5A Playoffs: Top Bigs in Larry Farmer Region
A deeper look into the top big/wing players in the Larry Farmer region of the 5A state playoffs coming up this week. Teams in this region are: (3) Ralston Valley, (6) Valor Christian, (11) Eaglecrest, (14) Horizon, (19) George…
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Continue ReadingA deeper look into the top big/wing players in the Larry Farmer region of the 5A state playoffs coming up this week.
Teams in this region are: (3) Ralston Valley, (6) Valor Christian, (11) Eaglecrest, (14) Horizon, (19) George Washington, (22) Overland, (27) Rock Canyon, (30) Arapahoe, (35) Fort Collins, (38) Rocky Mountain, (43) Castle View, (46) Pomona.
Ralston Valley – Caleb Rillos & Luke Carlston
Rillos has put up big numbers in his senior season, averaging a double-double in the regular season at: 18.3 PPG, 10.4 RPG both of which are career highs. He has good size at 6’5 and takes advantage of smaller defenders often. He is shooting 57% from two-point range on the year (166/293). Carlston at 6’3 also provides good size for Ralston Valley and he is the third senior that averaged double digits in scoring. He averaged: 10.5 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 2.9 APG this year, and does the majority of his work from inside the three-point arc.
Eaglecrest – Ty Robinson & Adrian Price
Robinson at 6’5 and well built has the athletic ability to dominate games and he has shown that several times this year and should be a force in the playoffs. He averaged: 13.3 PPG, 3.9 RPG during the year, shooting 40% from distance (41/102). For his size he is able to put the ball on the floor and score off the dribble as well as catch and shoot in rhythm with a nice stroke. He is a force down-low when he wants to take the smaller defender to the block. Price is another big man Eagelcrest has this year and he averaged: 6.0 PPG, 6.7 RPG for them. He is a big body at 6’5 and lives in the paint on passes from Ruckard and offensive put backs from misses.
Overland – Vincas Veikalas
Veikalas is a junior who transferred to Overland this year and has had to take more of a leader role with Graham Ike being out the majority of the year with a knee injury. Veikalas has done a nice job, he averaged: 9.5 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 1.4 APG during the regular season in a very competitive Centennial league again this year. He uses his 6’4 frame well down low and has a number of different post moves. He has good handles for his size and is able to take his defender off the dribble when squaring up. He plays with a relentless motor on both ends of the court and creates problems for opposing teams.
Rock Canyon – Tommy Rau
Rau is one of the more skilled true big men we have in the state. The 6’11 senior averaged: 5.7 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 1.1 BPG for Rock Canyon this year. He has strong post moves and does a good job of getting deep post position on his defender early causing issues. He has good footwork for a big his size and has a good sense for where his teammates are when the double teams come. He is a strong rebounder and does a nice job of keeping it away from opponents with his height and good hands. He is shooting 50% from the field this year, going (51/101) and does a nice job defensively protecting the paint and altering shots.
Pomona – Trevor Baskin
Baskin the 6’8 Colorado Mesa commit has had one of the best senior seasons this year in the state. He averaged a monster double-double at: 24.6 PPG, 12.7 RPG to go along with 6.2 APG, 2.6 SPG, 4.4 BPG. He is a player that impacts the game in every way possible from his ability to take defenders off the dribble with his size or his defensive presence felt on the other end. He has a great feel for the game and can score from all three levels but does the majority of his work from inside the arc and foul line. He is shooting an outstanding 72% from two-point range (170/237) and 74% from the charity strip (154/209).
Valor Christian – Roger Rosengarten & Rocky Beers
Beers is the leading rebounder for Valor this year, he averaged: 8.7 PPG, 8.7 RPG during the regular season and has good size at 6’7. He has seven double-doubles on the year and is a nice post player for a team that has a lot of size. He is a big that will keep the defense honest from three, he is shooting 36% from deep (16/45) but does most of his work from inside. Rosengarten is another big for Valor at 6’7 that is second on the team in rebounding at 6.6 RPG he also chips in 11.9 PPG playing in fifteen games on the year for them. He is a player that has seen major varsity time since his sophomore year.
Fort Collins – Emeri Palacio
Palacio is the 6’5 senior big that holds down the middle for Fort Collins, he averaged: 11.4 PPG, 4.5 RPG this year. He does all of his work from inside the arc, shooting 58% from two-point range (101/175). He ended the regular season strong, scoring double digits in the last three games including a season high 26 points in the second to last game in a win over Loveland. He also had double-doubles in two of the last three games and was one rebound shy in the third. Fort Collins will need him to continue his strong play in order to make a run.