Ball Fever: Mid-season conference play starting to heat up
By Thomas Trotman
Photo: PaulDiSalvoPhotography.com
The Look Ahead
Tuesday, Jan. 18
This week’s top-10 action gets started with No. 2 Lewis-Palmer taking on Vista Ridge. The Rangers’ only loss this season came to 5A Chaparral, nothing to be ashamed of at all, and Vista Ridge will be another strong 5A test as they sit at a solid 11-2.
Speaking of Chap, we may have a Tuesday “game of the night” right here in 5A with a top-10 Continental league battle as No. 4 travels to No. 9 Douglas County. Every single game counts as we enter league play and the Continental may easily be the most competitive this year, simply stacked!
No. 6 Rock Canyon looks to get off strong in Continental play as well, but that won’t be easy in a visit to Legend this night. Keep an eye out for two “stat-stuffers” here who lead their respective squads in multiple statistical categories, with the Jags’ Chris Schlesinger and Titans’ Dylan Forbord.
The Continental theme continues with another 5A top-10 squad, No. 5 Regis Jesuit, hosting Mountain Vista. Vista has one league loss and sit just outside our 5A top-10. They’d love to add Regis to the win column!
4A “top-10 alert!” No. 3 Mead is on a six game winning streak and have not lost in the state of CO as of yet. No. 9 Centaurus sits at 11-3 and hope to slow Mead’s 70-point per game pace and force them into a little more of their style of play.
Did we mention the Continental was stacked? No. 1 and unbeaten ThunderRidge take their 10-0 record to unranked Heritage. Don’t let Heritage not being ranked fool you though, folks, the Eagles are 9-2 with only one league loss. An upset of our state’s best would let us know the Eagles are for real.
No surprise but Denver East, No. 3 in 5A at 12-1, is representing the “inner city” very well and this night face a familiar foe and coach when they face 7-5 Denver South getting league play rolling.
In some late 8 p.m. action down south, 4A No. 1 Pueblo South looks to make it 13-0 when Pueblo Centennial visits. The Colts are cooking at 80 points per game and Maurice Austin’s 24 points per game is not all he does as he leads the squad in four statistical categories: “stat-stuffin!”.
Wednesday, Jan. 19
Wow! A ton of top-10 action on Tuesday night. Do we have anything left mid-week???
Grandview is not experiencing the success we are accustomed to one our state’s largest schools having, and it won’t get any easier for them as Centennial foe, No. 7 Smoky Hill, pays a visit!
In 4A action, D’Evelyn has garnered 17 top-10 votes, but haven’t quite made it yet. A chance to make a statement here as No. 7 Green Mountain heads their way.
Centennial Tough! Eaglecrest has won three in a row and are holding on to our No. 10 spot in the 5A rankings. Arapahoe will test the Raptors on this night!
Not ranked squads here, but The Fever Crew just may have to make it over to Cherry Creek visiting Overland…throw the records out the window when these two get it on!
Thursday, Jan. 20
Very light night of action, but our state’s No. 1 squad is looking to take things to a “higher level”! ThunderRidge is on the road for the 2022 Alaska Airlines Classic, and face off with 7-1 Colony out of Palmer Alaska. Show them what Colorado brings to the court Grizzlies!
Our 4A No. 5 Pueblo Central, riding high at 12-1, is getting a visit from Pueblo East. Top recruit Kadyn Betts continues his tear for Central at 24 points, 12 rebounds per game.
Friday, Jan. 21
Can a 12-1 No. 2 ranked squad be “quietly” trucking right along? That’s exactly what Fossil Ridge is doing, and the Fever Crew knows that’s the way Coach Johannsen likes it. The Sabercats head to Loveland to end their week.
Speaking of trucking along, our 4A No. 4 squad Montrose is now 13-0 and are out west to face a game 10-5 Grand Junction. Luke Hutto doing a little bit of everything for Montrose and averaging 15 points per game.
Score keeper be alert that Denver East is capable of piling up a ton of points as they host Denver North Friday night.
Top-10 5A Continental teams facing off seems to be part of the theme this week, and that remains in this “top-10 Alert” in Chaparral vs. Regis!
Ooooh, we have intrigue! Longmont recently dropped from our 4A top-10 and Windsor jumped right in at 8-4 on the season. Time for these two to get it on and see who remains….
To hang on to that 5A No. 10 spot, Eaglecrest will have to earn one at Mullen!
Lewis Palmer, 4A No. 2, plays host to Palmer Ridge under the Friday Night Lights.
5A No. 6 Rock Canyon is steady at 9-4 but their Continental foe Highlands Ranch is on deck with the same exact record.
Two 4A squads in opposite directions for now with 9-3 monster Mead vs. 3-9 Erie.
Another one of those “A-Town” braggin’ rights battles where the records won’t matter in familiar foes No. 7 Smoky Hill and Overland facing off.
7:30 p.m. night cap, you say? No. 1 Pueblo South and No. 10 Pueblo County in the 4A “top-10 alert!” Can’t ask for more than this one down south.
Saturday, Jan. 22
Not much time for Pueblo County to rest after facing No. 1 Pueblo South…less than 24 hours later No. 10 gets 7-3 Colorado Springs Christian.
Not top-10 action, but a Saturday afternoon tilt with Far Northeast “Bellos” Warriors vs. George Washington is always some good DPL action!
Fair enough! If Pueblo County had the quick turn around after a huge Friday night game, only fair No. 1 Pueblo South is asked to do the same. A visit with Air Academy will in no way be easy!
Hang out with us on twitter as well! The Ball Fever Crew will keep a close eye on how our state’s No. 1 squad ThunderRidge closes out that Alaska Tournament action.
“Familiar foes” seemed to be the theme this week and a ton of our best teams will settle things on the court. We’ve seen enough hoops to know that familiarity brings out some of the best ball this time of year! Enjoy, folks.
