With most conference races still far from decided, our list of top games in girls basketball is a bit long this week. But we’ve gone through the schedule and picked all the games will directly impact the top of league races.
CLASS 1A
Belleview Christian at Flatirons Academy (TUES): Belleview Christian lost a tight game to Shining Mountain last week so the Bruins must get a win to stay in the 5280 chase. Flatirons opens the night tied with Shining Mountain in first.
Genoa Hugo at Wiley (TUES): A non-league contest that will impact RPI and post-season bracketing.
Moffat at Cotopaxi (THURS): Moffat is out of the league gate at 5-0 and tied with Sangre De Cristo atop the Southern Peaks. Cotopaxi is coming off a seven point loss to Sangre last week so they need a win to stay within range of the T-Birds.
Pikes Peak Christian at Elbert (FRI): Elbert is 2-0 in the Black Forest and leads Evangelical Christian and Pikes Peak Christian by one game. They’ve already beaten ECA so a win over Pikes Peak Christian moves them very close to the league crown.
Idalia at Arickaree/Woodlin (FRI): The winner could end up second in the YWKC behind Lone Star. Idalia dropped a league game to the Longhorns earlier this month. Arickaree/Woodlin is coming off their first win of the season against Bethune last week.
Wiley at Kim/Branson (FRI): Both teams seem to be a notch below South Baca and Springfield in the Ark Valley but the winner could end up third.
Fleming at Briggsdale (SAT): One of the biggest games statewide as they likely enter the game ranked 1-2 in Class 1A. The game also determines the North Central crown and whether they will share the title or if Briggsdale wins it outright thanks to an earlier win over the Wildcats.
Kit Carson at Springfield (SAT): It’s a non-league game but both teams are in the top 10 and the game could serve as a preview of a regional tournament game provided both teams advance that far.
CLASS 2A
Limon at Simla (TUES): Good rivalry between two tradition rich clubs and the result will affect the RPI standings and possibly the state tournament bracket if both teams get to Loveland.
Dawson at Heritage Christian (TUES): The first of two games this week featuring unbeatean teams in the Mile High. They’re tied with Denver Christian atop the standings.
Telluride at Ridgway (TUES): Both clubs are coming off losses to first place Ignacio last week that knocked them into a second place tie with 1A Dove Creek. The winner stays one game back of the top spot.
Sedgwick County at Merino (FRI): The first of three important league games in the Lower Platte. Merino is tied with Holyoke in first place while the Cougars are tied with Yuma and Wray in third and one game off the pace.
Yuma at Holyoke (FRI): Important game number two in the Lower Platte with Holyoke needing a win to remain in first place. Yuma is a game back and tied with Merino and Wray in third.
Dove Creek at Telluride (FRI): If Telluride gets the win at Ridgway on Tuesday, the winner of this one will stand alone in second place in the San Juan.
Meeker at Plateau Valley (FRI): Meeker shares the Western Slope lead with Hotchkiss as both enter the week without a conference loss. Plateua Valley is in a third place tie with Soroco as both the Cowboys and Rams have one league loss.
Heritage Christian at Denver Christian (FRI): If Heritage Christian gets the win over Dawson on Tuesday, they will stand alone atop the Mile High standings with a win in this one.
Sedgwick County at Yuma (SAT): There are a few scenarios possible with this one. If both teams score wins on Friday, they’ll be part of a five way for the Lower Platte lead but two losses drop them to a battle of fourth place.
Del Norte at Sanford (SAT): Both clubs are ranked in the top 10 and their two league meetings are expected to decide the Southern Peaks championship. This is the first battle.
Merino at Limon (SAT): A good non-league test for both clubs to end the week and to start February.
CLASS 3A
Platte Valley at Liberty Common (TUES): It’s the first of several important games inside the Patriot. University (4-0) is alone in first but the Broncos and Eagles are tied with three other clubs with one league loss.
Lutheran at Skyview Academy (WED): Both teams are unbeaten in the conference and tied with Jefferson Academy. It’s a good bet the three teams will end up 1-2-3 as they already have a two game edge on the rest of the conference.
Estes Park at Platte Valley (FRI): A second important battle for Platte Valley as they battle for a top two finish in the Patriot. The Broncos needed a win over Liberty Common on Tuesday to stay part of a second place logjam. Estes Park started the week tied with Platte Valley and three others with one league loss.
Eaton at Brush (FRI): The Reds and Beetdiggers are both part of the five-way battle for second place behind University. The outcome will help sort out the top four slots.
Centauri at Alamosa (FRI): Both teams lost to Pagosa Springs during the first two weeks of conference play. The winner will be alone in second through the first half schedule inside the IML.
CLASS 4A
Northridge at Centaurus (TUES): Two of the four teams at 4-2 in the Northern and tied for second behind first place Thompson Valley. The winner will be tied with the Greeley Central-Longmont survivor in second.
Greeley Central at Longmont (TUES): The exact scenario as Northridge-Centaurus with the winner keeping a piece of second place in the Northern.
Conifer at Skyview (TUES): Skyview is the defending Colorado 8 champion and can move closer to a repeat title with two wins this week. The Lobos and Wolverines share first place with Alameda atop the standings.
Falcon at Sand Creek (WED): Both teams are 6-0 in the Pikes Peak and both are already three games up on the rest of the league. This is the first of two top 10 battles and the two games will determine first and second.
Alameda at Skyview (THURS): The second battle of league unbeatens in the Colorado 8. If Skyview beats Conifer on Tuesday, the winner of this one takes over sole possession of first.
Evergreen at D’Evelyn (FRI): Green Mountain (6-0) leads the Jeffco but these two clubs hold down spots two and three with the Cougars one game up on the Jags.
Glenwood Springs at Battle Mountain (FRI): Glenwood Springs (4-0) is alone in the Western Slope lead. Battle Mountain is tied with Rifle in second and one game back. The Demons are heavily favored as they’re 12-3 overall and the Huskies 4-6.
Durango at Montrose (SAT): The winner will be alone in first in the Southwestern League as both enter the game without a league loss. Durango edged Montrose 35-33 in a non-league matchup earlier this month.
CLASS 5A
Thornton at Prairie View (MON): Thornton and Vista Peak are unbeaten and tied for the East Metro lead. Prairie View is one game back and tied with Rangeview and Westminster in fourth.
Legacy at Fossil Ridge (TUES): Fossil Ridge (4-0) shares the Front Range lead with Broomfield and Fairview. Legacy is 4-1 and alone in fourth place.
Doherty at Liberty (TUES): Liberty (4-0) leads the CS Metro by one game over Doherty and Fountain Fort Carson. This is the first of two games against the second place clubs this week.
Ralston Valley at Valor Christian (WED): Four teams start the week at 1-0 in the Jeffco but this expected to be the conference championship game. Both are ranked in the top 10 going in.
Lakewood at Arvada West (WED): This is the Jeffco undercard but both are also 1-0 and the winner will end up in first with the winner of Valor Christian-Ralston Valley.
Grandview at Mullen (WED): Coming off a huge win over Cherry Creek last week, Grandview wraps up the first half of the Centennial schedule. They need a win to stay alone in first as the Mustangs are 5-1 and tied for second with Cherry Creek.
Fountain Fort Carson at Liberty (THURS): If the Lancers beat Doherty on Tuesday, they can earn a two game edge on all conference teams with another win here. Fountain Fort Carson can take over first with a win as they would have the edge on the Lancers in tiebreakers.
Westminster at Thornton (THURS): The second game against a team one game back in the EMAC standings for Thornton this week. The Bluejays started the week tied with Vista Peak in first.
Rangeview at Vista Peak (THURS): Vista Peak also gets challenged by a team just one game back in the conference race. Should the Bison and Thornton win all three games mentioned on our list, the EMAC chase becomes a two-team battle.
Highlands Ranch at Chaparral (FRI): Highlands Ranch shares first place in the Continental with Regis and Ponderosa. All three are unbeaten. Chaparral is one of four teams one game back but of those four, the Wolverines have the best overall record.
Mountain Vista at Ponderosa (FRI): Another game in the Continental pitting a league leader against a team just one game off the pace.
Fairview at Legacy (FRI): The second big game for Legacy in the Front Range this week. This is the second league unbeaten they will face after meeting Fossil Ridge three nights earlier.
