Quite a few games are listed on our Friday watch list for boys’ basketball but we want to focus on four that carry quite a bit of weight conference race and playoff bracketing wise. Colorado Preps will update the results on all games below throughout the day and also breakdown what those results mean.
Our focus starts in the 3A Patriot where #4 Sterling and #9 Resurrection Christian get together for a second time this year. A Sterling win gives them at least a tie for the league championship and a chance to clinch at Estes Park on Tuesday. A Resurrection Christian win leaves the two teams tied but then the Cougars could wrap it up against Valley early next week.
Resurrection Christian is the only team to beat Sterling this year; downing the Tigers 54-48 on January 30th. That win came in non-conference play and is why the Cougars need to sweep the season series to stay in contention for the league crown. Wade Shields led Rez with 19 points while Will Schrotenboer and Zach Cook each netted 10. Sterling got 15 from Jackson Keil and 13 from Tucker Myers.
The top five clash in 2A between #3 Peyton and #5 Yuma is a non-league game but will carry quite a bit of weight in post-season bracketing. Peyton is #2 in RPI with Yuma #7. The Panthers have already locked up the Black Forest championship while Yuma must still get by Wray next week to win the Lower Platte crown. UPDATE: This game has been postponed due to quarantine at Yuma HS within the boys basketball team. They have cancelled the remainder of their regular season game.
Each club is red hot. Peyton dropped their opener to 3A power Manitou Springs (51-26) but have won eight straight including victories over Fowler and Sanford on back-to-back nights. Yuma opened 0-3 but has captured their last seven games.
In Class 4A, Evergreen is ranked 7th by the coaches and Golden 10th but the Cougars are 9th in RPI and Golden 15th. They collide this evening and both could use a win to get into the top eight and earn a first-round playoff bye. It’s a non-league game as Evergreen has already landed the Jeffco championship. It’s the first title in almost two decades. Included in that run was a 43-40 win over Golden on February 5th. Jackson Mott dropped in 16 points and Griffin Lauritano 15 for the winners. Golden, which finished third in the league chase, earned 14 from Alan Acevado and 11 from Richie Pruett.
It’s also another very competitive night in the Northern conference as that race will go down to the wire. Starting play tonight, Longmont (6-1) and Windsor (5-1) share first place but three teams, Mead, Silver Creek and Erie, are all 4-2 and one game off the pace. Meetings of note tonight include Longmont-Erie and Windsor-Silver Creek. Mead could also get pushed by a Holy Family squad that is five hundred overall (5-5) but one that has a win over Windsor (71-65).
Record wise, the matchup between Hi Plains and Idalia won’t draw much attention as the Wolves are 6-3 overall and the Patriots just 5-5. But it’s an important battle. Both are unbeaten in the YWKC so the winner should land the title and the guaranteed playoff berth that goes it. Idalia is 24th in RPI and Hi Plains 33rd so both could use the automatic route as otherwise, they’re both on the bubble to get in.
Final scores can be reported to Colorado Preps by text at 970.380.7737. We will post those results below throughout the night.
Photo provided by OT SportsChek.
CLASS 1A
FINAL: #2 DeBeque beat Hotchkiss 64-26
FINAL: #3 Cheraw beat McClave 54-33
FINAL: #5 Merino beat Caliche 73-39
#6 Evangelical Christian at Kiowa (PPD)
FINAL: #8 Caprock Academy beat Olathe 69-47
FINAL: Granada beat Cheyenne Wells 55-39
FINAL: Hi Plains beat Idalia 56-43
FINAL: Sangre De Cristo beat Sierra Grande 65-41
FINAL: Kim/Branson beat Springfield 52-45
GAME NOTES: DeBeque and Caprock Academy both picked up victories tonight and that keeps them tied for the Western Slope South division lead. Granada stayed one game back of Cheraw in the High Plains chase as they won the second place battle with Cheyenne Wells. The two leaders meet next Friday in Granada. Cheraw kept their perfect season intact with an impressive showing vs McClave. Sangre De Cristo basically locked up another Southern Peaks title with their easy win over Sierra Grande. Kim/Branson secured the Ark Valley title with their win over Springfield. The Mustangs are now 3-0 in league play with one conference game remaining against Walsh. They have a win over and lead second place Wiley by one game. Very important win for Hi Plains as it moved them very close to the YWKC title. Should they get there, the Patriots will earn an automatic bid to the playoffs and unless they climb into the top 24 of combined rankings by years end, could bump a team there out of the playoffs.
CLASS 2A
FINAL: #1 Limon beat Simla 61-27
FINAL: #2 Wray beat Holyoke 88-49
#3 Peyton at #5 Yuma (PPD)
FINAL: #4 Denver Christian beat Dawson 60-35
#6 Sanford vs Sargent
FINAL: #7 Mancos beat Dove Creek 65-41
FINAL: #8 Holly beat #4 Primero (1A) 75-70
FINAL: #9 Meeker beat North Park 70-33
Vail Christian at West Grand
FINAL: Burlington beat Byers 46-40
FINAL: Del Norte beat Crested Butte 42-26
GAME NOTES: Neither Limon or Wray experienced any “look ahead” factor to tomorrow as both made quick work of their opponents tonight. The Badgers and Eagles face off tomorrow with the winner likely nabbing the top overall playoff seed in the 2A playoffs. Both teams are unbeaten and for the most part unchallenged. Each could use a tight game to prep for the postseason run. Denver Christian stayed perfect in the Mile High and their win over Dawson sets the stage for a Mile High league championship showdown with 3A Highland next week. That winner should earn the automatic bid as league champions. Mancos stayed within a game of Ignacio in the San Juan and those two meet for a second time next week. That game helps decide if the two share the title or if the Bobcats win it outright as they beat Mancos in the first meeting. Holly and Primero got together on short notice and played a heck of a game. Holly did not suffer a letdown following another tight win over Fowler last night while Primero will use the run for experience during their playoff run. The Bulldogs are in the running for a top four spot in the bracket. Meeker stays a game back of Vail Christian in the West Slope North. The win over North Park also snapped a short two-game losing streak. Vail christian and Meeker play tomorrow.
CLASS 3A
FINAL: #2 Lutheran beat Legend 69-51
FINAL: #4 Sterling beat #9 Resurrection Christian 55-50
FINAL: Alamosa beat #5 Centauri 40-39
FINAL: Strasburg beat University 58-47
FINAL: Brush beat Estes Park 72-50
GAME NOTES: Big win for Alamosa as it keeps them alive for at least a share of the IML championship. The Moose are now 4-2 in league play with Centauri falling to 5-1. The Falcons have a big date with Sanford tomorrow and then host Pagosa Sprinsg and Bayfield next weekend. Wins in both or another loss by Alamosa gives the Falcons the league championship. A stumble opens the door for Alamosa to gain at least a share of the crown if they win out. Sterling avenged their lone loss of the season by beating Resurrection Christian. It was the Tigers 10th straight win and gave them a two game edge in the league chase and that means they clinch the title by beating Estes Park on Tuesday or Frontier Academy on Thursday. Standings behind the Tigers also changed with Strasburg’s win over University. The Indians are now 6-2 in conference and tied with Resurrection Christian in second. Strasburg has the tiebreaker due to their head-to-head win over the Cougars. Brush is alone in fourth with University falling to fifth and ending a five game winning streak.
CLASS 4A
FINAL: #1 Windsor beat Silver Creek 68-51
#2 Longmont vs #8 Erie (PPD)
FINAL: Holy Family beat #3 Mead 67-58
FINAL: #4 Lewis Palmer beat Rampart 78-65
FINAL: #10 Golden beat #7 Evergreen 61-49
GAME NOTES: Excellent win for Golden as they avenge an earlier loss to Evergreen but it won’t change the Jeffco standings. The league schedule was completed last week. But the win helps Golden climb the playoff ladder and possibly earn a higher seed when the bracket is released on March 8th. The Northern league standings continue to evolve. Windsor stayed put with Longmont (both one loss) atop the standings as they moved past Silver Creek; using 41 first half points to gain the lead. Mead and Silver Creek both dropped to 4-3 with losses and they share third place with Holy Family (5-3). Erie (4-2) is also in the mix but we understand their game with Longmont tonight was postponed. We’re not sure if it it will be made up.
CLASS 5A
FINAL: #1 Cherry Creek beat Smoky Hill 84-72
FINAL: #3 Rangeview beat Westminster 116-44
FINAL: #8 Fossil Ridge beat Legacy 77-49
FINAL: Gateway beat Brighton 57-47
FINAL: Mullen beat Chatfield 68-56
GAME NOTES: Fossil Ridge is now 7-1 in the Front Range conference and maintains a share of second place with Rocky Mountain (6-1). Both clubs trail Fairview (9-0) by one game with the Knights and Sabercats set to battle on Wednesday. Fairview stayed perfect by winning a tight game with Monarch (72-65). Rangeview and Gateway both picked up conference wins so they remain atop the EMAC together. The Raiders scored the most points for any team in a single game this year; getting to 116 in the win over Westminster. Mullen was scheduled to face Overland tonight but the Blazers entered quarantine. The Mustangs then picked up a game with Chatfield and played well in the win. Cherry Creek outscored Smoky Hill to remain unbeaten on the season and alone atop the Centennial.
