Ball Fever: The Return from Winter Break
By Thomas Trotman
Welcome back hoop, fans! Tremendous early season action, out-of-state and in-state tournament play, and non-league play has been covered in our previous Ball Fever articles. Now? It’s time to dive into our 6A & 5A Top 10 as we begin to get serious about league play and foes that know each other very well! Let’s dig in:
Wednesday 1/21:
If we’re going to start off with league play as our theme, it gets no better than #CentennialTough Wednesday/Friday match ups the Fever Crew has been treated for years. This night, Eaglecrest, which is up to #10 in 6A, faces southeast Aurora-foe Grandview. The Raptors guard Reece Brown is pacing them at 17 points per game.
Many may have not heard for the “Fusion” but Regis Groff looks to be on a mission to force 5A folks to know their name as they come in at #4 this week (up 5 spots from #9). The Fusion will put their 11-0 perfect record on the line vs. 7-2 Thomas Jefferson as they begin league action.
Another “look out”, here comes 11-3 Cherokee Trail jumping into the 5A rankings and the Cougars will tangle with Arapahoe to start Centennial play.
Well well well! The RPI heard our call and recognized those Rangeview Raiders who are currently #7 in our standings and the Fever Crew expects them to rise. “Stat-stuffin” sophomore Marceles Duncan and Archie Weatherspoon IV have a real task on their hands with George Washington whom the Fever Crew has seen have tremendous success in and out of state and #5 after dropping a recent game to Rock Canyon. Folks, we have a mid-week 6A “Top 10 Alert” in this match!
If you like FIRE POWER, pull up on Columbine’s Cash Boykin and 6A #2 Ralston Valley Caiden Braketa! The latter scoring 19 points per outing and Boykin at a blaring 25 points per outing for the Rebels. The Mustangs feeling a bit slighted coming it at #2 6A and have a home win over #1 Chaparral under their belt. High level action here!
***Other Wednesday “Ball Fever Fav’s: Throw rankings and records right out the window when Denver South & Denver East play one of our best “inner city” match ups of the season!
Thursday 1/22:
No 6A or 5A Top 10 action Thursday night but The Fever Crew likes Kent Denver and Denver Christian private school action! Kent Denver’s Caleb Fay averaging a whopping 26 points per game and Kent scores over 80 points per game…Kent has taken on some 6A & 5A squads, battled them very well and that tough schedule should pay off February/March. Denver Christian has a smooth scorer of their own in “stat-stuffer” Jayden Cain leading with 16 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 blocks per game.
If you like you hoops further north check out Brighton (11-1 HOT START!) visiting Northglenn. Austin Sicler and Aiden Warnrow leading Brighton’s surge and 70 points per game!
Friday 1/23:
Not many unbeaten teams left in 5A or 6A but that’s exactly what Arvada West is at 13-0 and ranked #3 behind Keegen Balisteri’s 18 points per game. Wildcats draw always tough Valor Christian Friday…
Three-straight wins since our last rankings and in 5A Golden JUMPED from #17 to #6. This won’t be easy as 9-2 Evergreen is ready for the rivalry and playing very solid hoops themselves.
There’s a “monsta” double-double from GW’s senior Jeremiah Trimm who’s bringing 17 points and 11 rebounds each night. This is home league play for the Patriots as they host Vista Peak.
Another squad with three-straight wins since our last rankings is Mountain Vista, now ranked #6 in 5A. Oliver Junker, the “double-double” machine, leads the Golden Eagles into league play vs. Castle View.
6A #2 Ralston Valley is back in action and likely remain unbeaten vs. familiar foe Lakewood.
Get here early! Denver East, who has some serious young talent in “super sophs” Dayesun Collier and Noah Adkins, will host #7 Rangeview and the house will be PACKED! Collier is coming off a 39-point performance vs. Vista Peak last week! Rangeview hasn’t lost in the state of CO and getting a win at East is never easy…
Can’t talk about tough league play without mentioning Continental League action and we have a “TOP 5 ALERT!!!” in #1 Chaparral hosting #4 Rock Canyon. The Jags fresh off a big win over GW look to show they belong with the elite but Luke Howery is straight up “stat-stuffin” with a 22 point, 11 rebound double-double average for our states top ranked squad! Not to be outdone is Jacob David leading the Jags at 19 points each time out.
Christian Powell is powering 5A Severance, who’s up to #4, with 18 points and 4 assists per game while they host Greeley West.
***Other Friday “Ball Fever Fav’s: Northfield has fallen out of our Top 10 this week but an inner city battle arrives at 5:30 p.m. if you can get there early!
Saturday 1/24:
Not the Centennial HUGE matchup we’re accustomed to with #10 Eaglecrest looking to stay strong vs. Smoky Hill, which only has two wins on the season.
#2 Ralston Valley already welcomed Continental league boss Chaparral to their house and now they head south for a Saturday throwdown with ThunderRidge.
OK, Hoops fans! More than half the season has completed and our VERY familiar league rivalries are under way…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
Always 72 & Sunny in the Gym!!!
