Our list of games to watch for boys’ basketball is a bit shorter this week as the number of teams battling for league championships was reduced last week. The biggest number of games is found in Class 3A (11) as it’s a very important week there including two matchups of IML leaders Alamosa and Bayfield. Manual and Faith Christian also collide on Tuesday.
CLASS 1A
Cornerstone Christian at Belleview Christian (Tuesday)
Elbert at Pikes Peak Christian (Friday)
Prairie at Peetz (Friday)
Arickaree/Woodlin at Idalia (Friday)
Springfield at Kit Carson (Saturday)
NOTES: The winner between Cornerstone Christian and Belleview Christian takes over sole possession of first place in the 5280. Elbert and Pikes Peak Christian are both 1-0 and tied with Evangelical Christian atop the Black Forest. The winner becomes the chief challenger to the Eagles for that league championship. Peetz has a three-point win over Prairie in their first meeting and another win gives the defending state champions a commanding two game edge in the North Central. Prairie creates a tie for the league lead if they turn around the earlier loss. Arickaree/Woodlin and Idalia enter their game unbeaten in the YWKC so that winner becomes the favorite. Springfield-Kit Carson is a non-league game but could affect where teams are placed in the regional bracket if both teams advance from their respective district tournament.
CLASS 2A
Simla at Limon (Tuesday)
Gilpin County at Denver Christian (Tuesday)
DeBeque at Paonia (Wednesday)
Swallows Charter at Hoehne (Thursday)
Fowler at Hoehne (Friday)
Merino at Sedgwick County (Friday)
DeBeque at Vail Christian (Saturday)
NOTES: It’s an important week for DeBeque as the 1A Dragons look to land the 2A/1A Western Slope title. They open the week tied with Vail Christian in first place with Paonia one game back. They face both clubs this week. Gilpin County and Denver Christian share the Mile High lead with powerful Highland so that winner jumps up as the main challenger to the Huskies.  Hoehne is battling Swallows Charter for fourth place in the Santa Fe and that’s a key spot as the fourth-place team earns a first round bye in the district tournament. The Farmers must also tangle with second place Fowler in a difficult week. Merino is unbeaten and tied with Yuma and Haxtun atop the Lower Platte. Sedgwick County is one game with a league loss to Haxtun. Simla and Limon is a nice non-conference rivalry game that will impact post-season bracketing. Limon is 5th in RPI points and Simla sits 12th.
CLASS 3A
Alamosa at Bayfield (Tuesday)
Faith Christian at Manual (Tuesday)
Sterling at Strasburg (Tuesday)
Grand Valley at Delta (Tuesday)
Strive Prep at DSST-Byers (Tuesday)
KIPP Collegiate at Academy (Thursday)
Frontier Academy at Sterling (Friday)
Bayfield at Alamosa (Saturday)
Kent Denver at Sterling (Saturday)
St Mary’s at Colorado Springs Christian (Saturday)
DSST-Stapleton at Academy (Saturday)
NOTES: Due to an earlier postponement, there’s somewhat of a weird schedule within the Intermountain league as Alamosa and Bayfield meet twice in a four-day span. And the two clubs happen to share the early conference lead.  Manual and Faith Christian collide for the Metro lead. Both teams are off to explosive starts. Sterling has a one game lead on Frontier Academy, Strasburg and Resurrection Christian inside the Patriot. They’ve beaten Resurrection Christian and play the other two this week. Coming off a huge win over Coal Ridge, Delta looks to keep a share of first place against Grand Valley on Tuesday. The Cardinals and Gunnison are also unbeaten in league play. Academy, DSST-Stapleton, Middle Park and KIPP Collegiate all remain unbeaten in the Frontier. Academy faces two of the other co-leaders this week. Vanguard is alone atop the Tri Peaks but St Mary’s and Colorado Springs Christian are part of a three-way tie with Lamar for second. All three teams trail the Coursers by one game in the standings. Strive Prep and DSST-Byers play for the outright lead in the Confluence.
CLASS 4A
Holy Family at Skyline (Tuesday)
Lincoln at Thomas Jefferson (Tuesday)
Wheat Ridge at Evergreen (Wednesday)
Cheyenne Mountain at Lewis Palmer (Wednesday)
Mead at Holy Family (Thursday)
Greeley Central at Longmont (Friday)
Pueblo Central at Pueblo East (Friday)
Battle Mountain at Glenwood Springs (Friday)
Glenwood Springs at Palisade (Saturday)
NOTES: It’s a big week for Holy Family as the Tigers meet third place Skyline on Tuesday and co-leader Mead on Thursday. The Tigers and Mavericks are both 6-0 in the Tri Valley with Skyline a game back in third at 5-1. Lincoln and Thomas Jefferson play for 4A supremacy in the City League. Evergreen (3-2) is third in the Jeffco and trails first place Wheat Ridge (5-0) by two games so the Cougars need a win to stay in the championship chase. Lewis Palmer opens the week with a one game lead on Cheyenne Mountain in the Pikes Peak and is favored to stretch that lead with a home win on Wednesday. Greeley Central is coming off a tough league loss to Centaurus that dropped the Wildcats two games back of first place Longmont. An upset of the Trojans on Friday keeps them in contention. Glenwood Springs scored a nice win over Steamboat Springs last week and now the Demons are alone atop the Western Slope. They lead Steamboat Springs, Palisade and Battle Mountain by one game in the Western Slope standings.
CLASS 5A
Fountain Fort Carson at Mountain Vista (Monday)
Greeley West at Broomfield (Tuesday)
Montrose at Fruita Monument (Tuesday)
Smoky Hill at Eaglecrest (Wednesday)
Lakewood at Arvada West (Wednesday)
Ralston Valley at Valor Christian (Wednesday)
Vista Peak at Rangeview (Thursday)
Eaglecrest at Overland (Friday)
NOTES: Greeley West and Broomfield both remain unbeaten in the Front Range and tied with Fairview for the top spot so one club will fall out of first place on Tuesday. Montrose and Fruita Monument play the first of two league meetings in the Southwestern League. They’re the only two clubs above five hundred overall so the two meetings should determine first and second. Eaglecrest sits third in the Centennial as the Raptors trail Smoky Hill by one and lead Overland by one. They face both the Buffs and Blazers this week. Lakewood and Arvada West were first week winners in the Jeffco so their game will knock one team from the top spot. Ralston Valley was also a first week winner and looks to stay in first place against rugged Valor Christian. The Eagles have only four wins this year but took Columbine to the end in a one-point loss over the weekend. Rangeview is of three unbeatens in the East Metro as they join Gateway and Brighton in first place. Vista Peak is fourth at 2-1 and can climb back in the race by upsetting the Raptors.
