We continue getting closer to the start of the 2019-20 boys basketball season and Colorado Preps continues to provide previews of each team in each conference.  Today we take a look at the 12 teams that make up the 2A/1A Western Slope.
It was perfect run in 2018-19 for DeBeque as the Dragons won all 25 games on their way to the 1A state championship.  The Dragons outscored opponents by 735 points on the season including three double digit wins at the state event.  They downed Prairie (69-42) in the quarterfinals, Haxtun (70-55) in the semifinals and then Sangre De Cristo (55-42) in the championship tilt.  They enter the new season without leading returning scorer and rebounder Brennan Rigsby who is playing in Utah this season.  Wes Ryan, the Player of the Year last season, returns for his junior campaign.
Vail Christian (17-7) scored the most wins of any 2A league member.  The Saints advanced to the regional finals where they were eliminated by Fowler (59-41) who eventually claimed third at the state tournament the following week.
We list the top three returnees for each club in several categories.  Numbers are based on stats posted to MaxPreps during the 2018-19 season.
 
DeBeque (25-0)

  • Points: Wes Ryan (19.7), Jaden Jordan (5.6), Logan Wingfield (2.6)
  • Rebounds: Ryan (6.5), Jordan (3.6), Wingfield (1.1)
  • Assists: Jordan (3.6), Ryan (3.0), Wingfield (0.4)
  • Three’s: Ryan (27), Jordan (15), John Chapman (5)

Vail Christian (17-7)

  • Points: Alec Moritz (17.2), Jamison Lee (9.5), Hayden Sticksel (3.9)
  • Rebounds: Moritz (3.8), Sticksel (3.6), Lee (2.1)
  • Assists: Lee (4.2), Moritz (3.5), Sticksel (1.3)
  • Three’s: Moritz (75), Lee (16), Sticksel (6)

Plateau Valley (15-8)

  • Points: Stevenson Reynolds (14.1), Austyn Vig (9.3), Dylan Christensen (6.7)
  • Rebounds: Reynolds (11.1), Vig (6.4), Colton Ghilarducci (4.0)
  • Assists: Vig (1.4), Reynolds (1.0), Christensen (0.7)
  • Three’s: Christensen (28), Vig (5), Payton Ferganchick (4)

Paonia (14-9)

  • Points: Logan Green (5.2), Landon Thliveris (4.5), Justin Holt (3.3)
  • Rebounds: No stats posted
  • Assists: No stats posted
  • Three’s: Green (7), Thliveris (5), Jai Petmezas (3)

Soroco (11-11)

  • Points: Liam Yaconiello (8.5), Jesse Koler (7.2), Nick Estes (4.8)
  • Rebounds: Yaconiello (3.7), Jed Kirby (3.2), Koler (2.7)
  • Assists: Estes (2.0), Koler (1.4), Yaconiello (1.0)
  • Three’s: Yaconiello (26), Koler (19), Kirby (13)

Meeker (11-12)

  • Points: Ryan Phelan (10.0), Cole Rogers (9.7), Spud Kent (2.0)
  • Rebounds: Phelan (5.6), Rogers (2.3), Kent (1.3)
  • Assists: Phelan (1.2), Rogers (1.1), Elijah Deming (0.6)
  • Three’s: Rogers (48), Lane Anderson (2), Phelan (1)

West Grand (11-13)

  • Points: Rene Dominguez (5.8), Alejandro Castanon (4.4), Marcus Sanchez (3.9)
  • Rebounds: No stats posted
  • Assists: No stats posted
  • Three’s: Sanchez (14), R. Dominguez (11), Jesus Dominguez (10)

Hotchkiss (8-14)

  • Points: Jacob Palecki & Evan Mattison (6.2), Hunter Bryant (5.8)
  • Rebounds: No stats posted
  • Assists: No stats posted
  • Three’s: Bryant (19), Mattison (9), Will Scarlett (6)

Vail Mountain (5-14)

  • Points: Devin Yarde (12.8), Becker Dienst (9.5), Cole Pattison (3.3)
  • Rebounds: Nick Ebner (5.0), Yarde (4.6), Dienst (2.9)
  • Assists: Dienst (1.8), Pattison & Yarde (0.5)
  • Three’s: Dienst (25), Yarde (11), four players with (1)

Rangely (5-17)

  • Points: Sydney Cole (8.1), Dylan Lebleu (3.0), Gabriel Polley (2.1)
  • Rebounds: Cole (5.9), Lebleu (2.3), Polley (1.9)
  • Assists: Lebleu (1.1), Cole (0.3), Polley (0.1)
  • Three’s: Lebleu (14), no others with made three

Hayden (6-14)

  • Points: Hunter Slowik (7.9), Liam Frentress (6.6), Reese Kern (4.6)
  • Rebounds: Slowik (5.2), Frentress (4.1), Sterling Niehus (4.0)
  • Assists: Frentress (2.8), Slowik (2.7), Kern (0.9)
  • Three’s: Slowik (13), Kern (12), Frentress (11)

Caprock Academy (3-17)

  • Points: Sam Chance (10.2), Kale Dohrman (7.8), Bryson Anderson (4.6)
  • Rebounds: Chance (6.7), Dohrman (4.1), Anderson (2.5)
  • Assists: Stone Quinn (1.2), Hunter McSchooler (1.0), Dohrman & Anderson (0.8)
  • Three’s: Chance (17), Dohrman (15), McSchooler & Anderson (5)

North Park (1-19)

  • Points: Brock Follett (9.0), Will Martin (4.5), Ben Elze (2.3)
  • Rebounds: Follett (8.1), Martin (4.7), Cordell Garriott (4.1)
  • Assists: Martin (1.4), Elze (0.9), Follett (0.5)
  • Three’s: Follett (9), Martin (3), Merritt Crum & Kale Smith (1)