There will be two items to focus on this week in Class 5A boys basketball.
One is there are many more interesting matchups of significance as the regular season has just two full weeks to play.
Another is Boulder’s Fairview has gotten really hot and suddenly — and surprisingly — taken over the Front Range League.
Sure, the Knights took a recent hit, falling to Highlands Ranch’s Mountain Vista in nonleague, but had won nine games in a row, including eight in league after dropping their opener, to take command of the Front Range (they are 13-7 overall).
Fairview will have just one game this week, Tuesday at home at The Dungeon against Fort Collins’ Rocky Mountain (9-10, 6-2), just a game back in league in the loss column. Sophomore Jalen Page (15.1 points, 5.8 rebounds) and junior Mark Dolan (14.6 points) are pacing Fairview.
In the Continental, Chaparral secured its piece of the league lead by knocking Rock Canyon from the undefeated ranks last week, winning 73-57. So what do the Wolverines get for their efforts? Why, a meeting on the road to Highlands Ranch on Tuesday, when they will take on co-league leader ThunderRidge (18-1 overall), winner of 12 games in succession. Junior Ronnie DeGray (19.3 points, 6.5 rebounds) is leading Chaparral; Tanner Giles and Bryce Matthews also had big games against the Jaguars. Senior Kaison Hammonds (16.9 points) has been the man for the Grizzlies.
It’s a big week for Doherty (16-3) in more ways than one. On Tuesday, the Spartans will host Denver East (17-2) and University of Colorado signee (Daylen Kountz, 22.8 points), then welcome Rampart (14-5, 6-2), which is just two losses back in the C.S. Metro (Doherty is 9-0). Kyrele Benford (13.9 points, 8.1 rebounds) heads the Spartans. Rampart also will take on Liberty on Tuesday. Denver East then will host Denver South (10-9, 3-1) in the Denver Prep on Saturday, 1 p.m., at Manual’s Thunderdome. And George Washington won its 29th consecutive DPL game on Monday, taming Thomas Jefferson 81-43.
Smoky Hill gave Overland its first Centennial loss last week, so guess which suburban group just turned even more interesting … yes, it’s the Centennial. Suddenly, Grandvew (15-4, 7-3) smells opportunity. The Wolves and junior Dayne Prim (12.9 points, 7.1 rebounds) first will be at home against defending 5A state champion Eaglecrest on Wednesday, then in Aurora for a Saturday matinee, 3 p.m., at Overland (11-8, 9-1). Daijon Smith (14.6 points) and Tucson Redding (14.1) remain Trailblazers leaders.
There will be two matchups of note in the East Metro Athletic Conference, each between the loop’s top-four teams. League-leading Rangeview (13-6, 6-0) and Ryan Ongala (10.2 points, 6.8 rebounds) will host Brighton (12-6, 5-1) on Tuesday and Prairie View (10-8, 6-1) will be in Aurora to take on Vista PEAK Prep (10-9, 5-1) and Te’rae Johnson (17.7 points) on Friday.
As for Jefferson County, Arvada West, Bear Creek and Columbine enter the week tied for the league lead at 7-3. Having the left-siders back into the competitive mix of big schools after a lot of seasons in which they weren’t much of a factor can only be a good thing. And in this case, Columbine (10-9) gets to play both of them at home over three days. On Wednesday, the Rebels (sophomore Luke O’Brien, 16.2 points, 6.9 rebounds) will host Bear Creek (11-6 overall, senior Manuel Perez, 17.9 points), then entertain Arvada West (12-7, junior Josh Rogers, 17.0 points)Â on Friday.