5A Great 8 Preview and Predictions: Early Games
And then there were eight. There are only two weekends left in the Class 5A playoffs. Two weeks until a champion is crowned, and the eight teams left each feel like they have a shot to raise the trophy in…
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Continue ReadingAnd then there were eight.
There are only two weekends left in the Class 5A playoffs. Two weeks until a champion is crowned, and the eight teams left each feel like they have a shot to raise the trophy in Boulder.
They will all get a chance to prove it on Saturday, when all four Great 8 games take place at the famed Denver Coliseum.
Below we take a look at the two early games, with previews of the second pair of games set to release later this afternoon.
Cherry Creek (16-9) vs. Chatfield (23-2), 1 p.m.
The Bruins have to be considered the biggest surprise in the remaining field of eight. The fourth seed in the Chauncey Billups knocked off top seed and defending 5A runner-up ThunderRidge 67-56 on Wednesday night to earn a trip to the state quarterfinals.
We knew Will Halfon would need to have a big game for Creek and he did, pouring in a game-high 24 points while hitting 4-of-7 3-pointers. Halfon, a 6-1 unsigned senior guard, who is considering a preferred walk-on role at Drake but is still keeping his options open, has been huge this season, averaging about 20 points per game and flying under-the-radar as one of the state’s top long-range shooters.
But the Bruins are far from a one-man show. We’ve seen this year the way they can cause problems with their length and athleticism. Rising 6-1 junior Jalen Meeks (16 points vs. ThunderRidge) is a slashing, attacking guard who causes problems defensively and can score in multiple ways. Senior guard Ammon Johnson has also provided great energy and production, and the Bruins have a talented young point guard in Dimitri Stanley. And 6-6 senior Hayden Parr (10.1 points, 6.1 rebounds per game) can cause a lot of mismatch problems with his ability to play inside and out.
But will all that be enough to stop a Chatfield team that is on a 14-game winning streak. The Chargers have been one of the most balanced teams in states, relying on contributions up and down the lineup to put together what has been nothing short of a special season.
Senior guard Cameron Pearson (13.6 points per game), junior Joe Miks (13.0) and senior point guard Riley Welch (9.7 points, 3.9 assists) have been a difficult-to-stop backcourt trio, with each capable of stepping up and taking big shots. Under-the-radar 6-2 junior forward Mike Vrabel has been a big contributor, as has 6-5 senior big man Josh Frenette (8.8 points, team-leading 6-0 rebounds).
Prediction: Chatfield
Rangeview (25-0) vs. Cherokee Trail (19-6), 2:30 p.m.
Both teams were tested in a big way in their respective Sweet 16 matchups on Wednesday. Rangeview hung on to beat Arvada West 57-56 after Kris Hollins knocked down a free throw with 2.1 seconds left. Cherokee Trail thwarted Legend’s attempts to tie the game on three straight possessions late and survived with a 56-52 victory.
It all sets up what should be a wildly entertaining game featuring two of the state’s more athletic and talented teams. They’ve already played a thriller — a 59-55 victory by Rangeview on Jan. 9 — that shows just how evenly matched these teams are.
Rangeview has constructed a record by attacking with their speed and length and willingly sharing the basketball at all times. Tyrei Randall, an unsigned 6-5 senior wing (17.2 points per game), has been one of the state’s best players all season, elevating further an already high-level ability to attack the basket while improving his shot-making production. He can hurt you from multiple positions on the court. His backcourt mate Elijah Blake (6-2, 2017) has been a huge stock riser over the last couple months. He’s averaging 10.3 points per game (up from 6.2 as a sophomore) and maturing in his ability to see the floor and create for others.
The Raiders also wouldn’t be where they are this season without the production of Elijah Reed, a 6-3 CSU-Pueblo football signee who is averaging 16 points and a team-leading 7.5 rebounds per game. His toughness, often successfully guarding players taller than him, has rubbed off on teammates.
And Reed will need to lean on that strength against 6-5 Cherokee Trail senior David Thornton, an unsigned prospect who is a legitimate Mr. Colorado Basketball candidate. Thornton has averaged 19.6 points and 8.4 rebounds per game this season. And he gets great help in the post from Ian Kelly, a 6-5 junior averaging eight points and four rebounds per game. Can those two help thwart consistent penetration from the Raiders?
And will Jaizec Lottie be able to put the Cougars on his back? The 6-0 junior, the No. 4 player in our 2017 class, has averaged 16.3 points, 5.8 assists and 2.7 steals per game. He has game-changing talent and has such a knack for putting Trail into the right opportunities to score. He made a number of huge buckets in the victory over Legend, and the Cougars will need him at his best if they hope to knock the state’s only unbeaten team off its throne.
Prediction: Rangeview