5A Playoff Preview: Chauncey Billups Region
It’s that time of year again! The Colorado high school playoffs begin Wednesday, with 48 teams in each of the state’s largest classifications beginning fresh with their eyes on a state championship run. Through the next few days, we’ll preview…
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Continue ReadingIt’s that time of year again! The Colorado high school playoffs begin Wednesday, with 48 teams in each of the state’s largest classifications beginning fresh with their eyes on a state championship run.
Through the next few days, we’ll preview the 4A and 5A state playoffs, region by region, with storylines to watch, key matchups and predictions.
Let’s get started:
5A Chauncey Billups Region
Byes (with overall seed in parentheses)
ThunderRidge (2)
Chatfield (7)
Cherry Creek (10)
Rampart (15)
What To Know: Three of the four top seeds in this region — ThunderRidge, Chatfield and Cherry Creek — all advanced to at least the Sweet 16 last season, with Creek moving to the Elite Eight narrowly losing to eventual Final Four participant Chatfield. The experience of that group — not to mention a upperclassmen-heavy Rampart team that lost in the second round last year — gives this region teeth.
T-Ridge no doubt enters the tournament hungry after a loss in the regular-season finale against Rock Canyon that cost the Grizzlies their chance to win the Continental League outright. Still, that was the first in-state loss this season, a team that is talented, deep and extremely well-coached. Chatfield, meanwhile, buoyed by many of the players from last year’s semifinal team, have lost only one game all season, to No. 1 overall seed Eaglecrest way back at the beginning of the year. Balanced and unselfish, Chatfield plays a sharing brand of basketball that makes them hard to defend. Cherry Creek has wins over top-eight overall seeds Grandview and Smoky Hill this season, showing it can compete with anyone when it’s game is on. Rampart has one of the state’s best seniors in 6-9 Black Hills State-bound forward Jackson Ehrlin, and it has good size at every position. This is a balanced field at the top.
But what about the teams playing on opening night that have a chance to pull upsets?
First Round
No. 34 Liberty (12-11) at No. 31 Monarch (12-1), Wednesday, TBA
The Scoop: This is one of the most intriguing first-round matchups you’ll find in the tournament. The two team actually met way back on Dec. 2, a game Monarch won 51-41. But Mozamil Doria, Liberty’s leading scorer at 15.7 points per game, didn’t play in that contest. Both teams should be at full strength this time around, which will make for a compelling battle as the two teams square off for a chance to face ThunderRidge.
Matchup To Watch: Liberty junior Mozamil Doria vs. Monarch junior Tylor Trinh. Trinh is a player who jumped onto our radar during an excellent run through last year’s Prep Hoops Spring Kickoff with the Colorado Chaos 16U squad. We knew the sharpshooter and creative playmaker would be a big boon for Brenning as he took over the team, and Trinh has not disappointed, averaging a team-leading 16.5 points per game and shooting 37 percent (62-of-166) from 3-point range. Doria is athletic, long 6-3 guard who was also hard to miss at last year’s Kick Off. He’s been effective in multiple ways, and he’s quick enough to guard smaller guards on the perimeter while also long enough to be effective defending in the paint and rebounding.
Moving On: Since a 1-6 start to the season, Monarch won 11 of its next 14 games. The Coyotes will get enough of a boost from the home crowd to outlast Liberty in what should be a tight and exciting game.
No. 47 Douglas County (10-13) at No. 18 Cherokee Trail (12-11), Wednesday, TBA
The Scoop: Standout point guard Jaizec Lottie and Cherokee Trail narrowly missed a first-round bye, settling for a home game against a Douglas County team that had to sweat out a playoff appearance after dropping its final four games. The Huskies do have balance, with eight different players averaging at least six points per game — led by an 11.2 average by 6-4 senior Nicholas Scrivens. The Cougars have one of the state’s top three point guards in Lottie, who likely would have led CT to a first-round bye had he not missed five games with an injury.
Matchup To Watch: Douglas County sophomore guard Davon Walker vs. Cherokee Trail senior guard Jaizec Lottie. Walker, averaging 10.7 points and 2.4 assists, is one of the top sophomore point guards in the state and is no doubt looking forward to testing himself against Lottie, a 20.1 points-per-game scorer who is one of the top unsigned senior point guards in the West.
Moving On: The Cougars — behind a big game, we’re predicting, from 6-3 junior guard Deon Barfield — will have too much firepower. They’ll earn a date with Rampart in the second round.
No. 39 Fountain Fort-Carson (9-14) at No. 26 Rocky Mountain (13-10), Wednesday, TBA
The Scoop: Home has been a friendly home for Rocky Mountain this season. The Lobos have gone 7-1 on their home floor, a record that helped them finish in a fourth-place tie in the competitive 13-team Front Range League. It’s been an up-and-down season for the FFC, but the Warriors have the athleticism to give teams problems, which they displayed in a 10-point loss to No. 6 overall seed Doherty just last week.
Matchup To Watch: Fountain Fort-Carson senior guard T.J. Lucero vs. Rocky Mountain junior guard Xavier Johnson. Lucero is averaging 15.5 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game this season. His hands are in everything the Trojans do, and he’s got the court awareness to match his skill set. On the other end, Johnson is a tough, physical guard who is averaging 13.4 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.7 assists. The Lobos key on his toughness and energy.
Moving On: The Lobos keep their home-court edge alive and advance to face Chatfield in the second round.
No. 42 Heritage (11-12) at No. 23 Denver South (15-8), Wednesday, TBA
The Scoop: The Rebels believed they would have had the necessary tools to make a run at a 4A championship. Then, they were moved up to 5A due to increasing enrollment. Still, D-South has the talent — and the shooting when it gets hot — to make a run in this tournament. Heritage has a talented scorer in 6-2 senior Walker Andrew (18.1 points per game) who has shown he can lift the Eagles to big games.
Matchup To Watch: Heritage senior John Carlson vs. Denver South senior Connor Nelson. Carlson is a big-time energy player who averages 9.8 points, 7.7 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game. He’s only 6-2 but can guard bigger defenders and play multiple spots. Nelson is a complete player when his outside shot is falling. His length allows him to play even bigger than his 6-5 frame, and he’s as comfortable running the point as he is battling in the paint.
Moving On: Denver South begins its 5A playoff voyage with a victory that sets up an intriguing second-round clash with Cherry Creek.