As we look at the 4A-5A boys’ basketball conference races, it’s a big week for the 4A Longs Peak and Northern conferences.  In both cases, there are six games involving league leaders going head-to-head with the conference standings set to change greatly by weeks end.  There’s also a first place battle within the 5A Centennial.

Photo by Steve Abeyta.

 

CLASS 4A

CS METRO NORTH:  Sand Creek created a three-way tie for the top spot when they edged Elizabeth 64-59 on Friday night.  That decision left both teams at 4-1 with Falcon also in first at 3-1. None of the three leaders meet this week but Sand Creek has a very big test with Lewis Palmer on Saturday.

  • Saturday:  Lewis Palmer at Sand Creek

CS METRO SOUTH:  Canon City (4-0) kept sole possession of first place by beating Harrison 61-47 last Friday.  It kept the Tigers one game up on Palmer (1-1).  Canon City has that advantage thanks to a 63-43 win over the Terrors in their first meeting.  Round two is set for this Saturday.  Palmer must also get by Harrison (2-2) on Thursday before focusing on Canon.

  • Thursday:  Harrison at Palmer
  • Saturday:  Canon City at Palmer

JEFFCO:  Evergreen downed Green Mountain last week (54-41) to take the outright lead at 5-0.  Green Mountain fell to 4-1 with the loss but remains alone in second.  Golden (4-2) and D’Evelyn (3-2) share third.  D’Evelyn can make up some ground or be eliminated from the title chase as they take on the top two clubs this week.  They dropped into third with a tight two-point loss to Golden last week.

  • Monday:  Green Mountain at D’Evelyn
  • Wednesday:  D’Evelyn at Evergreen

LONGS PEAK:  Six teams are within a game of the conference lead but it’s Severance at the top at 3-0.  The Sliver Knights lead is tenuous as five others are at 2-1; Riverdale Ridge, Fort Morgan, Frederick, Roosevelt and Thompson Valley.  Severance has beaten only Fort Morgan so they have plenty of work remaining and it continues against Roosevelt this week.  Five other games on tap will help sort out the top six spots and Fort Morgan is involved in three of them.

  • Tuesday:  Thompson Valley at Fort Morgan
  • Tuesday:  Roosevelt at Frederick
  • Thursday:  Thompson Valley at Riverdale Ridge
  • Thursday:  Fort Morgan at Roosevelt
  • Saturday:  Fort Morgan at Riverdale Ridge
  • Saturday:  Severance at Roosevelt

WESTERN SLOPE:  Steamboat Springs (5-0) stands alone in first with a one game edge on both Summit and Palisade (one loss apiece).  The Sailors have a win against Palisade and will play Summit twice over a seven day period starting this week.  A second game with Palisade closes the regular season on March 6th.  Palisade topped Summit 48-42 last week to stay in second place and will meet the Tigers again this week.

  • Tuesday:  Summit at Steamboat Springs
  • Saturday:  Palisade at Summit

COLORADO:  Only two conference games have been played with Englewood sitting at 1-0, Eagle Ridge Academy at 1-1 and Arvada at 0-1.  Aurora Central (6-1) and Fort Lupton (4-2) also have hopes of the championship as they’ve combined for 10 wins in 13 games.  Englewood has beaten Fort Lupton and Aurora Central has a win over Eagle Ridge but both were considered non-league contests.

  • Tuesday:  Fort Lupton at Eagle Ridge Academy
  • Thursday:  Aurora Central at Eagle Ridge Academy

NORTHERN:  Windsor, Mead and Longmont are all 3-0 in league play and have a combined record of 17-0 on the season.  Those three lead Holy Family and Erie (both 2-1) by one game.  The schedule heats up tremendously as the top five clubs square off in a whopping six meetings this week; two apiece on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.  Results of course will impact the conference race and also change the post-season seeding picture as many of these clubs are in the discussion for a top five seed.

  • Monday:  Windsor at Erie
  • Monday:  Holy Family at Longmont
  • Wednesday:  Mead at Windsor
  • Wednesday:  Erie at Holy Family
  • Friday:  Longmont at Mead
  • Friday:  Windsor at Holy Family

PIKES PEAK:  Two unbeaten remain in Rampart (4-0) and Liberty (3-0).  Only one will remain on Tuesday when they square off at Liberty.  Rampart kept a share of the top spot by outscoring Doherty on Saturday; dropping the Spartans into a third place tie with Pine Creek, Fountain Fort Carson and Lewis Palmer. 

  • Tuesday:  Rampart at Liberty
  • Friday:  Pine Creek at Rampart

SOUTH CENTRAL:  Pueblo Central topped Pueblo South last week and with it gained sole possession of first place (4-0).  South dropped to 3-1 and tied with Pueblo East (1-1) in second.  Central and South play again on March 1st in a game that should decide the title.

SOUTHWESTERN:  Montrose was the preseason favorite and with their 2-0 start is already alone in first.  They lead Grand Junction Central, Grand Junction and Durango (all 1-1) by one game.  The Indians tangle with only one of those clubs this week (Fruita Monument).  The second place teams also battle twice during the week.

  • Tuesday:  Montrose at Fruita Monument
  • Tuesday:  Grand Junction at Grand Junction Central
  • Friday:  Fruita Monument at Grand Junction

 

CLASS 5A

CENTENNIAL:  Cherry Creek (6-0) and Eaglecrest (3-0) head into week four sharing the conference lead.  Overland (4-1) is the only other team in serious contention as the remaining league members all have at least three losses.  The outright lead will be determined on Wednesday when the Bruins and Raptors step on the same court for the first time this season.

  • Wednesday:  Eaglecrest at Cherry Creek

EAST METRO:  Three teams have yet to drop a league game as Vista Peak and Rangeview are 3-0 and Gateway is 2-0.  The Raiders and Olympians are also a combined 12-0 on the season while the Bison check in at 4-2.  Prairie View is alone in fourth at 2-1.  There’s only one meeting involving a head-to-head battle of the top four clubs.

  • Tuesday:  Rangeview at Prairie View

FRONT RANGE:  Fossil Ridge (7-0) has the best overall record and since three of those wins are in conference play, the Sabercats sit tied with Horizon and Fairview (both 4-0) atop the standings.  Rocky Mountain (3-1) is in fourth along with Mountain Range (1-1) who has played just three games all season.  Horizon and Fairview meet this week so the list of leaders will be reduced by at least one.  Fossil Ridge has a tough test near the end of the week.

  • Wednesday:  Horizon at Fairview
  • Friday:  Rocky Mountain at Fossil Ridge

JEFFCO:  Chatfield (5-0) is the last remaining unbeaten team in the conference and the Chargers are also 7-0 overall.  The lead Columbine (5-1) and Valor Christian (4-1) by one game in the league chase.  Much could change this week as Chatfield meets both challengers and Valor Christian and Columbine also collide.  Many scenarios are possible as league play basically concludes this week.

  • Monday:  Valor Christian at Columbine
  • Wednesday:  Chatfield at Valor Christian
  • Friday:  Valor Christian at Columbine

CONTINENTAL:  Five teams are within a game of the conference lead.  Regis (4-0) has the most wins but Chaparral (3-0) and ThunderRidge (1-0) are also unbeaten.  Rock Canyon and Mountain Vista are fourth with identical 3-1 marks.  ThunderRidge scored the biggest win of the week as they outlasted Mountain Vista in double overtime and while they have another important game with Rock Canyon; the focus for the conference is non-league battles with George Washington and Denver East from the City League.

  • Tuesday:  ThunderRidge at George Washington
  • Thursday:  George Washington at Chaparral
  • Saturday:  ThunderRIdge at Rock Canyon
  • Saturday:  Denver East at Regis

DENVER PREP:  What a win for Denver East on Saturday as the Angels survived two overtimes in their wild win over George Washington.  The win pushed the Angels to 6-0 in conference play and likely to the league championship.  They’re tied with Lincoln but the Lancers have played just one league game.  The Angels and Lancers play on the 25th.  George Washington slid into a third place tie with Far Northeast with both at 2-1.  They get on the same court on the 24th.