Four games to watch in the CHSAA 5A Playoffs 1st Round
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Games get started on Tuesday evening, March 9th, and there are plenty of games going around the state as it is the opening round of the CHSAA tournament. With there being 32 teams, there are plenty of games to tune…
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Continue ReadingGames get started on Tuesday evening, March 9th, and there are plenty of games going around the state as it is the opening round of the CHSAA tournament. With there being 32 teams, there are plenty of games to tune into. Here are some of our favorite matchups.
Cherry Creek v. Lakewood
Smoky Hill v. Horizon
Mountain Vista v. Monarch
Eaglecrest v. Ralston Valley
Regis v. Loveland
Valor Christian v. Doherty
George Washington v. Heritage
Denver East v. Mullen
Douglas County v. Rampart
Fossil Ridge v. Legend
Valor Christian v. Doherty
ThunderRidge v. Rocky Mountain
Fairview v. Chatfield
Chaparral v. Vista Peak
Rock Canyon v. Overland
Rangeview v. Columbine
Fountain Fort-Carson v. Silver Creek
Smoky Hill v. Horizon
If I had to choose one game to go to on Tuesday evening, my choice would be the Buffaloes vs. the Hawks.
For Smoky Hill, they are a team that wants to run, run, run, and they force the opposing team to pick up the pace. Having solid guard play in Brayden Maldanado (18.2 ppg) and Jordan Whitaker Jordan Whitaker 6'2" | SF Smoky Hill | 2021 State CO (19.2 ppg) has Smoky Hill as a dangerous team that can light up the scoreboard. They have inside and out scoring and run the break to perfections, but neither scorer is shy about getting their shots up. Down low, they have Anthony Harris Jr. Anthony Harris Jr. 6'5" | PF Smoky Hill | 2022 State CO . that appears to be catching his rhythm at the right time. He is a force on the boards (9.6 rpg) and mixed with grasshopper. He is an elite athlete that makes this team a bit different, and with those three playing well can get past a scrappy Horizon team.
Their guards lead horizon, and it’ll be fun to see them match up with another set of guards that can match their will. Horizon is led by a junior backcourt trio of Xavier Harris Xavier Harris 6'1" | PG Hillcrest Prep | 2023 CO (16.2 ppg), Esmond Griffin Esmond Griffin 5'8" | CG Horizon | 2022 State CO (11.9 ppg) and Tabor Robison Tabor Robison 5'10" | CG Horizon | 2022 State CO (11.7 ppg). Those three have a mature calmness to their game, feed off of one another, and have each others back on the defensive end, which will have this as a game to watch for sure. With Coby Jiminez (11.8 ppg & 8.6 rpg) back in the mix, it will open up the rest of the floor for Horizon.
Expect this game to come down to whoever controls the tempo likely wins the game. I expect it to be a fun one and high-scoring. But definitely for the guards to go at it.
Valor Christian v. Doherty
This is one of the most balanced games in the state and is worth the drive. I will surely be tuning into this game as it has two similar teams that are constructed the same way going at it.
For Valor, it comes down to their two combo-guards Amondo Miller Amondo Miller 6'6" | CG Valor Christian | 2021 State CO (17.5 ppg) and AJ Kula AJ Kula 6'5" | CG Valor Christian | 2021 State CO (14.0 ppg) carrying the load and attempting to get off to a hot start. When those two are on, it’s lights out for opposing teams, but if you can limit what Miller does, then the Eagles come down to Earth with their performances. Both of those players are dangerous in the open court and finish at and above the rim; they are not afraid to take shots, do not turn down many looks, and are solid on both ends of the court. They’ll try and overwhelm Doherty with their size.
Doherty has a balanced effort around do-it-all wing/combo-guard Schafer Reichart Schafer Reichart 6'2" | CG Doherty | 2021 State CO (17.3 ppg) and his hands will certainly be full in this one. He is against two players tailor-made to match up with him, and this will be a solid test to see where he fares. Brody Gish Brody Gish 5'11" | CG Doherty | 2021 State CO (12.6 ppg) will have to also step up as he will have a battle on his hands and Christian Drummond Christian Drummond 6'2" | CG Doherty | 2023 State CO and AJ Guiao AJ Guiao 5'10" | PG Doherty | 2021 State CO will have to be the difference-makers in the game. Having so much depth can give the Spartans an advantage, but they will need the others to step up to pull off the win.
Expect this to be a game where it comes down to the final quarter, and whoever comes up with the most stops in the 4th will likely win the game. This game will tell us a lot from an evaluation standpoint.
Denver East v. Mullen
This is a game of the unknown as so much is contingent on who does and does not play.
For the Angels, it has been lots of back and forth about who is available with Boston Stanton Boston Stanton 6'4" | SG Denver East | 2021 State CO sitting for a majority of the season, Tom Connelly Tom Connelly 6'4" | SF Denver East | 2021 State CO being in and out of the lineup and Aguir Dawam Aguir Dawam 6'7" | C Denver East | 2022 State CO is also unlikely to play. What we do know is that East’s talented backcourt of Quis Davis Quis Davis 5'11" | PG Denver East | 2022 State CO (16.5 ppg & 7.8 apg) and Michael Jackson Michael Jackson 5'10" | PG Denver East | 2021 State CO (7.4 ppg) will be ready to play no matter what the conditions are and have plenty to prove. They will like to be at full strength but if not, have the pieces in place to still make a push.
For Mullen, it starts and ends with Brayden Carter Brayden Carter 6'8" | PF Seiling Ok | 2021 State CO (20.5 ppg & 8.5 rpg), and he is a very skilled big man that lets the game come to him. The Mustangs pull out a zone that is difficult to break and control the pace that way, and with Carter down low, feast on opposing teams, slowly. The 6’8 standout does what he wants on the floor, and with a frontcourt running mate of Micah Leslie Micah Leslie 6'5" | PF Mullen | 2022 State CO (10.5 ppg), they have what it takes to control down low. They will need Josh Lopez Josh Lopez 6'0" | PG Mullen | 2022 State CO (9.9 ppg) to step up and carry the load for the guards as he will certainly have guards on the other side coming for him.
Expect this game to come down to pace and outside shots. If East does not find a way to slow down Carter and hit outside shots, they can fall. If they do, they should advance and get back reinforcements.
Douglas County v. Rampart
This’ll undoubtedly be the most entertaining game of the entire 1st round, and it sucks that both are so far away to not be able to see it. The good thing is we will be able to stream it, and I can only imagine all of the highlight plays that will come from this one. I expect this to be a high-scoring affair where both teams continue to go at it.
For the Rams, it’s a rematch from a game two weeks ago in which Rampart will want to avenge their loss. Rampart does not feel as if they played up to their capabilities in it, and their top players will be looking to bounce back. Rampart has a senior trio of Tyler Edwards Tyler Edwards 6'3" | CG Rampart | 2021 State CO (15.8 ppg), Cole Bowen Cole Bowen 6'1" | CG Rampart | 2021 State CO (14.2 ppg) and Danta Wydra Danta Wydra 6'2" | SF Rampart | 2021 State CO (14.2 ppg) all looking to go out with a bang. Rampart relies on those players to step up on the offensive end but also come up with stops. They’ll have their hands full in this one with a solid set of guards on the other end, but they know that. Stops will be the name of the game for them and having multiple guys step up.
For Douglas County it is the Jaeton Hackley Jaeton Hackley 5'11" | PG Douglas County | 2022 State CO show. The junior guard is at 19.2 points and 5.9 assists a game. As solid as he is, he is not the most important player in the game. What they can get from Keegan Phillips Keegan Phillips 6'7" | SF Douglas County | 2021 State CO and Ty Nettles Ty Nettles 5'10" | SG Douglas County | 2022 State CO will determine if the Huskies get by a tough opponent. We know what to expect from Hackley, but Douglas County’s X-factors come into play. Both of those players are capable of exploding, so they will need to step up for them to win the game.
I expect an even closer game than the last time they played and for Rampart to push Douglas County to the edge. How they respond in the second half will determine the outcome of the game.