Ball Fever: Early Look at Top 10 Rankings, Week Ahead in Boys 5A, 6A Hoops
Welcome back, hoops fans! A ton of excitement in the first few weeks of our CHSAA big school boys hoops which is a sign of things to come as we approach the New Year and ultimately our #MileHighMadness March playoff fun!
We started with our Preseason Coaches Poll, and now the CHSAA Seeding Index will give us our weekly Top 10 rankings!
A unique format that’s lovely for the Ball Fever Crew as it will allow us to cover many worthy teams as the RPI and Seeding Index will change as the season matures. Let’s wait no further and jump into the Top 10 teams early on and what’s on tap for the coming week:
Northfield didn’t crack Top 10 in our Preseason Coaches Poll but the early RPI disagrees and they come in as #7 in 6A Top 10 with a 4-1 record. Northfield is powered by a player who is more than worth the price of admission in senior Judah Michael. The senior is as hot as any player in the state at 27 points per game and on this night he leads Northfield a little further north to face Northglenn.
Another squad the Coaches Poll didn’t see coming and left unranked is 5-0 Chatfield. Nolan Fedderson is at a scorching 21 points per game for the Chargers who are averaging close to 80 points as a team. A fast, fun pace which has led to their unbeaten start and Monarch is unfortunately winless at 0-6 on the season. This will be a tough spot to find the first win.
***OTHER Ball Fever Wednesday Favs: Denver East & Overland will be fun! Coach Carey’sAngels Fresh off representing CO in the Big Apple NYC and one thing Ball Fever Fans already know is Coach Fisher will ALWAYS have Overland prepared.
We have a flip-flop to start this day as Windsor was ranked the #1 team in 5A in the Coaches Poll but after a 4-3 start they were unranked in the initial Top 10 5A poll on 12/15. Windsor is led by “stat-stuffin” senior (Wyoming commit) Madden Smiley who not only averages 21 points per game, he also leads the Wizards in every statistical category. Extremely tough test this night as tangle with 6A Mountain Vista.
Valor Christian received some votes but didn’t crack that Coaches Poll. A solid 4-1 start has them sitting pretty in the initial RPI as #10 in 6A. They head into this week after sweeping the annual Mullen Tournament with a strong five-point win over Northfield. They head into new tourney play vs. Riverdale Ridge Thursday.
There’s a Ball Fever fav and the Coaches Poll felt the same ranking Chaparral #1 as the top team in our state! The arguably top CO squad is fresh off winning the Chap/TRidge annual tourney and now travel to Arizona to represent our state. “Lefty” Luke Howery is off to a hot start on the season averaging a “monsta” 25 point, 10 rebound double-double each night. Go represent vs. Valley Christian, 5-2 (Arizona). The RPI had Chap come in as #4 early on…expect that to change!
Arvada West didn’t get quite enough votes to crack the Coaches Poll but a 7-0 start certainly caught the RPI Rankings attention and ranked #2, the Wildcats visit Horizon…
Silver Creek, another squad with Coaches Poll votes but not in Top 10, said “Hello!” RPI. Initially coming in at #5 in 5A and 5-0 there’s a visit to Standley Lake on tap.
***OTHER Thursday “Ball Fever Favs: Cherry Creek (4-0) & Thomas Jefferson tangle! Golden makes a RARE visit to Robert F. Smith Steam Academy. Fairview with only 1-loss faces unbeaten Brighton. Rock Canyon vs. Fountain Fort Carson: someone gets a third loss. Northfield (covered on Wednesday) have back to back action visiting Gateway.
Talk about the disrespect! LOL! George Washington got ZERO votes in the Preseason Coaches Poll but a strong 3-0 start and a whopping 85 points per game has lifted the Patriots to the 6A #1 spot in the early RPI Rankings! G-Dubb will need everything they have, including junior Jordan Dotson’s 15 points per game, as they go represent CO in the annual Las Vegas Tarkanian Classic. Go get after it, Patriots!
Speaking of top CO squads that have a GREAT chance of not only capturing a #1 spot during the season, but also an excellent chance at hoisting the championship trophy in March, Rangeview continues it’s hot start to the season in the Las Vegas Tarkanian Classic, as well. The Raiders are powered by junior Archie Weatherspoon’s 26 points per game and “super soph” Marceles Duncan’s 8 rebounds per outing. Early RPI had Rangeview come in as #6 but Coaches Ranked them more where Ball Fever sees them as #2 in 6A and when it’s all said and done that could be #1!!!
Add another! Defending 6A Champ Eaglecrest said, “don’t forget about us!”. They’re representing CO on the road as well before the Winter Break and will face Clovis (CA) on Friday. The Raptors, led by Demari Manns Davis’ 17 points and 3 assists per game, came in at #10 in the Coaches Poll and haven’t played enough games as of yet to factor into the RPI Rankings.
Best of Luck, and safe travels, to all our CO teams traveling out of state to compete this week!
***Other Friday “Ball Fever Favs: Keep an eye on Centaurus who is 6-0 vs. Steamboat Springs. City vs. Suburb, Private vs. Public, and two of the best Coaches are state has ever seen in Denver East vs. Regis! Cherry Creek who wasn’t on the Preseason Coaches radar has risen to 4-0 start and #8 in RPI will face Riverdale Ridge.
VERY fitting to end this week’s action with our Preseason #1 squad! The out of state GRIND continues for Preseason #1 Chaparral in Arizona. We discussed leading scoring Howery earlier in the week but this is no one man show as fellow junior Chrisian Williams (Just joined the 1K Point Club!!!), and “super soph” Champ Spears (10 points per game) also lead the Wolverines vs. 3-1 Liberty in Arizona.
***Other Saturday “Ball Fever Favs: Check out Fruita Monument’s Jhett Wells! One of our states top guards and filling it up out on the western slope at 31 POINTS PER GAME!
OK, Hoops fans! Whether your team was in the preseason rankings, initial RPI Top 10, or haven’t won a game yet this season. Doesn’t matter! It’s always 72 & Sunny in the gym!!! Get out and support our neighborhood teams. These awesome athletes deserve our love and support. The Ball Fever Crew will be following along all week! Catch us on twitter: @BallFever_CO_Tr
Ball Fever will return after Winter Break!
