Ball Fever: Seeding Index’s Late February Top 10

Well, hoops fans, the time has arrived #MileHighMadness with our boys big school 5A & 6A hoops! When it comes to excitement our last couple of weeks leading to league titles certainly did not let us down and this next month of bracket play will be equally exciting.

There is no perfect answer regarding the final 6A and 5A Seeding Index but thankfully our awesome athletes don’t play this “Mile High Madness” out on the internet, They will settle it on the hardwood!

Those who follow Ball Fever also know we don’t think this is a rare time for Colorado hoops, but a result of numerous factors leading to good basketball being played on our high school courts. The buzz about Colorado hoops is legit and we can thank a growing basketball community for that from our peewee rec leagues to competitive club ball, increasing individual personal training opportunities, and truly dedicated high school staffs. The basketball product hitting the Colorado hardwood is improving and colleges of all levels are taking notice!

It’s a great time to be a part of Colorado hoops. Now, let’s get to the Madness!

6A BRACKET

Bert Borgmann Region
“Let me know what you see out there, Coach T!” — Bert Borgmann
Rest Peacefully, my guy…

Our overall No. 1 seed is a bit of an unknown to those of us in easernt, northern, and southern Colorado but Western Colorado FULLY knows these 23-0 Fruita Monument Wildcats. The Fever Crew is sure those western Colorado foes are tired of hearing about them and, more importantly, having to play them! They haven’t faced Highlands Ranch yet this season, but they do share a common opponent, in Castle View. Fruita narrowly defeated Castle View, while Castle View narrowly defeated Highlands Ranch. We’re sure that Wildcat gym will be JUMPING to prove that Fruita belongs (The Seeding Index is slightly pulling for the Wildcats too).

FAVORITES:
Fruita Monument is hard to ignore with that 23-0 record starting you in the face. Their stud 6-foot-6 junior Daniel Thomason will need to show up big in bracket play, after already averaging 16 points and 7 rebounds per game in the regular season.

In the bottom half of this bracket, watch out for Eaglecrest. We’ve discussed them all season, and with the inside/out attack of Garrett Barger and LaDavian King, they can beat anyone on a given night. The Raptors have survived the #CentennialTough gauntlet and are ready for postseason play.

WATCH OUT FOR:
Ralston Valley has “Braketa” scoring power! Super sophomore Caiden Braketa is Ralston’s leading scorer, with 16 points per outing on this solid squad that’s 18-5 overall and 10-2 at home. This will be a tough place for Arapahoe to get a win, as the Mustangs look to advance.

Jim Dorsey Region

At 19-4, Mountain Vista is coming in here as 6A’s No. 2 overall seed. The Eagles come in on a three-game winning streak, which included a 91-85 overtime thriller over rival ThunderRidge in the regular season finale. Vista is coming in as hot as any team here and they beat Fairview by a whopping 32 points in their initial matchup back in December.

FAVORITES:

In Mountain Vista’s regular season finale, junior Cal Baskind scored 35 points against a very solid ThunderRidge defense, proving he has the ability to lift this squad against anyone in the state. Vista averages 70 points per game and plays at a pace many won’t want to face!

Look no further than the Centennial League champ, Smoky Hill, as the other favorite in this region. Smoky’s first league title since 2007 in the ultra tough Centennial league where each team sees the other twice, home and away. Athleticism all over the floor for Smoky and high flying dunks that fuel their squad and crowd. They will be an extremely tough out!

WATCH OUT FOR:

The Fever Crew got to watch the Denver South Ravens a couple times live this year. They are extremely well coached, have veteran leadership at the guard spot, and some fearless class of 2026 and 2027. Dominic Rhoades-Martinez leads the way for the Ravens at 18 points per game, along with dishing out 5 assists per night.

Erik Melgoza Region

Speaking of hot squads, look no further than Continental League champ Chaparral — 6A’s No. 3 overall seed at 18-5 overall. Chaparral knows there will be no easy wins, and that starts with a rematch against a Rangeview team that beat Chaparral, 51-48, back in early January. That adds a little more intrigue to this first-round matchup! Chaparral will likely need to get closer to their 65 point-per-game average, rather than the 48 points they scored the first time around.

FAVORITES:
Gavin Carter is Chaparral’s senior leader, with 23 points, 4 assists, and 2 steals per game. We mentioned the Wolverines are as hot as any squad in the state and they’re riding an eight-game winning streak, that included a 13-point overtime win over Rock Canyon in the regular season finale. They’ll be out to prove that are not the team they were months ago!

Another team with strong guard play is Valor Christian and junior Cole Scheher. Scheher is leading the squad in points, steals, assists, and blocks at just 6-foot-2! Straight “stat-stuffin” for Cole and he’s a major reason Valor is 21-2, set to face Mullen round one.

WATCH OUT FOR:

The 18-5 Doherty Spartans are another squad coming in HOT with an 11-game win streak that includes going a perfect 10-0 in league play. They’ll match with George Washington’s talented but young squad that will be eager to represent Denver Prep ball!

Tom Robinson Region
This region is filled with Continental League teams, with the highest seeds coming in with No. 4 seed ThunderRidge, No. 5 seed Rock Canyon, and No. 12 Douglas County. These teams have beat up one another in league play and now the Rock Canyon Jags could be on a collision course with the Douglas County Huskies if they both take care of business in round one.

FAVORITES:
If this region plays out as seeded, ThunderRidge and Rock Canyon would give this region an all-Continental final. ThunderRidge will be hungry after two late-season losses to Chaparral and Mountain Vista ruined their shot at a league title. There’s nothing the Grizzlies would love more than another shot at the Jags, after losing to them by four in a low-scoring affair in late January. The Grizzlies have a three-heaaded monster of double-digit scorers in Charlie Spann, Andrew Crawford, and Tommy Wright.

WATCH OUT FOR:
With the possibility of Rock Canyon and Douglas County eliminating each other the Fever Crew will go with Cherry Creek as one to watch for here. The Bruins finished third in tough Centennial league play at 5-2, so they’ve definitely been through a gauntlet of a schedule that prepared them for postseason play. Super soph Jeremiah Hammond leads the Bruins and has no fear of the big stage or big games!

5A BRACKET

Bert Borgmann Region

Don’t look now folks but there is definitely new blood in the Denver Prep circle, by the name of Northfield High School. 5A’s No. 1 seed went unbeaten in league play, faced many 6A teams, and are averaging a whopping 80 points per game. Also perfect at home this season, Northfield will be looking to bring “the city” a state title and they have the tools to make it happen!

FAVORITES:
Strong senior guard Justus Michael and his running mate Daquan Slayton carry a heavy load for Northfield and lead the squad in every statistical category. The Nighthawks tout a 15-game win streak and a 21-2 overall record. Their two losses came to 6A’s Mullen and our 6A’s No. 1 seed Fruita Monument. This squad is talented and tested and our clear favorite in this region. The Nighthawks will have to slow Thornton’s Clayton “Chipper” Jones, who is averaging a double-double of 22 points and 10 rebounds per game on the season.

WATCH OUT FOR:
Look no further than Pueblo South who’s record is not what they’ve been used to in the past BUT they do have the Ball Fever pick for Player of the Year in Maurice Austin who leads the Colts in EVERY statistical category including “Stat-stuffin” an amazing 32 points per game! Austin has strong playoff experience, a record setting senior year, and can explode any given night!

Jim Dorsey Region

Another 5A squad putting up a ton of points at 73 points per game is 5A’s No. 2 seed in Vista Peak. They have just one league loss and are 9-1 at home (that sole loss coming to No. 1 Northfield) as the Bison look to prove they will be a mainstay in 5A hoops for years to come.

FAVORITES:
Alonte Monroe-Elazier leads Vista Peak by scoring 15 points per game and has the Bison on a four-game win streak since their six-point loss to Northfield. Their final two wins of the season came against 6A’s Denver South and George Washington. They’ll be ready to represent in 5A!

WATCH OUT FOR:
On paper, this is a very close matchup, with Ponderosa and Thompson Valley both entering at 15-8, while averaging 68 points per game. Thompson Valley’s Brady Kennison can fill it up, at 25 points per game, but Ponderosa has been tested by many 6A foes in Continental League play. Plus, with Noah Wilhelm’s 18 points per game, they pulled off exciting late season wins over 6A rivals Mountain Vista and Legend. Watch out for these guys, 5A. They’ve already faced a gauntlet!

Erik Melgoza Region

The 19-4 Windsor Wizards come in as 5A’s No. 3 seed. The Wizards are perfect at home and an undefeated league champ. They boast a 14-game winning streak, with their last loss coming back in early January to a very solid 6A Eaglecrest squad. There’s no shame in that for the Wizards.

FAVORITES:
Windsor is our clear favorite for the reasons listed above, plus they have the senior leadership of Johnny Reed and the sweet stroke of super sophomore Madden Smiley, who is averaging 17 points per game.

WATCH OUT FOR:
Watch out for Lewis Palmer and their YEARS of playoff experience. The stage of elimination games will not shake them. Also, keep an eye on Thomas Jefferson. They’re another squad keeping the hope alive for city ball and they have faced some tough 6A teams.

Tom Robinson Region

Our 5A No. 4 seed Mesa Ridge comes into bracket play with a familiar foe in Sand Creek. Mesa Ridge won their first match up in January by seven points, 74-67. The Riehl’s are busy for Mesa Ridge as Tevin and Bryce lead the team in 4 of 5 statistical category and Tevin is averaging an impressive 18 points per game.

FAVORITES:
Mesa Ridge is an excellent 21-2 on the season and those two losses came back in December, so this squad is on an unreal run. They’ll hope it continues right into bracket play!

WATCH OUT FOR:
Silver Creek is 5A’s No. 5 seed and, in February, they suffered close losses to Mead and Windsor, before tearing off three straight wins to close out the season at 19-4. Once again, a team that looks tested from a tough schedule and should make some noise in this region.

OK, hoop fans! Always fun to dig into the Mile High Madness!!! Get out and support those first two rounds on the home school court and then come have some fun with us at the Denver Coliseum! #BallFever