Friday, Feb. 14
- Early 5:30 p.m. Denver action in Thomas Jefferson at East and Lincoln heading over to FNE (Montbello). The Spartans will try to handle East their first league loss in that one.
- No. 9 Boulder travels to Loveland and No. 6 Fairview to Greeley West in our northwest squads who want to prove they belong and should stay in the 5A Top 10 convo!
- Air Academy was down 34-7 the first time they lost to No. 2 Cheyenne Mountain earlier this season. They’ll need a much more confident start at home in order to stay in this one!
- No love lost in this one! No. 10 Chaparral beat Thunder Ridge by 2 in early tournament play and they both come into this one with one league loss…Continental League title implications here!
- No. 5 Ralston Valley gets league foe Bear Creek.
- In its second huge game this week Dakota Ridge will try to make a Jeffco statement this time vs No. 7 Columbine.
Saturday, Feb. 15
- Northfield, now up to No. 2 in 4A, has an intriguing games as 14-1 DSST Byers pays a visit at 2:30pm.
- Beware Smoky Hill! Arapahoe is playing some of its best ball at the right season and this will be a tough game with great guard play once again!
- Undersized Vista Peak gave all they had in Round 1 vs. No. 1 Rangeview at their place and they’ll have to dig even deeper if they stand a chance at the Raiders house Saturday afternoon.
- No. 2 Grandview won their visit to Overland by 3 points and once again this will be a Centennial heavy weight bout.
- The Raptors are a rare 5-5 in league play and No. 4 Cherry Creek is looking to stay in the Centennial title hunt…huge battle here!
- In our night cap for Saturday No. 3 Longmont travels to Niwot to close out the week!
The league play is hot and coming down to the wire, folks! This week will tell us a lot and next week we’ll identify some league champs!
Get out and enjoy this awesome time of year!
