Couple of league championship games in Class 2A are on the docket tonight and they top the boys basketball schedule for Thursday. Peyton and Thomas MacLaren meet to decide the Black Forest title and top district seed while Denver Christian needs a win over Heritage Christian to claim the outright Mile High crown.
Denver Christian enters the game unbeaten in league play with a one game edge on Heritage Christian and Highland. They’ve already beaten the Huskies so a win over Heritage Christian gives them the championship outright. Should Heritage Christian spring the upset, the three teams will end the season tied for the top spot. District seeding wise, both clubs should be number one seeds as they compete in different brackets next week. Highland also jumps to the 3A Patriot for their district bracket and gets that action started tonight as well.
The Peyton-Thomas MacLaren matchups is more direct. The winner is the league champion and number one district seed; the loser ends up second in both categories.
Wiggins sits in third behind Yuma and Wray in the Lower Platte chase and needs a win over Haxtun to stay there. Because of a loss to Wray, the Tigers cannot move higher in the standings. Wray and Merino play tomorrow night and if the Eagles win there, then Haxtun jumped into fourth with a victory today.
Meeker is also in action with an important game today as the Cowboys must get by Plateau Valley to maintain sole possession of the Western Slope lead.
Game two of three big ones this week inside the 1A High Plains is tonight. The first took place back on Tuesday as #1 Granada edged Wiley and that result leaves the Bobcats and McClave unbeaten in league play. Wiley is a game back in third and must win tonight to remain in the title picture. McClave also faces Granada tomorrow night so a win this evening makes that game the league championship tilt.
In Class 3A, Colorado Academy and Faith Christian have clinched the top two places but the next three spots are still up in the air. Lutheran (7-3), Prospect Ridge (6-3), Manual (5-3) and Kent Denver (5-3). The first two have completed their conference schedule but Kent Denver and Manual collide tonight to determine the seed order for the district tournament.
The postseason starts in 3A tonight with four so-called “pigtail” games in the Patriot division. Winners from tonight advance to the quarterfinals on Friday. The top two teams in the bracket and all others in Class 3A earn automatic berths into the state tournament. There is also one game in 2A District 6 where the survivor of Rocky Ford and Hoehne advances to face league champion Holly in the quarterfinals on Monday. The top three teams from that bracket qualify for the regional tournament.
Most of the league races in 4A and 5A have been settled but an exception can be found on the Western Slope where Steamboat Springs, Eagle Valley and Palisade share the lead. Each has two league losses. Steamboat Springs and Eagle Valley collide tonight so the loser of that one drops into third. Palisade has split two games with both clubs so if the Bulldogs win, there’s a good chance two teams will share the championship at seasons end.
In 5A, Fossil Ridge has already clinched the Front Range championship but a win gives them a perfect 11-0 run through the conference. Horizon (9-1) has wrapped up second with their only loss coming to the Sabercats.
Below is the entire schedule for top 10 teams. We’ll update scores throughout the night and then below the rankings, update some games that impact league championship races. Final scores can be sent to Colorado Preps by text to 970.380.7737.
CLASS 1A
FINAL: #1 Granada beat Bethune 57-40
FINAL: #2 Sierra Grande beat La Veta 64-36
FINAL: #4 Evangelical Christian beat Elbert 49-17
FINAL: #5 Haxtun beat Wiggins 66-56
FINAL: Wiley beat #6 McClave 44-39
CLASS 2A
FINAL: Heritage Christian beat #2 Denver Christian 42-36
FINAL: #4 Mancos beat Montezuma Cortez 69-54
FINAL: #10 Peyton beat #9 Thomas MacLaren 64-48
CLASS 3A
FINAL: #2 Aspen beat Coal Ridge 74-53
FINAL: #10 Manual beat Kent Denver 77-70
CLASS 4A
FINAL: #1 Pueblo South beat Pueblo East 60-25
FINAL: #4 Montrose beat Grand Junction Central 52-40
FINAL: #5 Pueblo Central beat Pueblo West 75-51
FINAL: #8 Centaurus beat Severance 53-46
FINAL: #9 Green Mountain beat Wheat Ridge 69-42
CLASS 5A
FINAL: #1 Fossil Ridge beat Boulder 77-26
FINAL: #8 Horizon beat Rocky Mountain 76-60
OTHER GAMES OF NOTE
FINAL: Hanover over Kiowa 56-22
FINAL: Plateau Valley beat Meeker 55-46
FINAL: Delta beat North Fork 61-54
FINAL: Englewood beat Eagle Ridge Academy 62-59
FINAL: Palisade beat Glenwood Springs 57-49
FINAL: Eagle Valley beat Steamboat Springs 52-44
DISTRICT TOURNAMENTS
FINAL: Hoehne beat Rocky Ford 50-34 (2A District 6)
FINAL: Eaton beat Estes Park 88-66 (3A Patriot)
FINAL: Strasburg beat Liberty Common 63-52 (3A Patriot)
FINAL: University over Valley 86-49 (3A Patriot)
FINAL: Highland beat Frontier Academy 73-48 (3A Patriot)
