Games of the Week- Dec 10th-15th
This week was a bit different as there are tons of great games for the week, but most of the best games are all on the same day forcing supporters of Colorado High School basketball to have to choose which games to go to. Here are a few of the games that stand out as games of the week.
Tuesday
Regis versus Range View
Monday there are no good games that stand out so Tuesday is the best day for games. It starts out with a Regis team that finally gets to come back in town and play games. They are 3-2 on the season but only one loss was in state. Regis is led by their big men. Daniel Carr is quietly having one of the best seasons from any player in the state. He is averaging 23 points and 11 rebounds a game and will look to keep that play up. He has been aggressive and a nightmare matchup each time out and will surely be a lot higher in our next rankings update. Alongside him downlow is Matt Wheelock. He is averaging 9.6 points and seven rebounds a game and make up one of the best frontcourt duos in the state. As soon as the guard play catches up this will be one of the state’s most dangerous teams.
On the other side is an undefeated Range view team who we picked to be higher than their projected ranking simply because this is a deep team. Senior big Quincey Jewett is averaging a whopping 17.3 points and 11.8 rebounds a game and has surprised many with his early play. He has been able to do everything for this team with his high motor and he is always at the right place. Him playing at a high level with a bunch so loaded it makes this a scary team as there is not an area they lack. Another player that has stood out and a player to watch is Cade Palmer. He is one of the state’s most deadly shooters and has been showing it early on. He is a very poised guard that allows things to come to him and his ability to knock down shots consistently open things up for other players like Jodaun Dotson and Christian and Christopher Speller to operate.
Chaparral vs. Cherry Creek
Chaparral is a team on a mission. This is a team that would of easily came into the season as a top two team in the state and loss their best player for the season as he transferred but no excuses were given and they are playing with a chip on their shoulder. The Wolverines head into this game with a perfect 4-0 with wins over Fairview, Smoky Hill and Thunder ridge which I feel like puts them as the No. 1 team in the state. They now are going up against a scrappy Cherry Creek team that is ready to take them off of the top spot. Chappy is led by Kobe Sanders who as of late has been looking like the top guard in the state. Sanders got the best of Quinten Rock in their dual last week and has looked like the best point guard in the state to start the year. He will be up for another top guard battle in this one. Complimenting him has been Dalton Wadron, Tanner Giles who has been fantastic and is opening up new parts of his game and also Bryce Matthews who has been all over the boards and showing off his elite athleticism. Chappy is the top team in the state as of now and must be knocked off to lost the top spot.
Cherry Creek comes back from Texas with a solid 3-1 record. Sophomore sensation Julian Hammond III has not only been one of the top underclassmen in the state but has looked like one of the top players overall. He has finished at the rim, knocked down shots and defended at a high level and it is going to be interesting to see if he could keep up his impressive 22.5 points a game. Guard play has been a strength for the Bruins as Sophomore Myles Purchase and Junior Sebastian Cole have been attacking at the rim but also getting others involved as they both average 4.5 assists a game. Jake LeFebre (9.5 pts, 5.0 rebs) has been manning the middle and has made things difficult for the opposing big men on both sides of the floor and Creek is a team that matches up with a lot of teams. They will need to be at full strength at this one if they plan on pulling the upset and it starts with winning the guard battle as this will be my pick for the game of the week off of guard play alone.
Wednesday
Rock Canyon versus Bear Creek
Rock Canyon is coming off of a low scoring, grind it out game as they upset Grandview, the top team in the state this past week. Rock Canyon is one of the top defensive teams in the state as they have the ability to switch on to each player and also do not allow players to attack the paint and it starts with their guard play. Jaylen Eikenburg is one of the state’s top perimeter defenders and his play on that end of the floor is contagious. On offense he has also been able to get going and is opening up new parts of his game as a facilitator that gets it done. Jalen Ashley (16.3 ppg) is leading the team in points and has been a player that can get it done inside and out. He has been a surprise player that now is on my radar.
Bear Creek is a team that is off to a 6-0 record and I am excited to see them play against a top team in the state to see just how good this team is. Grant Karger is averaging 18.2 points and Jayden Martinez is at 12.2 points and have been the scoring force for this team early on. They have been able to get going on the offensive end and have been running through teams and I expect Rock Canyon to put their top two defenders on them and see what happens. This is a game to pay close attention to as a determining factor of just how good of a team Bear Creek has. With a win, Bear Creek can make considerations as a top team in the state.
Smoky Hill versus Thunderridge
Rangeview versus Grandview
Friday
Overland vs. Chaparral
Overland has been up and down to start the year but one thing that has always stuck out to me with Overland is they are not afraid of any team in the state. They always seem to go up against the top teams and that’s no different this year. They have two losses on the year against Thunder ridge and Range view but have bounced back with two straight wins over Regis and Columbine. Overland will go up against another top team that has solid guards in Kobe Sanders and Tanner Giles and also a big man battle with Bryce Matthews. The Trailblazers will counter that with solid guard play of their own with Hezekiah Swanson and Trevon Deden but it will really be their bigs that carry the load for them as Alexander Pena-Avila (11.5 ppg, 5.0 rebs) and Graham Ike (15.8 ppg, 11.3 rebs) make it rather difficult on opposing teams. This will be one of those close fight battles that come down to the final shot.