Ball Fever: #MileHighMadness Has Arrived
By Thomas Trotman
Welcome back, hoops fans! It’s that time of year: #MileHighMadness has arrived. 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. Time for some life long dreams of a state to come true!
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…it will be settled 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! Great time to be a part of Colorado hoops … let’s get to the Madness!
“Let me know what you see out there, Coach T!” Bert Borgmann
(Rest Peacefully my guy…)
Our overall #1 seed Chaparral is coming in “en fuego” on a 14-game winning streak and Continental League Champs. We’ve covered the strong “lefty” Luke Howery a few times this season along with the scoring power of fellow junior Christian Williams who are both right at 20 points per game and arguably the best duo in 6A! Add in “super soph” Champ Spears’ 12 points, assists, clutch free throws along with big man senior Luke Williams’ rebounds and blocks, and you have a 4-headed monsta that leads the Wolverines attack.
FAVORITES
Chap is clearly the top dog with the possibility to come out of Region 1 but there could be a possible rematch with Continental league foe (and neighborhood rival!!!!) Legend, which played them tough to 76-68 game in their first match. To make that happen Legend still needs to find a way to get by Fairview in the first game.
More Continental league comp, you say? The bottom of this bracket has another Continental beast in 8 seed Mountain Vista and their “double-double” machine Oliver Junker who can get double digit points and rebounds on any given night!
WATCH OUT FOR
You better watch out for a “Bulldog” with a chip on his shoulder and that’s exactly what Brighton is as they bring their almost perfect 20-1 record into this region but only garnered a 16 seed?!!! Big man Aiden Wanrow is averaging a “monsta” double-double of 20 points and 13 rebounds himself. The Bulldogs are out to show they’ve been disrespected and we can’t wait to see how this plays out!
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On to the overall 2 seed in 6A and that’s the one team in Colorado who can boast a home win over top seed Chaparral this year in 22-1 Ralston Valley. The Mustangs are powered by a solid inside/outside attack of their won with seniors Caiden Braketa (20) and Zeke Andrews (16) each scoring over 15 points per night with Andrews adding that dirty work inside pulling down boards with his 6’6 frame. The Mustangs’ 1-loss record and 2-point win over Chap let everyone know they’d be in the running for a title hunt.
George Washington rep’n for the City has been quite a mystery… at times playing very well in-and-out of state as we covered the Las Vegas Tarkanian Classic early in the year. But the Patriots can also lose by 30 to Rangeview which they’ve done a couple times, as well. As confusing as that may sound – and be – junior Jordan Dotson can be an electrifying scorer for the Patriots along with dishing the rock to leading scorer (15 points per outing) senior Jeremiah Trimm. Both will have to play a huge roll for GW in the bottom of this bracket.
WATCH OUT FOR
Be proud “inner city” with GW, Northfield, East and our “watch out for” Denver South who all have a chance to make some noise for Denver Hoops this year. D South is a 15 seed but have improved throughout the season winning 9 of last 13 games. The Fever Crew likes where the Ravens landed in the bracket despite back-to-back league tourney losses to afore mentioned East and GW.
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Time for our 6A #3 seed! No secret, the Fever Crew went out on a limb early and stated the Raiders, who haven’t lost in our state this season as of yet, would still be standing when the 6A dust settles. Rangeview is as athletic of a squad as they come, battle tested in non league and out of state play, and hungry to finish where they came up short last year. Rare to see a junior reach the 1K point club but that’s exactly what floor leader Archie Weatherspoon IV recently achieved (20 points per game), super soph Marceles Duncan double figures scoring/rebounding, and this years boost of senior Aiden Perez’s 14 points per game has Rangeview hopeful believing this squad won’t lose in Colorado at all this season.
Overland and Cherry Creek both rep’n the Centennial League in bottom portion of this bracket but it’s the Bruins who are on a hot streak of winning some very close games down the stretch. Whenever you see a squad winning so many tight games you can bet there’s strong point guard play and Creek is getting that from their “super soph” Montae Johnson’s 14 points, 4 assists per game.
WATCH OUT FOR
At 77 points per game and Noah Adkins’ 22 point average, Denver East will be a problem. The 11-12 record doesn’t reflect this squads ability to compete with the best as they showed in tough late season battles with Rangeview, knocking off 20-0 5A Regis Groff, and swarming D South by 24 points in their final league tourney game. Sophomore Dayesun Collier is another scoring threat Fossil Ridge and Coach Johannsen will certainly have to game plan for. Fossil Ridge/East usually tangle in early season tournament play…this year it’s saved for #MileHighMadness time!
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If there’s a Cinderella that we’re not familiar with being in our Top 4 seeds it’s our final 6A Top seed Arvada West. They were the only squad to give Ralston Valley a loss this season and surprised many rising to the #1 6A team in our poll more than once this season. Keegen Balisterri is the “stat-stuffin” machine for the Wildcats with 17 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 assists per bout. A West was on a seven-game win streak before its first lopsided lost at the hands of Ralston Valley in their second battle of the season.
Hard to call a 5 Seed squad on an 8-game win streak and 20-3 overall record “under the radar” but it feels a bit that way for Rock Canyon and we’d bet they don’t mind that at all. Jacob David’s 19 points per game as a junior is the motor that fuels the Jags.
WATCH OUT FOR
It’s said that it’s always hard to knock out the champ. Defending champ Eaglecrest has a very different squad from one year ago but the Raptors still have that recent memory/experience to build on for a late run. Demari Mann-Davis is leading the charge for Eaglecrest’s attack with 15 points, 2 assists, 2 steals per game.
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Our Crew has covered Howard Hunter’s 14 points, 8 rebounds, 3 steals, 3 assists “stat stuffin” every night that has led Palisade to the #1 overall seed in 5A and a 21-2 overall season.
WATCH OUT FOR
Lewis Palmer didn’t start the season in the strong way we are all accustomed to but have won seven of their last eight games and are another squad with the experience of how to advance in tourney play. Jonas Miller is leading this years Rangers with 17 points and 5 rebounds per…
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Our 5A second overall seed is a squad from out West who’d love to come show the state that there’s strong ball played on the western slope. The Tigers of Grand Junction, 19-4 overall, are led in scoring by a sophomore Grant Lewis’ 13 points and senior Andrew Henderson’s nine rebounds on the season.
WATCH OUT FOR
Rampart is the higher seed but our Crew is going with Lutheran, at the 10 seed, as the team to watch in this bracket. Senior big man Kade Speckman is leading Lutheran with a 17 point, 10 rebound double-double every night…Mr. Consistency!
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The Silver Knights are sporting a 20-3 record on the season and are the 5A #3 overall seed. Young combo guard Christian Powell is averaging 18 points per game. Quite impressive for a sophomore!
WATCH OUT FOR
There’s new pride out northeast and Regis Groff’s 20-0 streak before their first recent losses in the league postseason tourney is the reason why. James Murdock is all over the court for the Fusion with 20 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists each night out.
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5A overall seed #4 is another squad from out west in Eagle Valley who is 19-3 overall and a very balanced squad. Three players average double figures led by senior Malachi Barros’ 13 per game.
WATCH OUT FOR
Don’t have to look far here for the threat that comes from 5 seed Cheyenne Mountain. The Red Tailed Hawks also have 19 wins on the season and led by a junior in scoring with Alex Treglias 20 points per game.
OK folks, not only is the hoops HOT, but the weather looks like it’s going to be great for Round 1 and 2 of our #MileHighMadness. Whether it’s your neighborhood fav, alma mater, or a brand new hot team, get out there and enjoy our version of the MADNESS! The Ball Fever Crew will be following along all week! Catch us on twitter: @BallFever_CO_Tr
