1A Boys Basketball: McClave Repeats as Champ in Battle of Small-School Bigs
By Brock Laue
Photo: Brakelle Westphal
GREELEY — Class 1A is the smallest classification in Colorado, but it certainly boasts some of the most impressive towering talents in the whole state.
The 6-foot-8 Corey Hill of Cheyenne Wells finished his career with a state record 71 double-doubles. The Colorado State-Pueblo signee recorded 13 points, 16 rebounds, and four blocks in the state championship game in the Bank of Colorado Arena in Greeley.
And yet, 6-foot-7 Tuff Kelley notched 16 points, nine rebounds, and three blocks, lifting McClave to back-to-back state championships. The Cardinals pulled away 53-37.
“Corey Hill’s one of the best big men in the state at any level, not just 1A, but I think Tuff Kelley is too,” McClave coach Jeremy Mallard said of Kelley, who has over 40 career double-doubles before his senior year even begins. “No offense to Corey Hill, because he’s done some amazing things, but I love my guy.”
It was a joy to watch two of the giants of 1A, in Hill and Kelley, battle in the paint in the state final. They also faced off in the 2024 championship game, a title bout that Cheyenne Wells won. In 2025 though, McClave beat Flatirons Academy 59-43 for the title as the Tigers lost in the Final Four.
It seemed fitting that in Hill’s last high school season (22.1 points, 16.5 rebounds per game), after compiling some of the most robust career stats in Colorado history, that he and his Cheyenne Wells teammates would face McClave one more time in a championship game.
The Tigers led 10-9 after the first quarter as Kelley went scoreless. He was off to a slow start.
Then McClave started finding its mojo as a two-handed dunk by last year’s 1A Player of the Year (Kelley) pushed the Cardinal lead to 23-13. It was 25-20 at halftime.
Kelley also began knocking down some shots. He knew facing Hill would be a big test though. And yet, he was ready after they won 47-39 in the regular season.
“I try to work on my fundamentals, hit shots, keep my feet set,” the junior said. “I didn’t score the first quarter, but you see one go in and it just kind of clicks.”
McClave also got contributions from seniors in Mason Barr (Second Team All-State last year) and Jr. Mungarary as it took a 40-29 lead entering the fourth quarter. Mungarary entered Saturday averaging 4.3 points, but scored 10 in the final. Barr just kept making critical baskets and finished with 16 points.
“Mason Barr, he’s been doing that his whole career,” Mallard said. “Drew Howe, Jr. Mungarary, the list goes on. Those top seven guys, they all step up and it’s someone every single night. We’re hard to scout, because you never know who is going to do it.”
Saturday, March 14 at University of Northern Colorado in Greeley
Saturday, March 14 at University of Northern Colorado in Greeley
