Ball Fever: Final Four Preview
By Thomas Trotman
Welcome back, hoops fans!
We were treated to another exciting Sweet 16 and Great 8 again in our big school 5A and 4A hoops. In 5A the Top 4 seeds have all advanced to the Coliseum on Friday but in 4A we had a couple surprises and none bigger than the lowest seed still alive, Frederick, upsetting defending champ Mead on their home floor. It’s why we play the games! Let’s dive in perhaps our best hoops day in Colorado boys basketball: The Final 4!
5A Final 4
No. 1 ThunderRidge vs. No. 4 Denver East
The Grizzlies and Angels usually found their way to each other in either tournament or non-league play early in the season but this year they waited until the real stakes are on the line. Both teams come in with identical 24-2 records and we likely won’t have to worry about wishing for a shot clock as both squads average 68 points per game and usually more.
T-Ridge boasts only one in-state loss to rival Chaparral and that was one month ago. In the six games after the loss to Chap, T-Ridge has beaten those six opponents by a whopping total of 102 points. Big man Zach Keller (Wake Forest commit) is the anchor on the inside for the Grizzlies. Keller’s 15 points per game is far from the only concern when playing T-Ridge as Jackson Brennan brings the ability to slash and score along with the team’s leading rebounder Andrew Crawford’s ability to play above the rim. Wild card for the Grizz can be 6-foot-7 senior Joey Biello who can score from inside and out.
The Angels will have to battle T-Ridge’s overall height with their team speed. Zy’Quis Davis is an ultra-quick point guard who can blow by most defenders or shoot over most guards from behind the arc. He can be an isolation nightmare for opponents. The Angels’ leading scorer on the year is D’Aundre Samuels at 6 foot 2, pacing the squad at 18 points per game. Along with brother Darus Samuels, only a sophomore, the Angels can get out and run with anybody. The size for East comes from senior Aguirr Dwam who is a classic “stretch 4” type who has a stroke from outside but can go get an alley oop as well.
A classic “city vs. suburb” match up with two of our state’s most respected veteran coaches and the atmosphere will be electric for this final game of the night on Friday.
No. 2 Fossil Ridge vs. No. 3 Chaparral
This rematch from December should be another fun pace at the Coliseum with two squads not afraid to “get up and down” the floor. The Sabercats earned a back-and-forth 67-63 win at Chap back in December. Fossil Ridge started that one with a fast start, going up 19-14 to open the first quarter and that set the tone for the road win.
Deservedly so, senior guard Brock Mishak garners a lot of attention from opponents with his smooth shooting stroke. He scored 17 points in the December contest but it was junior Nick Randall’s amazing 14-for-15 from the field shooting and 29 points that truly boosted the Sabercats to that early season win. Also keep an eye out for “bouncy” 6-foot-3 junior Domenic Leone who got the Great 8 crowd on their feet with some sensational dunks last weekend.
Strong guard play? You’ll have a hard time finding someone as hot as Chap senior Luke Williams, who exploded for a 30-point night in Chap’s impressive comeback against Eaglecrest last week. Williams may need to repeat that type of scoring in this one and he led Chap with 15 points back in the first battle. Williams’ running mate is 6-foot-8 big man Joel Speckman, who is averaging a 15-point, 11-rebound “double-double” on the season. The Wolverines will need all of it from their big two and supporting cast to avenge December’s loss.
You can rest assured that both staffs are pouring over that December game film but keep in mind both squads are much improved.
4A Final 4
No. 1 Lewis Palmer vs. No. 5 Pueblo Central
Two teams that are not familiar with each other in this one and the track shoe pace should be on display with Pueblo Central averaging almost 80 points per outing and Lewis Palmer putting up 72. Despite Pueblo South coming into the postseason unbeaten, Lewis Palmer locked up the No. 1 seed with their only loss of the season coming to 5A Chaparral.
If scoring is your thing, get the popcorn and enjoy watching the Rangers’ Cameron Lowe, who is averaging 18 points per game on the season. Not to be outdone, the Wildcats’ Kadyn Betts, a 6-foot-8 junior, is averaging a “double-double” on the season of 22 points and 12 rebounds along with 3.5 blocks for good measure. An exciting match-up of two teams traveling north to the Coliseum that we expect to go down to the wire.
No. 2 Pueblo South vs. No. 6 Frederick
The “Fever Crew” are not fans of slow-down hoops, we want to see these awesome athletes get up and down the court. We have two more squads who won’t disappoint in in Frederick and Pueblo South, averaging 70 and 78 points, respectively. Pueblo South had every right to believe they earned the No.1 seed in 4A after their perfect regular season but something tells us that may have just added fuel to the fire. You want to talk about a team who can get away from you? How about the Colts outscoring their opponents in 25 games 2035-1016…simply unheard of.
Frederick avenging an early season loss to Mead with a 66-56 win on the road in the Sweet 16 was high-level ball in that type of atmosphere. Can’t wait to see what this squad has to offer and what the game plan will be to shut down Pueblo South’s Austin brothers, sophomore Maurice and senior Tarrance, who both average 20-plus points for the Colts. Young Maurice is an absolute “stat-stuffin” machine at 21 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists, and 5 steals per game, sheesh. Frederick will rely on their balance with five upperclassmen that average eight points or more led by junior Luke Justice at 13 points per match.
This will be good, folks! We have some 4A squads that can absolutely compete with any teams in the state, regardless of division and in 5A the Top Four Seeds played out just as the regions predicted. Looking forward to a memorable weekend. Come out and support!
