It’s huge night inside the Lower Platte as all five boys’ basketball teams in the conference see action tonight. Four of them go head to head as the league standings start to sort out. We also see a favorite in the 5280 determined as two of the top three clubs in 1A are scheduled to play one another.
A preview of the top games involving teams in and out of the rankings is available below. We’ll post final scores as they come in. Results can be sent to Colorado Preps by text to 970.380.7737.
Feature Photo from OT Sportschek Facebook Page.
CLASS 1A
FINAL: #2 Belleview Christian beat #3 Mile High Academy 71-41
FINAL: #7 Haxtun beat Akron 48-40
FINAL: Wiggins beat #9 Briggsdale 64-44
NOTES: Most likely, tonight is the 5280 championship game as the winner of #2 Belleview Christian and #3 Mile High Academy will end up with the top trophy. Belleview Christian has to be the favorite. They’re already 5-0 and playing at a high level while according to MaxPreps, Mile High Academy, the preseason number one pick in 1A, has yet to play a game. They had several early games on the schedule but all apparently have been postponed or moved to later in the season. Logan Owen (18.2) and Nathanial Owen (15.8) lead Belleview in scoring but Assane Diop gets most of the headlines by averaging 15.4 points, 18.2 rebounds, 6.8 assists and 6.8 blocks per game. He has both a triple and quadruple double already this season. Haxtun is one of five ranked teams in the Lower Platte but is sixth in the conference following an opening league loss to Wray (89-46) last Friday. They rebooted with a 63-53 win over Prairie the next night but another loss at Akron leaves them two games out of first in a very deep conference. Akron looks to bounce back from narrow losses to Burlington (34-32) and Wiggins (51-43). Wiggins’ perfect start to the season was ended with the 84-61 road loss at Wray two nights ago. Their tough week continues tonight and closes at Holyoke on Saturday. Sedgwick County is then next. Briggsdale rolled Lone Star 66-28 on Tuesday for a second straight win. Michael Bittinger had 17 points, seven rebounds, four assists and six steals in the win. Braden Krise was held to seven points but also managed six rebounds and six assists.
CLASS 2A
FINAL: #2 Wray beat #9 Sedgwick County 70-41
FINAL: #6 Yuma beat #4 Merino (1A) 73-54
FINAL: #8 Holly beat Rocky Ford 63-50
FINAL: Aspen beat #10 Meeker 56-44
NOTES: It’s a huge night inside the Lower Platte. We previewed #7 Haxtun in the 1A report but four other league teams are ranked in the top 10 of their respective and those clubs face off in games that will help determine the final pecking order at seasons end. Even though it’s a split league between 1A and 2A clubs, only the overall champ will earn that coveted guaranteed playoff spot. Wray (3-0) and Yuma (2-0) share the top spot with Merino tied for third with Wiggins and Holyoke. Sedgwick County, with losses to Merino and Yuma last week, is two games off the pace but a win tonight gets them back in at least the chase for second. They rallied from 15 down in the third quarter to almost stun Yuma but ended up short 61-59. For Yuma, it was their second straight after opening the season 0-3. They also drilled Holyoke 91-48 last Friday. Merino has been up and down of late. They played well in beating Sedgwick County on the road last Friday, stumbled at home against Holyoke the next night, and then out the frustration in a 63-32 win at Fleming on Tuesday. Wray (5-0) has been the most consistent, at least on offense, of any league team. They opened with a “paltry” 75 points against Akron but have not been held below 83 since. That includes a league win over Wiggins (84-61) two nights ago. Holly (3-0) appears to be the top challenger to Fowler (3-0) in the Santa Fe but the Wildcats cannot overlook Rocky Ford this evening. The Meloneers are 0-1 in league play following a tough overtime loss to Swallows Charter last week but there is talent on the roster. Izaiah Tapia averages a team best 13.3 points and 9.3 rebounds. He’s joined in double figures scoring wise by Shaun Gonzales (12.0) and Clay Havens (11.3). Holly clubbed Swink 65-40 on Tuesday for their fifth straight win with three coming in league play and all by at least 21 points. Meeker-Aspen is a fun non-conference game of two unbeatens on the Western Slope. The Cowboys should contend for the 2A crown with Aspen also in the mix in the 3A division. The Cowboys, who have a conference opener at Soroco on Saturday, haven’t played since beating Grand Valley 61-44 last Thursday. They jumped to a 21-8 lead after one quarter and picked up 17 points from Liam Denning and 14 from Ethan Drake. All three of the Skiers wins are by seven points or less and they must avoid looking ahead to Saturday’s very important conference date with Coal Ridge. Junior twins Braden and Shae Korpela both average 10.5 to lead the offense.
CLASS 3A
FINAL: #2 St Mary’s beat Lamar 93-50
FINAL: #3 Manitou Springs beat James Irwin 81-21
FINAL: #4 Faith Christian beat Stargate 63-20
#8 Colorado Academy vs Manual (PPD)
FINAL: #9 Kent Denver beat Jefferson Academy 73-48
FINAL: Buena Vista beat Banning Lewis 60-57
FINAL: Englewood beat Fort Lupton 68-40
NOTES: St Mary’s, Manitou Springs and Buena Vista are the last three unbeaten teams in the Tri Peaks chase as they go into Thursday at 3-0. They lead four others by one game with Banning Lewis among that group. That makes their matchup with Buena Vista maybe the most important of the night and likely the most competitive. St Mary’s has scored at least 100 points in three of five games and also tallied 97 in a fourth. They could have another big offensive night at home against Lamar. Sam Howery (25.8) and Luke Stockelman (20.2) both average over 20 points a game and together pull down 15 rebounds. Lamar (2-2) fell to Colorado Springs Christian (46-36) in their last game and has scored more than 50 points in a game only once this season. Manitou Springs escaped Salida with a one-point win on Tuesday so they’re looking for an easier time tonight. They should get that against the 1-4 Jaguars. Caleb Allen netted 16 and Isaiah Thomas 14 for the Mustangs vs Salida. Buena Vista looks to keep winning tonight and Saturday against Vanguard before facing back-to-back battles with Manitou Springs and St Mary’s on the 17th and 19th. Their latest win came Tuesday against Florence (54-34). Banning Lewis snapped a three-game league win streak with the lopsided loss to St Mary’s two nights ago. Tri Peaks wins have come against Woodland Park, Lamar and La Junta. Tuesday’s game between Colorado Academy and Kent Denver was postponed due to COVID issues with the CA camp so we’re not sure if their game with Manual will be played. If they do step on the court, it’s a big one early in the Metro chase as both teams are unbeaten and tied with Peak to Peak, Lutheran and Kent Denver in first place. Manual would like to play as they have momentum from a 90-72 win at Faith Christian on Tuesday night. Five players netted at least 13 points; a group led by Jordan Reed with 22 , Abel Maes with 18 and Jaylin James with 16. The Thunderbolts made nine three points on the night and were a whopping 31 of 39 from the foul line. Reed was 13 of 16 from there and Lovelle Marble made all 10 attempts. Kent’s game with CA will not be made up but they’ve picked up an extra game with Liberty Common on Friday. They haven’t played since rolling DSST-Byers 86-69 on Saturday. Jefferson Academy enters the game 1-3 overall. The Englewood-Fort Lupton matchup is a non-league game but it could serve as a preview of the Colorado conference championship game. The teams are a combined 7-2 and will meet again on February 23rd. Englewood gets good output from Gunner Johnson (14.6), Nate Gravagno (13.8) and Hunter Johnson (13.0). Fort Lupton’s top scorer is Maddax Farrer (10.3).
CLASS 4A
FINAL: Thompson Valley beat Mountain View 77-54
FINAL: Steamboat Springs beat Rifle 51-35
NOTES: No top 10 teams get on the court Thursday night but the Thompson Valley-Mountain View battle will help sort out a seven team mix in the Longs Peak. Those seven clubs are within one game of each other with the Eagles and Mountain Lions both 1-1. They’re tied with Riverdale Ridge and Fort Morgan in fourth place behind unbeatens Roosevelt, Frederick and Severance (all 2-0). This will be the second meeting between the two with Mountain View gaining a 65-63 overtime decision on January 29th. Alex Hurr, who averages 26 points a game, went for 21 for the Mountain Lions and Christian Soliz added 13. Thompson Valley was led by Jaromy Morgan with 16 and Mark Pomerlau with 15. John Barnhill chipped in 13 and Antonio Melendez 10. Steamboat Springs heads to Rifle in search of a third league win which would keep them tied with Summit atop the Western Slope.
CLASS 5A
FINAL: #5 George Washington beat Thomas Jefferson 61-44
NOTES: Another great rivalry game on tap inside the storied DPL as George Washington, ahead of a huge showdown with Denver East on Saturday, is challenged by Thomas Jefferson. Having scored 105 points in two straight games, the Patriots were rolling before Wednesday’s upset loss to Douglas County (76-68). Jaeton Hackley was 16-20 from the charity stripe and scored 32 for the winners. For George, Jarmell Johnson had been red hot; scoring 30 points vs Dakota Ridge and 27 against Northfield. In those two games, he had connected on 20 of 23 shots from the field and 11 of 12 from the line. Thomas Jefferson slipped back to five hundred (3-3) with a 75-52 loss to Denver East. They’ve scored more than 60 points just twice on the season and will look to control pace a bit. Armon Baker (15) and Said Mobasher (11) combined for 26 vs East.
