East Metro League Preview: Predicted Order of Finish
As our season preview series rolls on, we begin our preview of the East Metro Conference. Today: Predicting the order of finish. Tomorrow: Preseason All-Conference Teams. 1. Rangeview The Raiders are 18-0 in the conference in the past two years…
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Continue ReadingAs our season preview series rolls on, we begin our preview of the East Metro Conference. Today: Predicting the order of finish. Tomorrow: Preseason All-Conference Teams.
1. Rangeview
The Raiders are 18-0 in the conference in the past two years and 49-2 in the past five years with their only losses coming at the hands of Aurora Central. They’ve had a stranglehold on the EMAC for awhile and have been a top 10 program in Class 5A with some of the best talent in the state. Don’t expect any of that to change this winter as Tyrei Randall (2016) and Elijah Blake (2017) are top 11 prospects by PHC. Both have Division I ability. The Raiders have plenty of depth in the backcourt as well as Randall, Blake, Matt Johnson, Kris Hollins and Donyvan Jackson are all capable. 6-foot-6 sophomore Ryan Ongala provides size for a team lacking height, but certainly not athleticism. Elijah Reed is a tough-nosed forward. Rangeview is favored in the EMAC again.
2. Aurora Central
If anyone unseats Rangeview this year, it will probably be the Trojans. Central (7-2) placed third a season ago behind Rangeview and Northglenn (8-1), but return three of their five leading scorers in LaDarius Thomas (16.1 ppg), Elijah Coleman (14) and Larry Thomas (3.3). 6-foot-8 Daytone Jennings transferred to Denver East and guard Marquise Johnson is now at Vista Peak. Both are big losses, but LaDarius is one of the best pure talents in the state and Coleman is a Black Hills State signee. These guards, along with Larry, can match up with just about anybody, but the Trojans will need others to step up. Either way, this will be a good team.
3. Hinkley
The ThunderBirds went 6-0 against teams below them in the league last year, 0-3 against Rangeview, Aurora Central, and Northglenn, but nearly took down the league champion Raiders. They earned a No. 10 seed in the 5A state tournament, but lost to Columbine in the first round. Nonetheless, it was a successful season for Hinkley. They graduated a good amount of their scoring, especially in Kelsey Williams (15.8 ppg, 6.2 rpg). Senior guard Solomon Proctor (13.2 ppg, 3.4 apg) returns, as does guard DeWayne Carter after appearing in nearly every varsity game as a freshman. Others like Kenneth Powell and Omari Walker will be looked to for scoring help. Hinkley could make the state tournament again.
4. Thornton
The Trojans only finished 6-17, 3-6 in the EMAC last year, but Keondre Weinand, a 6-foot-5 senior, is one of the most productive big men in Colorado. He averaged 10.7 points, 10.7 rebounds, 3.7 blocks and shot 54 percent from the field as a junior. Thornton graduated star power in 6-foot-3 wing Dee Henderson (17.9 ppg, 10.3 rpg), but Ricky Griffin (7.1 ppg, 3.6 rpg as soph.) seems ready to step into Henderson’s role, at least to some extent. Marcus Garcia can make some plays, as well. Thornton could get double digit wins.
5. Northglenn
The Norsemen had a special 2014-15 season. They won 19 games, finished second in the EMAC, reached the second round of the 5A state tournament, and sent two players to college for basketball in Jonah Radebaugh (17.8 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 3.8 apg, 2.8 spg), a walk-on to Northern Colorado, and Jacob Montour (17.4 ppg, 7.2 rpg), a Kansas Wesleyan signee. The three other starters last year were also seniors. Northglenn has been one of the better EMAC teams for awhile, even before their special 2015 class, but with the amount of firepower that has to be replaced, we couldn’t rank these guys any higher than No. 5 going in. Kevin Jimenez, a guard, did play varsity as a first-year, and Isaiah Pratt is a senior guard who will likely play a big role. Little is known about this group beyond those two, but this has been a pretty good program for awhile, regardless.
6. Westminster
The top eight scorers from last year’s Wolves’ team are all back. 5-foot-7 senior guard Elijah Martinez is tough and aggressive and averaged 14 points, 3.6 assists, 3 rebounds and 2.6 steals per game. Another fourth-year guard, Elijah Paculan, is a good sidekick who averaged just over 13 points and, for a team that started last season with an 0-8 record but fought to a 5-18 finish, 3-6 in the EMAC, they could have the returners to make a run at a playoff spot for the first time since 2010.
7. Prairie View
The ThunderHawks have a few question marks after a 10-13, 2-7 campaign. They graduated their two double figure scorers in Luke Schwindaman and Alonzo Ramirez, so new scorers will have to step up. The encouraging thing is that every other varsity player was a non-senior last year, so getting back to the state tournament for the first time since 2012 seems like a possibility.
8. Gateway
The Olympians went 6-17, 3-6 in the conference last year and will be looking to kick start an offense that only averaged 44 points per game last year. Ofodile Odifu (8.6 ppg, 6.8 rpg), as will a number of sophomores who played varsity as freshman, will be called upon for increased offensive production. They are hoping to turn a corner.
9. Brighton
The Bulldogs were another team that struggled to manufacture offense, averaging 45 points per game, but while they did only go 8-15 on the season, Brighton was competitive nearly every night with a pretty good defense. Jacob Fitzgerald (9.4 ppg) and Cody Smith (6.9 ppg) return for a group that may be too low at No. 9, but will have to prove it on the court.
10. Adams City
The Eagles were 1-8 in the EMAC last year and lost their three leading scorers, including Orlando Ruiz (19.1) and Stephen Lippincott (18.8), so new scorers will be needed. Adams City is looking to bounce back.