As girls hoops programs from around the state narrow their focus onto togetherness and team-brand basketball with only four weeks remaining in the regular season, let’s anger coaches and ignore that.
Only for now.
If you liked Kennedy’s Keilani Venegas Alvarez’s state-record 64 points 10 days ago and weren’t as interested in the 104-6 win that accompanied it, this week’s look at 6A, 5A and 4A hoops might be for you.
Here are some intriguing stats leaders from each classification.
Class 6A
Sienna Betts, Grandview: No surprise here. The 6-foot-4 UCLA commit has dominated the glass for the No. 4 Wolves (7-7) this season.
As a junior, Betts leads the state in rebounds with 16.1 per game. With 10 straight double-doubles coming into this week, she has a state-best 13 on the year.
In a loss to No. 1 Cherokee Trail and a win over Arapahoe last week, she combined for 46 points and 26 rebounds.
The Wolves have top-10 road matchups on back-to-back days this week, facing No. 9 Mullen Thursday and No. 6 Regis Jesuit Friday.
Sara Chicco, Rocky Mountain: The senior has been lethal from deep for the Lobos (11-4) this winter, hitting a state-most 51 on a 44% clip through 14 games. Her stats in a loss against Broomfield Tuesday weren’t immediately available.
Chicco, second in 6A points at 22.1 per game, is also the state’s best free throw shooter. She is 56 of 58 (97%) from the stripe this winter and hasn’t missed one since Dec. 12, hitting 38 straight coming into this week.
The Lobos are home against Erie Thursday.
Class 5A
Penny Urquhart, Littleton: The senior guard is all over the top of the 5A stats board. She is tied for first in points per game and double-doubles, and is second in rebounds.
Urquhart is averaging 20.6 PPG for the Lions (7-8), the same as Standley Lake’s Taylin Serlen. Her eight double-doubles are also tied with Serlen, along with Pomona’s Kendra Ritzmann.
She recorded her seventh and eighth of the year last week, totaling 21 points and 18 rebounds in a loss to No. 8 Green Mountain Friday, before putting up 30 and 10 in a win over Heritage Saturday.
The Lions are home against Dakota Ridge Wednesday.
Nevaeh Lucero, Skyview: The Nevaeh-ending steal machine has 73 takeaways coming into the week, the most in 5A. She’s fourth in assists, with 4.4 per game.
In a loss to No. 4 Northfield and a win over Gateway over the last 10 days, she combined for 14 assists and nine steals.
Lucero’s 5.2 steals are ahead of Adams City’s Fernanda Hernandez (5.1) in second. Teammate Leila Estrada is first in assists with 5.9 per game.
The Wolverines (12-3), who received top-10 votes in this week’s Coaches and Media poll, then beat Thornton Tuesday, and are at Aurora Central Thursday.
Class 4A
Brihanna Crittendon, Riverdale Ridge: The most-heralded underclassman in the state, and among the very best in the country, the sophomore is tops in state points per game (30.5) and field goals (164).
Her points-per-32 minutes (44.3), meanwhile, is the best in the nation, per MaxPreps.
She’s scored more than 40 in two games since the start of 2024, going for 42 against Thompson Valley on Jan. 5, and 41 versus Mountain View on Jan. 11.
Last week, she had 29 in a win over Northridge, and 20 in a loss to No. 1 Roosevelt.
The Ravens (11-3), who won 71-39 at Severance Tuesday, are home against Niwot Thursday.
Peyton Marvel, D’Evelyn: The senior will be going to Colorado Christian University to play softball next school year. Yet you could argue she’s been just as dominant on the high school court.
Marvel, who led the Jaguars to the title game last season, is tops in 4A rebounds this winter at 14.5, and is third in scoring (20.9) behind Division I hoops prospects Crittendon (30.5) and Peak to Peak’s Alexandra Eschmeyer (22.2).
Marvel, with four straight double-doubles coming into the week for 4A’s No. 2 team, had 17 points and 16 rebounds in a win over 5A No. 9 Standley Lake Friday.
Earlier this season, she had 34 points and a career-high 31 rebounds in a win over 5A No. 4 Northfield.
The Jags (13-2) are home against Bear Creek Wednesday.
