Tonight marks the fewest number of games in boys basketball in the final week of the regular season but there is quality to be found.  It starts in Class 4A where the crossover tournament between the Northern and Longs Peak conference features two great semifinal contests.

Those games pit #3 Mead at home against #10 Longmont and #6 Windsor on the road to #7 Frederick.  Mead is the defending state champion and they get a chance to avenge their lone conference loss as they fell to the Trojans 53-48 on January 26th.  Despite that loss, the Mavericks still captured the Northern league championship.  They’re 17-4 overall and Longmont is 16-5.

Windsor finished second to Mead in the Northern league and they visit the Longs Peak champion on the road.  The Warriors (17-3) have won 12 straight since an overtime loss to Green Mountain in late December.

Top ranked Lewis Palmer is also involved in league tournament play tonight as they meet Pine Creek.  The Rangers won the league battle 64-50 and sit 20-1 overall.

In Class 5A, Eaglecrest can clinch the Centennial crown by beating Mullen tonight or Cherry Creek on Friday.  If the Raptors win tonight, then the winner between Smoky Hill and Overland likely ends up second.

Ralston Valley (5-0) sits alone atop the Jeffco by one game over Chatfield, Dakota Ridge and Columbine (all 4-1).  The Mustangs have beaten the other two second place teams so a win over the Rebels will give them the league championship.  A loss creates a four-way tie for the top spot entering the final weekend.

Colorado Academy has wrapped up the 3A Metro crown and Faith Christian has secured second but the next four spots are still jumbled.  Lutheran (6-3) has a percentage lead on Prospect Ridge, Manual and Kent Denver (all 5-3) in the race for third.  It’s an important spot as the third place team will be opposite top seeded Colorado Academy in the district tournament bracket.  Results from three games inside the league tonight will help sort out the seeding.

In the 3A Tri Peaks, Salida needs a win over local rival Buena Vista to finish second in the conference.  A loss allows Colorado Springs Christian to leap past them since the Lions won the head-to-head matchup.  CSCS downed Buena Vista 61-55 two nights ago.

In Class 1A, Denver Jewish Day and Denver Waldorf face bigger schools in non-league play today to help them prep for next week’s district tournament.  It will be a battle between those two and defending state champion Belleview Christian for the two available regional tournament slots.

The full schedule of important games for tonight is below.  Colorado Preps will update scores as they become available.  Final scores can be sent to us by text at 970.380.7737.

 

CLASS 1A

#7 Denver Jewish Day at Clear Creek

FINAL:  #10 Denver Waldorf beat Golden View Classical 67-45

 

CLASS 3A

FINAL:  #1 St Mary’s beat Florence 101-71

FINAL:  #3 Colorado Academy beat Peak to Peak 61-26

 

CLASS 4A

FINAL:  #1 Lewis Palmer beat Pine Creek 70-53

FINAL:  #3 Mead beat #10 Longmont 53-41

FINAL:  #7 Frederick beat #6 Windsor 57-50

#8 Centaurus at Severance

FINAL:  #9 Green Mountain beat Alameda 76-40

 

CLASS 5A

FINAL:  #5 Eaglecrest beat Mullen 61-45

FINAL:  #7 Rock Canyon beat Brighton 78-37

 

OTHER GAMES OF NOTE

3A:  FINAL:  Salida beat Buena Vista 51-35

3A:  FINAL:  Prospect Ridge beat Machebeuf 80-76

3A:  FINAL:  Lutheran beat Jefferson Academy 53-18

5A:  FINAL:  Smoky Hill beat Overland 82-69

5A:  Columbine at Ralston Valley (Jeffco)