The Denver Christian girls basketball team recently ended a stretch of five games in nine days that pushed the Thunder into the ultimate test of resiliency.
They came out the other side of it completely unscathed and continue to sit at the top of the Class 3A Selection & Seeding Index.
Can anyone keep the Thunder from clapping? The rest of the Metro League will get to have its say.
Thursday night, Peak to Peak gets its chance to knock DC down a rung on the ladder. The Academy, Prospect Ridge, Colorado Academy and Forge Christian will all get their respective shots, too. But it seems almost inevitable that Denver Christian will enter the postseason as 3A’s top dog.
They’ve more than earned it, as only one of two 3A teams with less than two losses. And over those five games in nine days from Jan. 20-29, DC outscored foes by an average of 68.8 to 26.6.
Seniors Natalie Bohannon and Teagan Fuller are taking charge, combining for almost 27 points a game (Bohannon has a shot at surpassing 1,000 career points in three varsity seasons with a long and successful postseason run), but one would be remiss not to mention the immediate scoring presence of freshman Tenley Fuller. She scored a career-high 27 points against Eagle Ridge on Jan. 27 and has scored double-figures in all but one game on her way to a 15-ppg average so far this season.
It’s a long way to the championship, but Denver Christian is on the fast track toward its first-ever title in girls hoops.
Top games this week:
Class 3A/2A
Golden View Classical at Thomas MacLaren, Saturday, 10:30 a.m.
The Highlanders are the other 3A team with just one loss, and they’ll get a chance to build their resume against a good 2A team in the Sentinels (11-6, No. 31 2A Index). Thomas MacLaren has won 10 straight, with senior Sara Christensen posting four games of at least 23 points over the streak. GVC has hung its hat on defense, as it has allowed just 29.5 points per game on the season and only has allowed 50 points just once.
Class 2A/1A
Flatirons Academy at Loveland Classical, Saturday, 4:30 p.m.
Since starting the season 3-3, the Lions have built up a solid streak of nine straight wins and most recently overcame three games in three days with solid results. Kaelyn Doan’s 11.9 points per game have been complemented by fellow senior Abigail Ruppert’s 9.6 points, and LCS has allowed just 26.7 points per game this season. Flatirons is on its own five-game win streak heading into a Thursday night game against winless Clear Creek, and the Bison certainly have thoughts of cracking the top 8 in the Index (currently No. 13).
Class 1A
Peyton at Denver Jewish Day School, Thursday, 5:30 p.m.
Denver Jewish (8-2) is having one of its best seasons ever behind the efforts of Kaitin Schatz (13.6 ppg) and Tamar Goldberg-Butler (8.6 ppg). The Tigers, coming off last year’s 9-9 record, are currently No. 16 in the 1A Index. They recently lost consecutively to Flatirons Academy and Loveland Classical, but by just two and five points, respectively. Peyton is a 3A team sitting at No. 26 in the Index, so the Panthers (6-7) want to win to keep inside the postseason threshold.
