The overall Wednesday schedule is light but we still located three games that are important to either league races or RPI standings.  Also included is a look at the Colorado 8 league tournament semifinals as the team that wins that crown earns an automatic bid into the state tournament bracket.
 
3A:  Lutheran at Manual
Since Skyview Academy topped Colorado Academy on Tuesday night, Lutheran must get a win in this one to officially clinch the top district seed.  Both the Lions and Skyview Academy have just one league loss and could end up sharing the league title, but Lutheran would receive the higher district seed based on a head-to-head win.
Lutheran has won nine straight since a two-point loss to Faith Christian (44-42) early in league play.  They’re returning home from a long trip to Sterling where they beat the Tigers 73-57 on Tuesday.  Manual is just 2-8 in conference play and has just six wins overall but have won three of their last five.  The latest coming last week against Stargate 50-38.
 
4A:  Holy Family at Evergreen
Postponed twice from earlier in the season, the two tradition-rich programs finally get on the court here in the last week of the season.  It’s part of a very busy closing stretch for both clubs.  This is the second of four games in five days for Holy Family as the Tigers beat Skyline 43-33 on Tuesday and have games remaining with Mead on Thursday and Berthoud on Saturday.  Evergreen already has two wins this week beating Golden (50-30) and Wheat Ridge (54-11) over the past two nights.  They also host Green Mountain on Thursday.
Post-season bracketing is also affected by this game with Evergreen at #3 and Holy Family at #4 going into the game.  Both are in line for one of four available number one seeds in the state pairings.
Evergreen senior Claudia Dillon, with 19.9 points and 11.9 rebounds per game, is closing in on the end of her tremendous prep career.  She has scored 1,393 points with 1,065 rebounds over her four seasons.
Sophomore Genevieve Gudino leads a balanced Holy Family attack; scoring 14 points per game.  She netted 16 in a key win over Windsor last week that moved the Tigers into a first-place tie with the Wizards atop the Tri Valley.
One side note for Holy Family is coach Ron Rossi who is nearing 500 wins for his career.  The win over Skyline on Tuesday was victory #497.
 
5A:  Ralston Valley at Dakota Ridge
Both teams have one league loss so tonight’s winner gains second place outright in the Jeffco chase.  Valor Christian is unbeaten in conference play and leads both teams by one game in the loss column.  Ralston Valley has already lost to the league leaders but since Dakota Ridge still has a game left with Valor, they must win to stay within range.
To do so, they must play much better than the first non-league meeting with Ralston Valley where the Eagles came up short 62-32.
Sydney Bevington (12.5) tops Ralston Valley in scoring and also leads the team in rebounds (9.4).  Second in both categories is Shelby Nichols with 10.6 points and 7.3 rebounds.  Freshman Saya Sabus has been an immediate impact as she’s just two points shy of averaging 10 a game for the season.
Five players for Dakota Ridge average at least five points per game; a group led by Emily Doolittle (13.0).  Maggie Hawley (8.9) and Sydney Daniels (8.1) are next on the list.
 
Colorado 8 Tournament Semifinals
No surprises in the first round of the league tournament as the top four seeds advanced.  In the semifinals tonight, #1 Skyview meets #4 Conifer and #2 Weld Central is challenged by #3 Riverdale Ridge.
Higher seeds won the regular season matchup as Skyview moved past Conifer 56-33 and Weld Central collected a 67-55 win over Riverdale Ridge.  Winners meet in the championship Friday.
Concerning RPI, Skyview is 14th in Class 4A with Weld Central 27th and Conifer 48th.  The Class 3A standings list Riverdale Ridge at #27 as the Falcons drop into that division for the post-season.