CHSAA’s March Madness enters a pivotal stage this weekend with the Class 6A and Class 5A boys and girls Great 8 at the Denver Coliseum. Here’s the names and storylines to watch as the stage becomes set for next weekend’s Final Four.
Class 6A boys bracket
The surging Wolves. No. 13 Grandview, the 2018 state champions and a consistent Coliseum participant over the past several decades, upset No. 4 Arvada West in the Sweet 16, 62-58. Head coach Ryan Turk’s team is battle-tested and led by senior forward Noah Sevy, who is averaging 14.0 points and 5.6 rebounds, and scored seven in the final minute of the road win over A-West.
Trio of favorites. No 1. Chaparral, No. 2 Ralston Valley and No. 3 Rangeview are the frontrunners to win the championship next weekend. Chaparral is led by juniors Luke Howery and Christian Williams, Ralston Valley features seniors Caiden Braketa and Zeke Andrews, and Rangeview is headlined by the trio of Archie Weatherspoon V, Marceles Duncan and Aidan Perez.
The Junker factor. If you were at the Coliseum last year, you know that Mountain Vista forward Oliver Junker is capable of total domination in the paint. The 6-foot-8 senior who is pledged to North Dakota State is averaging 12.9 points and 8.9 rebounds, and the Great 8 matchup against Chaparral’s big man, 6-10 senior Luke Williams, will be one of the tournament’s best showdowns.
Class 6A girls bracket
University Boulevard pipeline. Three Great 8 teams are all off the same road: No. 2 Arapahoe, No. 3 Valor Christian and No. 7 Highlands Ranch. The Warriors and Falcons meet on Friday. Arapahoe features the scoring tandem of Jaya White and Izzy Johnston, Highlands Ranch has the dynamic Kimora Banks-Thomas, and Valor Christian boasts Utah commit Peyton Jones.
Cherokee Trail’s chances. Head coach Tammi Statewright’s Cougars have been knocking on the door of a championship for a while now, and this season might be their time to get a ring. Cherokee Trail lost two close games to Arapahoe, but besides that, no one else in Colorado has beaten the Cougars. Cherokee Trail is headlined by three potent scorers in Aaliyah Broadus, Chloe Cain and Karson Chaney.
Riverdale Ridge’s star power. What dum-dum computer formula gave the Ravens a No. 13 seed? Yes, Riverdale Ridge annihilated every single Rocky Mountain Basketball league opponent and was hardly tested in state. But as evidenced by their 62-51 win over previously undefeated Broomfield in the Sweet 16, generational talent Brihanna Crittendon & Co. can make a title run.
Class 5A boys bracket
Banning’s swan song. In the Class 5A boys bracket, retiring head coach Bob Banning’s final season will, fittingly, end at the Coliseum after No. 13 Silver Creek upset No. 4 Eagle Valley in the Sweet 16. Banning’s helmed the Raptors for a quarter century in a career that has spanned 48 years, with other stops at Niwot and Skyline. Colorado doffs its cap to you, Coach Banning.
Western Slope reppin’. The 5A boys bracket features No. 1 Palisade and No. 2 Grand Junction. The Bulldogs have never won a state title, while the Tigers’ last championship came in Class A in 1946 — a game they won by a score of 23-13. Palisade has three double-digit scorers led by senior Hunter Howard, while Grand Junction has two star sophomores in Grant Lewis and Will Weirath.
The defending champs. Windsor, which won its first hoops title in 101 years last season, is seasoned coming into the Coliseum. The Wizards only lost one game to a Colorado Class 5A opponent all year, a 47-45 defeat to Air Academy back in December. Senior guard Madden Smiley, a Wyoming commit, is one of the most lethal scorers in the state at 24.2 points per game.
Class 5A girls bracket
The Asp factor. Air Academy, last year’s 5A girls runner-up, is back in the Coliseum behind star senior guard Kinley Asp. The Boston College commit is averaging 25 points, 6.9 rebounds and 3.6 assists as a one-woman wrecking crew. Undefeated Montrose (25-0) has its work cut out to limit Asp; much of that task will fall to the Red Hawks’ senior guard, captain Maggie Legg.
Lutheran’s rise. The Lions girls were a measly 13-12 last season and lost in the second round of the playoffs. But Lutheran has ascended this season, with a 22-3 record and a Pikes Peak League championship. No. 1 Lutheran has won five state titles but none above Class 3A, and is led by senior guard Berkley Schneider (14.4 points) and junior center Isla Koffmann (8.2 rebounds).
The Runnin’ Rams. No. 2 Green Mountain has never won a girls hoops title, but after making the Final Four last season, is again capable of cutting down the nets next weekend. The Rams’ lone loss came to Class 6A No. 1 Cherokee Trail 59-48 on Dec. 6, as they are riding a 22-game win streak. They have three double-digit scorers, led by senior guard Kantyn Pearson’s 16.4 points.
Great 8 schedule
Class 6A on Friday
8:45 a.m. — Girls: No. 5 Northfield vs. No. 13 Riverdale Ridge
10:15 a.m. — Boys: No. 5 Rock Canyon vs. No. 13 Grandview
11:45 a.m. — Girls: No. 3 Valor Christian vs. No. 6 Denver East
1:15 p.m. — Boys: No. 3 Rangeview vs. No. 6 Cherry Creek
4 p.m. — Girls: No. 1 Cherokee Trail vs. No. 9 Legend
5:30 p.m. — Boys: No. 1 Chaparral vs. No. 8 Mountain Vista
7 p.m. — Girls: No. 2 Arapahoe vs. No. 7 Highlands Ranch
8:30 p.m. — Boys: No. 2 Ralston Valley vs. No. 7 George Washington
Class 5A on Saturday
8:45 a.m. — Girls: No. 2 Green Mountain vs. No. 7 Mead
10:15 a.m. — Boys: No. 12 Mesa Ridge vs. No. 13 Silver Creek
11:45 a.m. — Girls: No. 4 Windsor vs. No. 5 Standley Lake
1:15 p.m. — Boys: No. 3 Severance vs. No. 11 Windsor
4 p.m. — Girls: No. 3 Montrose vs. No. 6 Air Academy
5:30 p.m. — Boys: No. 1 Palisade vs. No. 8 Lewis-Palmer
7 p.m. — Girls: No. 9 Pueblo East vs. No. 1 Lutheran
8:30 p.m. — Boys:” No. 2 Grand Junction vs. No. 10 Lutheran
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