The season is winding down for boys basketball teams in the Class 3A, 2A and 1A ranks.
And now is the time for teams to get ready for the postseason, battle to get into the postseason or hope beyond hope to find a way to qualify for the playoffs.
When the weekend is done only 32 teams in each classification will begin their second seasons. The remaining four classifications – 4A, 3A. 2A and 1A and 4A will have its 2025 state tournaments brackets seeded and released on Sunday by CHSAA office.
Here’s a sample look at the postseason landscape heading into this final weekend.
Class 3A
Looking good: A handful of 3A teams have had memorable seasons and as such are safely in the state tourney mix and the state championship conversation. That list consists of Resurrection Christian (21-0); Windsor Charter Academy (20-1); Strasburg (18-3); Centauri (22-0); Yuma (17-5); Highland (16-5); Forge Christian (15-7) and SkyView Academy (18-3).
Holding out hope: The season has come down to this last week and the postseason goal is still within reach for these teams, but they can’t slip up if they want to be making plans next week. The list includes No. 28 Monte Vista (10-12), No. 29 Brush (10-12), No. 30 Frontier Academy (9-13), No. 31 Platte Valley (6-16) and No. 32 Ignacio (11-12).
Needs a miracle: Gunnison has a respectable .500 record at 10-10 overall and have won three games in a row over Crested Butte (60-44), Telluride (64-50) and Olathe (70-56).
But frankly, the Cowboys must win over No. 19 Roaring Fork (15-6) at 2:30 p.m. Saturday and hope that a bunch of other dominos fall exactly how they need them to in order to make the 32-team playoffs.
Class 2A
Looking good: As of right now, there are eight teams – No. 1 through No. 8 – in the 3A RPI rankings that are good shape with the postseason right around the corner. The list is made of top-seeded Simla (19-2), Bishop Machebeuf (17-3), Crowley County (19-2), Loveland Classical (18-3), Plateau Valley (19-1), Golden View Classical Academy (19-3), Byers (17-4) and Sanford (16-5).
Holding out hope: The season is still alive for a handful of teams heading into this final weekend of the regular season, but there’s not much room for error. No. 28 Ridgway (12-7), No. 29 Vail Christian (9-8), No. 30 Union Colony Prep (10-11), No. 31 Del Norte (9-10) and No. 32 Dayspring Christian Academy (8-13).
Needs a miracle: Calhan has a 10-12 record and that has the Bulldogs No. 35 in the rankings. The postseason dream is still barely in focus, however, because the Bulldogs face No. 1-seeded Simla at 6:30 p.m. Friday and an improbable win could be enough to nudge Calhan up to the coveted No. 32 spot.
Class 1A
Looking good: McClave (19-3), Primero (21-1), Otis (17-2), Cheyenne Wells (17-4), Sierra Grande (17-4), Kim/Branson (15-4), Stratton (16-5), and Elbert (16-5) are occupying the No. 1 through No. 8 spots in the RPI, and each has state championship dreams – and rightfully so.
Holding out hope: Nothing is set in stone, but if No. 28 Hanover (12-8), No. 29 Ouray (12-10), No. 30 Sangre de Cristo (11-9), No. 31 (8-13), and Caliche (8-13) are still all clinching to postseason possibility but certainly have to take care of business this weekend – if at all possible – to stay in the playoff conversation.
Needs a miracle: Centennial (8-13), are sitting in the No. 38 position in the RPI, but have a glimmer of hope to make the postseason. It has to start with a win over No. 30 Sangre de Cristo at 6:30 p.m. Thursday and then go and win Southern Peaks League tournament this weekend. If those things happen and enough other chips fall into place the Rams might be making postseason plans come Sunday.
