Rangeview, ranked fourth in CHSAA’s Class 6A Selection & Seeding Index, likely can’t climb all the way to the No. 1 seed over the final eight days of the regular season.

Seeds 1-3 — Chaparral, Ralston Valley and Arvada West — sit ahead of the Raiders, and each of them has a stronger remaining strength of schedule.

But that may not be a bad thing for Rangeview. At least, according to recent history.

The top seed in big-school basketball has won the state title just once over the past seven seasons (excluding the shortened 2020 pandemic season, which was canceled before the state semifinals).

And get this: While the top seed has been to the finals just once since 2018 — when ThunderRidge was No. 1 when it repeated in 2022 — the Raiders’ current position at No. 4 has won the state title twice in that same span, with Denver East in 2023 and ThunderRidge in 2021 as 4-seeds when they raised their banners.

That’s not to say seeding doesn’t matter whatsoever. Since the state moved away from four quadrants with four different No. 1 seeds following the 2015-16 season, the lowest seed to win the big-school title is No. 6. Valor Christian (2024) and Grandview (2018) both claimed championships as 6-seeds.

With all that said, here are a few intriguing 6A, 5A and 4A storylines as the regular season winds down (ends Feb. 21 for 6A/5A and Feb. 28 for 4A).

Class 6A

Can No. 6 Mountain Vista hold off No. 7 Fruita Monument for one of the all-important top-six seeds?

Fruita Monument has probably heard enough about postseason seeding for at least a few more years.

The Wildcats were the 6A No. 1 seed and 25-0 before falling in the 2024 quarterfinals, adding the “unimportant No. 1 narrative” in 6A.

This season, Fruita Monument (15-5, 6-1 6A/5A Southwestern League) holds a one-game lead in the league race with three to play. Jhett Wells poured in 38 points in a 62-52 win over 5A No. 2 Grand Junction last week and is averaging 26 points per game this winter.

It sits behind Mountain Vista (16-4, 7-1 6A/5A Continental League), which remains in contention for a league title and a possible top-five postseason ranking. The Golden Eagles close the regular season against No. 2 Ralston Valley and No. 1 Chaparral.

Will Highlands Ranch or Fort Collins return to the postseason?

Both Highlands Ranch and Fort Collins missed 6A’s 40-team postseason field last winter.

Now, with eight days remaining in the regular season, both sit squarely on the bubble, with Highlands Ranch (8-12) at No. 40 and Fort Collins (8-12) at No. 41.

On Tuesday, Fort Collins edged Highlands Ranch 54-52 in overtime. Freshmen Lucas Dowling and Grant Kanuma Russo led the Lambkins with 11 points apiece.But it wasn’t enough for the Lambkins to overtake the Falcons in the rankings.

Class 5A

Grand Junction sweeps Palisade, but Bulldogs remain No. 1

No. 2 Grand Junction completed a season-series sweep of Palisade with a 57-44 win earlier this month, and yet, the Bulldogs remain atop the postseason rankings.

Palisade (18-2, 5-2 6A/5A Southwestern) likely needs to win its final three games to maintain the top spot. The Bulldogs travel to 6A No. 7 Fruita Monument in their regular-season finale Feb. 20.

Are we overlooking No. 4 Regis Groff?

The Fusion are a perfect 19-0 and can improve to 20-0 with a win over 1-18 Hinkley on Friday.

If there’s skepticism about their postseason potential, it likely centers on their strength of schedule, which doesn’t size up against many of the teams around them in the rankings.

Their biggest challenge in the 6A/5A City League has been No. 29 Thomas Jefferson, which trails them by two games in the league standings. Arguably, their stiffest test of late came Monday in an 80-44 win over 4A No. 13 Eagle Ridge Academy.

Class 4A

Who should be considered the favorite?

The 4A regular season runs through Feb. 28, leaving plenty of time for movement before the postseason.

For now, any of the top four teams could make a strong case to be considered the favorite to win it all.

No. 1 Montezuma-Cortez is unbeaten at 19-0. No. 2 Kent Denver, led by Caleb Fay, has dominated a tough 4A/3A Metro League. Holy Family has been battle-tested as the lone 4A team in the 6A/5A/4A Granite Peaks League. And Timnath, which held the No. 1 spot for much of the season, dropped its first two games last week.