C3 Challenge: Tuesday’s Games To Watch
If you missed our preview of the C3 Challenge, which runs from Tuesday through Thursday, you can read it here.
Now, we are taking a look at a few games to watch Tuesday if you are heading to the tournament:
Rock Canyon vs. Smoky Hill, 10 a.m., Rock Canyon H.S., main gym
Two teams that made impressive runs into the postseason back in the spring return a lot of strong pieces as each looks to make a title run this season. This particular game, between two teams that have already piled up a ton of wins this month, will feature two of the state’s top point guards: Senior-to-be Tyson Gilbert of Rock Canyon and rising sophomore Quentin Rock. The shooting guard battle between Canyon’s Sam Masten and Smoky’s Kenny Foster shouldn’t be bad either, assuming all are in action.
Rock Canyon will be put to the test Tuesday morning. Following their game against Smoky Hill, they’ll face point guard Tucson Redding and Overland, which won the Metro State Team Camp and is coming off a win over Smoky Hill at the Overland Summer League on Monday night.
Mountain Vista vs. Golden, 11 a.m., Arapahoe H.S., main gym
Can Adam Thistlewood lead Golden to a 4A championship next season? Though the Demons will miss key players like forward Kayden Sund, the 6-6 Sund, a long and versatile small forward who recently picked up an offer from Metro State, may be the best player in the classification heading into next season. It will be interesting to see how he prepares to guide his team this season as its unquestioned leader. Mountain Vista will have a new look as it replaces the inside-outside duo of Jake Belknapp and Isaac Essien, but talented players like Simon May, Connor Staib and R.J. Wohlleber return.
Regis Jesuit vs. Chatfield, 3 p.m., Arapahoe H.S., main gym
Regis Jesuit, after going through some growing pains with a young team last season, came on strong at the end of the year and have promising pieces as they attempt to rebound this season. Elijah Martinez, Payton Egloff and Jamil Safieddine make up a skilled backcourt that is now fully comprised of upperclassmen. The player on this group who could really be poised for a breakout is Matt Wheelock, the 6-8 rising junior who transferred to Regis last season and played only half the year. He’s had a great spring and could be poised for a breakout year. For Chatfield, the Chargers graduate a number of players who have run through the JeffCo League each of the last two seasons, but their ball-sharing, intense-defense system always seems to have new players ready to fill in.
Chaparral vs. Grandview, 3 p.m., Arapahoe H.S., aux gym
These are two teams that believe they have what it takes to fight to the top of their respective leagues this season. Chaparral has a group that now has experience to add to its talent. Ronnie DeGray III, Bryce Matthews and Joseph Dalton have all been playing together as starters at Chaparral since freshman. Now as juniors, this is a group that could be poised to fight for the Continental League title. Add Kobe Sanders, the dynamic rising sophomore point guard, and you’ve got a group that can beat you in different ways. Grandview is coming off an impressive season that ended one shot short of the Final Four. Gone are big man Gage Prim and point guard LeChaun Duhart, but the Wolves have talented guards like Levi Dombro, who has had a big spring with Colorado Chaos, rising sophomore Lian Ramiro and Davon Walker, a transfer from Douglas County, ready to fill in.