We’ve reached the final two weeks of the boys’ basketball regular season and several games on tap this week could determine league championships and top post-season seeds.
CLASS 1A
Pikes Peak Christian at Kiowa (Monday)
Wiley at Walsh (Tuesday)
Denver Jewish Day at Cornerstone Christian (Thursday)
Kiowa at Evangelical Christian (Friday)
Arickaree/Woodlin at Briggsdale (Friday)
Idalia at Otis (Friday)
Sierra Grande at Sangre De Cristo (Saturday)
Kim/Branson at Walsh (Saturday)
NOTES: Kiowa and Evangelical Christian are both unbeaten in the Black Forest chase so if Kiowa tops Pikes Peak Christian on Monday the Friday contest will be for the conference championship. Walsh is alone in first in the Ark Valley and wins this week over Wiley and Kim/Branson will clinch the league title and top district seed. Both opponents are only one game back in the standings. Cornerstone Christian opens the week tied with Mile High Academy and Front Range Baptist atop the 5280 race. Denver Jewish Day is in fourth one game off the pace.  Idalia must beat Otis to stay tied with Arickaree/Woodlin in the YWKC lead. An Idalia win this week sets up a winner take all battle on the 12th for the league championship. Sierra Grande is in second place and one game back of Sangre De Cristo in the Southern Peaks. A win likely gives the Panthers the championship on a tiebreaker but a loss could drop them to third behind Creede since they lost the head-to-head meeting with the Miners. Sangre also plays Manzanola on Friday and wins in both games this week give the T-Birds the league crown. The Arickaree/Woodlin — Briggsdale game is on the list for regional tournament seeding if both teams advance that far.
CLASS 2A
Simla at Limon (Tuesday)
Yuma at Sedgwick County (Tuesday)
Heritage Christian at Dayspring Christian (Tuesday)
Peyton at Dolores Huerta (Friday)
Swallows Charter at John Mall (Friday)
Sargent at Del Norte (Friday)
Sedgwick County at Akron (Friday)
Highland at Denver Christian (Friday)
Limon at Byers (Friday)
Vail Christian at Paonia (Friday)
NOTES: It’s a very big week for Class 2A clubs. Let’s start in the Lower Platte where Yuma has a one game edge on Akron and Sedgwick County atop the standings. The Indians topped Akron earlier this year so a win leaves them in control of the race. If Yuma wins on Tuesday, then the Sedgwick County-Akron contest on Friday could determine second place. In the Mile High, Highland leads Denver Christian by one game so the league title could be on the line when they meet on Friday.  Dayspring Christian and Heritage Christian are also battling for third place. The Limon-Byers winner should end up with the Union Pacific championship. Limon also has an important game concerning RPI three nights earlier against Simla. In the Black Forest, Peyton took the lead by beating Simla last week and a win over Dolores Huerta this week gives the Panthers the championship. Vail Christian has a two-game edge on all other teams for the top district seed out west. They go to Paonia on Friday and then host North Park on Saturday and two wins clinch second place in the standings the top district seed. They trail 1A DeBeque in the overall standings. Sargent and Del Norte start the conference fun in the South Central. Those two should battle with Sanford for the top three places. In non-league play, Del Norte beat Sargent, Sargent beat Sanford and then Sanford topped Del Norte so there’s not a clear-cut favorite. Swallows Charter and John Mall are battling with Hoehne for spots 2-4 behind Fowler in the Santa Fe West. The top three teams earn byes into the district quarterfinals while the fourth place club must take part in a play-in game to get there.
CLASS 3A
Sterling at Platte Valley (Tuesday)
DSST-Stapleton at Middle Park (Tuesday)
Montezuma Cortez at Centauri (Friday)
Gunnison at Grand Valley (Friday)
NOTES: Sterling is alone in first in the Patriot and can clinch the championship by beating Platte Valley on Tuesday. The Broncos are two games out in third place with Resurrection Christian sitting between the two in second place. Sterling already has beaten Resurrection Christian and after Platte Valley they have just one conference game remaining. Win or lose, Platte Valley is the best position to finish third. DSST-Stapleton (8-0) leads the Frontier conference by one game over Academy. They also meet Sheridan and Platte Canyon on Saturday and wins in two of three give them the championship. Centauri went from two games out in the Intermountain to being alone in first place last week. Two wins over Bayfield helped their cause. They enter this week with a one game edge on Bayfield and Montezuma Cortez so a win leaves them in good position to win the crown. Gunnison and Grand Valley both have one league loss and are two of three teams trying to stay close to first place Delta on the Western Slope. Delta has already beaten Grand Valley but still has a game left with Gunnison next week.
CLASS 4A
Longmont at Centaurus (Tuesday)
Harrison at Classical Academy (Wednesday)
Steamboat Springs at Glenwood Springs (Saturday)
NOTES: Many league leaders in Class 4A have a two or even three-game edge on their nearest competitor so that leaves the schedule a bit light this week. Longmont leads Centaurus by two games in the Northern conference and a second win over the Warriors gives the title to the Trojans. Harrison leads Classical Academy by one game atop the CS Metro. The Panthers cannot officially clinch with a win but a victory puts them in great shape. Harrison won the first meeting by just two points (55-53). Glenwood Springs beat Steamboat Springs earlier this year and that outcome separates the two atop the Western Slope. Glenwood also goes to Eagle Valley on Thursday and wins in both games this week give them the conference championship.
CLASS 5A
Fossil Ridge at Greeley West (Tuesday)
Legend at Mountain Vista (Tuesday)
Rangeview at Brighton (Tuesday)
Eaglecrest at Mullen (Wednesday)
Smoky Hill at Overland (Friday)
Greeley West at Fairview (Friday)
Denver East at Thomas Jefferson (Friday)
Palmer at Doherty (Friday)
ThunderRidge at Chaparral (Friday)
Regis at Mountain Vista (Friday)
NOTES: It’s a crowded race in the Continental as five teams enter the final two weeks with one loss and tied for the league lead. Three games are on tap this week involving leaders going head-to-head as on Tuesday Legend goes to Mountain Vista and then on Friday ThunderRidge heads to Chaparral and Mountain Vista is home to Regis. Fairview leads the Front Range by one game over Greeley West and Boulder. The Knights face the Spartans on Friday and then Boulder next week. West also has an important game with fourth-place Fossil Ridge on Tuesday. Rangeview and Brighton are the last two unbeatens in the East Metro so the Tuesday winner should end up with the title. Smoky Hill’s win over Grandview left the two teams tied for the Centennial lead. The Buffs have the tougher schedule this week as they visit fourth-place Overland on Friday. Eaglecrest also looks to maintain third place when they go to Mullen on Wednesday. Denver East leads Lincoln, George Washington and Thomas Jefferson by one game in the City league chase. They’ve beaten Lincoln and have GW in their regular season finale next week.  The Palmer-Doherty winner should land second in the CS Metro. Both teams trail first-place Fountain Fort Carson by three games.
