Tri-Valley League Update
The Tri-Valley League has been guard-driven this season. Whether it’s been the passing of Noah Baldwin, the highlight-reel dunks of Walker Korell, or the sharp-shooting of Andy Nelson, this league is filled with tough backcourts. The three teams at the…
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Continue ReadingThe Tri-Valley League has been guard-driven this season. Whether it’s been the passing of Noah Baldwin, the highlight-reel dunks of Walker Korell, or the sharp-shooting of Andy Nelson, this league is filled with tough backcourts. The three teams at the top of the standings have all been ranked, at different points in the season, in the top-10 in Class 4A.
Below is a look at some of the trends and players making noise in the Tri-Valley.
Assist machine fueling Wizards
Noah Baldwin, the current 4A assists king at 7.2 per game, had a ridiculous three-game stretch in January of 15, 11, and 10 assists, each of which were near-triple doubles, during three wins for Windsor. The 6-foot-1 senior point guard is the team’s floor general, top-ballhander and, above all else, a talented distributor. Baldwin has excellent vision. He’s also averaging 12.2 points, 5.1 rebounds, three steals and shooting 42 percent from three and 87 percent from the line. For a team with three other scorers averaging double-figure points—Colton McLean, Michael Scheid, Jimmy Mitchell—and a couple of nice bench pieces, Baldwin has kept this engine humming in first place with an 8-0 record. Windsor is in contention for a No. 2 seed in the 4A state tournament.
Tigers short-handed but plenty tough
As all Colorado high school hoops junkies know by now, Holy Family has been missing one of the best players in the program’s history in Chris Helbig (Colorado Christian University basketball recruit) after he suffered a knee injury in the middle of a record-breaking season at quarterback. His accomplishments in both sports are well-known, but Peter Villecco’s program wasn’t built with one player. With a 7-1 record in the Tri-Valley, 11-5 overall record, the Tigers are still lurking as a poised and dangerous team. Junior guard Joe Golter has been an all-around force while averaging 11.8 points, 4.4 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 2.6 steals. Senior backcourt mate Andy Nelson is averaging 11.1 points and has buried 45-of-103 shots from beyond the arc. 6-foot-3 and 200-pound freshman guard Kyle Helbig, Chris’ brother, has stepped in for nearly double-figure points as well. Don’t count out Holy Family yet.
Darin Reese’s backcourt elite in 4A
In a league with a lot of productive guards, Michael Ward and Walker Korell are among 4A’s best. The duo is tallying a combined 32.1 points, 10.3 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 3.9 steals per game. Ward and Korell are athletic presences who feed off the energy and playmaking of senior point guard James Maher (10.1 ppg, 4.5 apg, 4.3 rpg, 1.6 spg). What it adds up to is a Mead team with a 6-2, 12-5 record. Reese’s group is the highest-scoring team in the TVL at 65.6 points per game. They still face Holy Family and Windsor one more time, so they aren’t out of the title-chase yet. Either way, Mead will continue to be in the mix in the league and the 4A playoffs.
Under-The-Radar Risers
This is a look at some other players who might not have had much notoriety heading into the season but are helping their teams in big ways.
Chelton Lebon, 6-foot senior guard, Frederick
Lebon has been a masterful scorer while averaging over 18 points and shooting 37 percent from downtown and 83 percent from the line. He erupted for 90 points in Frederick’s first four games.
McCallan Castles, 6-foot-4 sophomore guard, Berthoud
Castles is in the conversation as the top 2018 prospect in Northern Colorado. He’s an athletic combo guard averaging over 11 points, nine rebounds, four assists, three steals and three blocks per game. As he smooths out his game and continues to mature his offensive repertoire, Castles will have excellent upside and could turn into a D-I caliber player.
Of note, 6-foot-8 Erie junior Cameron McCurry is likely out for the rest of the season after suffering a knee injury. He was averaging a double-double in his first 10 games and is a top-40 prospect in the 2017 Colorado class.
League Scoring Leaders
- Chelton Lebon 18.6
- Michael Ward 16.2
- Walker Korell 15.9
- Cameron McCurry 14.2
- Colton McLean 14.0
League Standings
- Windsor 8-0, 13-4
- Holy Family 7-1, 11-5
- Mead 6-2, 12-5
- Skyline 4-4, 8-9
- Roosevelt 3-5, 7-9
- Frederick 2-6, 4-13
- Berthoud 2-6, 5-12
- Erie 0-8, 1-16