We conclude our Sunday work for boys’ basketball by looking at each conference race in Classes 3A, 4A and 5A. We look at the standings, the top games and the possible outcomes across all three divisions.
Photo is provided by Lance Wendt.
CLASS 3A
Confluence: DSST-Byers (6-0) starts the week one game up on DSST-Green Valley and Ridgeview Academy (both 5-1). DSST-Byers has a win over Green Valley and will face Ridgeview Academy on the 19th. They also have a fun game with Northfield (4A) coming up this Saturday.
Frontier: DSST-Montview (7-0) sits alone in first by one game over Middle Park, Sheridan and Bennett. All other league teams have at least three league losses. Montview was scheduled to face Bennett last week but the game was postponed because of weather and will be made up this week. The Knights also host Middle Park on Tuesday and Sheridan on Thursday. Bennett and Sheridan also collide on Saturday.
Intermountain: Alamosa (8-0) leads Centauri (6-1) by one game and the two local rivals collide for a second time this Saturday. Alamosa won the first meeting 59-43 and another this win this Saturday gives them the league championship regardless of how they fare against Pagosa Springs the night before. Both games though are on the road so it’s a tough closing stretch. Centauri has a long trip to Montezuma Cortez on Friday before returning home to meet the Moose. They also host Monte Vista in their final conference game on the 18th. If Alamosa wins and Centauri is upset on Friday, then the Moose clinch the championship regardless of the outcome on Saturday.
Metro: Although not official, Lutheran realistically wrapped up the league championship by beating Jefferson Academy on Saturday. The win left the Lions alone atop the standings with a one game edge and win over second place Faith Christian. Lutheran can make it official on Thursday by beating Colorado Academy. If not, they can also close it out by beating Manual on the 18th. Faith Christian (6-1) leads Manual and Machebeuf by one game. The Eagles go to Peak to Peak on Tuesday and then host Machebeuf on Friday. Wins in both give them the runner-up spot. Machebeuf also hosts Kent Denver on Wednesday before facing Faith.
Patriot: Sterling heads to University on Friday in the most important game left on the entire league schedule. With a win, Sterling locks down the runner-up spot behind Resurrection Christian and University slides to fourth place. If University grabs the victory and Eaton also beats Strasburg and Frontier Academy as expected this week, the Bulldogs, Sterling and Reds will be tied for second place. Then a tiebreaker will likely be needed to determine seeds two through four for the district tournament. If Sterling wins, then first place Resurrection Christian still needs two wins to officially wrap up the crown. They have league games with Frontier Academy on Tuesday and Liberty Common on Friday so they could get it done this week.
Tri Peaks: Manitou Springs and Vanguard share the top spot with identical 8-0 league marks. They collide on the 18th so the race won’t be decided until then. The Mustangs and Coursers should finish 1-2 as they both have a two-game edge and win over third place St Mary’s. The Pirates lock up third place by beating La Junta and Buena Vista at home this Tuesday and Thursday. Lamar and Salida have three league losses and are battling for the fourth spot and a bye to the district quarterfinals. Salida has the edge as they beat the Savages on the final day of January. The Spartans though must tangle with Vanguard on the road this Friday. Lamar goes to James Irwin the same night.
Western Slope: Entering the final two weeks of the regular season, five teams are still within one game of the conference lead. Gunnison (6-1) and Coal Ridge (5-1) are both in first but Delta (5-2), Moffat County (5-2) and Grand Valley (4-2) remain in range. Gunnison has a win over Coal Ridge so the Cowboys are in the best shape for the title. They host Grand Valley on Friday and then close with Hotchkiss and Delta in the final week. Three wins and the Cowboys are the champs regardless what else happens. Coal Ridge hosts Aspen Friday for their only league tilt. Grand Valley has beaten both Moffat County and Delta so the Cardinals have the best position for third. They improve that position by beating Gunnison this Friday.
CLASS 4A
Colorado 8: Conifer and Fort Lupton are both 5-0 and they meet Tuesday in Weld County to determine the title. Fort Lupton downed Weld Central last week so a win on Tuesday gives them the championship. Conifer also meets Weld Central on Thursday so they cannot clinch on Tuesday unless falls at Alameda. Weld Central (4-1) is in third. If Fort Lupton and Weld Central both win on Tuesday then the Weld Central-Conifer clash two nights later determine second.
CS Metro: Harrison (9-1) maintains a one game edge on Classical Academy and Widefield (both 7-2). The Panthers can virtually finish off the title as they go to Widefield on Monday and then host Classical Academy on Wednesday. Wins in both give the Panthers a two-game lead with four games to left. Harrison lost to Widefield in game one (73-62) but beat the Titans 44-23. Classical Academy also visits Widefield on Saturday.
Jeffco: Golden (8-1) leads Wheat Ridge (6-2) by one game and Green Mountain (6-3) by two. The Demons must still face both clubs a second time with the first one coming up on Wednesday as they battle Green Mountain. Wheat Ridge is up on the final day of the regular season (21st).
Northern: Silver Creek kept the race alive by beating Longmont last week and now the two teams are separated by just one game in first and second. Longmont is 8-1 with Silver Creek at 6-2. Centaurus (7-3) and Niwot (6-3) share third. The top four could solidify or change quite a bit this week as three important games can be found. Longmont has road dates with Centaurus on Tuesday and Niwot on Saturday. Niwot also challenges Silver Creek on Thursday.
Pikes Peak: Still a three-game lead for Cheyenne Mountain in this one. The Indians are 8-1 while Lewis Palmer, Sand Creek, Discovery Canyon, Palmer Ridge and Air Academy are tied for second with four league losses apiece. Cheyenne Mountain can clinch the title this week by beating Palmer Ridge (Monday), Sand Creek (Tuesday) and Air Academy (Friday) but all three are on the road.
South Central: Pueblo East (5-0) leads Pueblo West (4-1) by one game with Pueblo Central (4-2) sitting in third. East and West meet for the first time in a make up game on Monday night. They were slated to face off last Tuesday. Their second meeting on the 20th. East has already beaten Central twice so a win over West gives the Eagles complete control of the standings.
Tri Valley: Mead (11-0) is in good shape as they lead Erie (10-2) by two games and Windsor (9-3) by three. Skyline (9-4) should round out the top four as the Falcons lead Holy Family and Frederick by three games. Because of cancellations last week, Mead has three games this week; Frederick on Monday, Fort Morgan on Tuesday and Roosevelt on Thursday. They can clinch the championship with wins in all three if Erie stumbles at least once. The Tigers have tough ones at Windsor on Tuesday and home against Skyline on Friday. Two wins by the Tigers will wrap up second.
Western Slope: All Glenwood Springs in this one as the Demons (7-0) have a comfortable two-game lead and a win over second place Steamboat Springs (6-2). Battle Mountain (4-3) is in third. Game two between the Demons and Sailors is this Saturday in Steamboat Springs. Glenwood wraps up the crown with a win and they won the first meeting 58-44.
CLASS 5A
Centennial: It’s a very deep league with five teams expected to make a strong post-season push but it’s basically down to Grandview (9-1) and Cherry Creek (8-1) for the conference crown. They’re up two games on third place Smoky Hill (6-3). Overland (5-4) is fourth and Eaglecrest (5-5) fifth. Grandview hosts Cherry Creek on the 19th and the job for both is hold serve until then. That’s not easy to do in this league. Grandview goes to Eaglecrest on Wednesday and then hosts Overland on Saturday. Creek has a make up game with Mullen Monday evening and then faces Arapahoe and Eaglecrest on Wednesday and Saturday.
CS Metro: Pine Creek was upset by Doherty (41-37) last week but the Eagles (7-1) still maintain a two-game advantage over the Spartans, Fountain Fort Carson and Rampart. Pine Creek also has six more wins overall than any other conference member. Up this week are games between Doherty-Fountain Fort Carson (Tuesday) and Rampart-Pine Creek (Wednesday).
Continental: The standings grew tighter last week as Regis gave Legend their first league loss. That result left the Titans (5-1) tied for first with Chaparral (6-1) and ThunderRidge (5-1). Regis shares second with Rock Canyon and Mountain Vista with all three sitting at 4-2. One leader will fall off the pace on Friday as Chaparral goes to ThunderRidge. Legend also meets a pair of two-loss teams in Mountain Vista (Tuesday) and Rock Canyon (Friday).
Denver Prep: Two games remaining on the schedule will decide the top three finishers. Both involve Denver East and both are set for the final week. They host Northfield on the 18th and George Washington on the 22nd. Denver East and Northfield share the conference lead with G-W one game back. East this week hosts Thomas Jefferson on Friday.
East Metro: Rangeview (6-0) is ranked number one statewide but the Raiders are far from clinching the conference championship. Gateway (5-0) is also perfect in the league with Brighton (6-1) and Vista Peak (4-1) both one game back. Rangeview can basically eliminate the two third-place teams as they host Brighton on Tuesday and Vista Peak on Saturday. Gateway also meets Vista Peak on Tuesday. Rangeview and Gateway are set to battle on the 22nd.
Front Range: Fairview and Boulder (both 7-0) have a two-game cushion on Fossil Ridge (6-2), Horizon (6-2) and Broomfield (5-2). The leaders meet next Monday and like the Centennial, they will try to hold their position until that matchup. Fairview is home to Rocky Mountain on Tuesday and at Greeley West on Friday. Boulder plays the same two nights on the road to Horizon and Loveland. A key game in the race for third is Thursday between Fossil Ridge at Broomfield.
Jeffco: Dakota Ridge (4-0) is the surprise leader as they top Columbine, Valor Christian, Arvada West and Ralston Valley (all 3-1) by one game. The first-place Eagles begin a brutal stretch on Wednesday at home against Valor Christian. It continues Friday at Columbine and then next with Ralston Valley. Arvada West also meets Valor on Friday. Key games thus far have Ralston Valley beating Valor Christian and Columbine moving past Ralston Valley.
Southwestern: Fruita (5-0) and Montrose (4-1) are one-two in the conference and the gap is a result of the Wildcats 68-49 win over the Indians on February 4th. Game two is set for Montrose on the 18th. This week, Fruita meets Grand Junction Central on Tuesday and then hosts Durango on Saturday. Montrose has just one game this week as they host Central on Friday.
