4A boys preview
Brad Byler, Special to the Rocky
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
When the final game in 4A is over March 10, Thomas Jefferson hopes to be holding three-of-a-kind, as in state trophies. The Spartans have won the past two championships and return several key contributors from last season. As it did a year ago, T.J. enters, fittingly, as a No. 3 seed.
Whos hot: Pueblo South coach Dave Lockett is hot. Hot at the tournament committee for getting the Colts record wrong and giving them a No. 2 seed. The Colts went 22-1 (not 21-2) and could have several long trips ahead of them. "We only have one loss," he said. "They got a lot of things wrong. They might as well put names in a hat to draw the seeds. I was totally unimpressed by their so-called new system." ...The Colts and top seed Ralston Valley won their final nine regular-season games.
Whos not: No. 4 seed Fountain-Fort Carson has lost six of 10. ... Centaurus has eight wins, but none came against a winning team. ... No. 7 Greeley Central had a 10-game winning streak in the middle of the season, but the Wildcats cooled down by losing six of their final 10.
Bracket buster(s): Despite struggling through the final 10 games, it is worth mentioning Greeley Central was a surprise semifinalist last year. ... As if Pueblo South needed more motivation, the Colts will be determined to show the committee they deserved a No. 1 seed.
Prime-time players: Greeley Central point guard Isaiah Martinez, a junior, was selected to the Rockys All-Tournament team last year. ... Mountain Views Anthony Trimarco averages 17.5 points a game. ... Matt Elliott of Windsor scored a season-low three points in the Wizards loss against Broomfield on Feb.15, but the senior averages more than 17 points a game and is one of the top three-point threats in the state. ... Pueblo South is led by seniors Niko Marinucci (19points) and Cody Sorensen (14). ... Ralston Valley has three players who average double figures in scoring. The Mustangs are led by 6-foot-3 sophomore Pierce Hornung (13.3 points, 6.8 rebounds). ...Michael Bear of Delta averages 16.6 points a game.
Buzzer beater: This, by far, is the toughest region in 4A, with three 20-win teams. Windsor was hurt by the Northern Leagues season-ending tournament. The Wizards drew a No. 3 seed after compiling a 21-2 record. "I was a little surprised," Ralston Valley coach Mitch Conrad said. "I thought Pueblo South would be a No. 1 seed and Windsor has been up there all season."
Whos hot: Top seed Widefield rolls into state having won its past nine games, including an 80-65 victory against Harrison, the top seed in the Gibbs Region. ... Pueblo County finished on a season-best four-game winning streak. ... Two-time defending 4A champion Thomas Jefferson scored a season-best 127 points in a victory against Denver South to tune up for the tournament.
Whos not: Northridge and Conifer went 1-4 in their past five games. Conifers victory came against Jefferson (3-19).
Bracket buster(s): Elizabeth is the lowest seed in the region, but Cardinals center Brian Sackel could be a season wrecker. The 6-foot-6 center averages 22.3 points, 10.8 rebounds and two blocked shots. The Cardinals beat Conifer (13-10) this season. ... Widefield goes from hunter to hunted this year. Last season as a No. 8 seed, the Gladiators pulled one of the biggest upsets in the tournament when they eliminated No.1 Pueblo South.
Prime-time players: Theres plenty besides Sackel in this region. Greeley Wests Clay Pottorff leads 4A in scoring at 24 points a game. Fossil Ridge junior Cody Mivshek averages 20.1 points to lead the Sabercats and Alamosas Jason Espinoza averages 20. ... Widefield junior Julien McCollum can do it all, averaging 14.7 points, 8.9 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 3.9 steals. He also is known to block a shot or two. Teammate Brandon Lutz led the Colorado Springs Metro League with 18.2 points a game. ... Cherokee Trails breakthrough season has been led by the trio of forward Cyrus Durham (13.4 points), guard Jimmy Hayes (11.5) and guard Bobby Banks (11.0). Durham and Banks are stepbrothers who moved to Colorado from Memphis, Tenn.
Buzzer beater: Cherokee Trail played 5A No. 1 Aurora Central this season, but the Cougars were given only a No. 4 seed despite their 20-win season because their overall strength of schedule was poor. "That seemed to be a big factor," Cougars coach Brad Dorais said. "Our schedule was determined last year for the next two years, so we cant control that. We can just go out and play." ... T.J. was the opposite of Cherokee Trail. The Spartans were awarded a No. 3 seed despite their 12-11 record, probably because they played nine 5A teams, as well as Harrison, Ralston Valley, Widefield, DEvelyn and Lincoln. They beat Widefield and Ralston Valley.
Whos hot: Harrison went 12-1 to finish the regular season. Its only loss was to Colorado Springs rival Widefield, the No. 1 seed in the Shavlik Region. ... Glenwood Springs had only two losses in its final 15 games, both to Western Slope rival Steamboat Springs. The Demons had five wins to close the regular season. ... Lincoln closed the regular season with a 9-1 run, with the loss against 5A power Denver East.
Whos not: Liberty lost to Falcon (6-17) in its final game before state. ... Longmont is lukewarm after losing its final two games in the Northern League tournament. Before that, the Trojans went on an 8-2 run, with their losses to Broomfield, the Baggot Regions No. 1 seed. ... Palisade had a six-game winning streak during the season but stumbled to a 1-3 finish.
Bracket buster(s): Led by 6-foot-6 senior Ryan Foraker, Glenwood Springs could be trouble with the No. 5 seed. It should get by Alameda in the first round, then give Longmont all it can handle in the second round. ... Pueblo East is no slouch as the No. 8 seed, either. The Eagles had four losses to Pueblo South and Alamosa but split their series against Pueblo Central and beat Fountain-Fort Carson, a No. 4 seed in the Weimar Region. ... Sterling gained a No. 3 seed, based on impressive wins against Alamosa, Greeley Central and Longmont.
Prime-time players: Lincoln guard Jorge Gutierrez is one of the most exciting players in 4A. The junior can score (19.5) and play defense (4.6steals). ... Nobody in 4A can match the experience of Harrison point guard John Register. He has started in the past two 4A championship games and provides solid leadership. Register is one of four Panthers to average in double digits in scoring. ... Montezuma-Cortez is somewhat of a mystery after playing 10 out-of-state opponents. What is known about the Panthers is Ian Anderson (23.2 points) can light it up. ... Luke Witty leads Frederick in scoring (17.2). ... Alameda likely will need a hot hand from Max Mellick to advance. Mellick made 47 three-pointers this season.
Buzzer beater: Tenacious defense is the calling card of several teams in this region. Longmont opponents average only 50.7 points against the Trojans. Harrison holds opponents to 54.6 points and the Panthers limited Cheyenne Mountain to 25 points in a victory this season. Sterling yielded a mere 23 points to Alamosa in the second game of the season. ... Longmont hung a season-best 102 points on Alameda, a possible second-round opponent.
Whos hot: No team is hotter than Steamboat Springs. The Sailors have the longest current winning streak in 4A at 17 games. ... Broomfield always seems to crank it up around tournament time. The Eagles won their past five games, including a victory at Windsor, to snag a No. 1 seed for the second year in a row. ...Golden won its final four games. The streak would be seven if the Demons hadnt lost by one against DEvelyn.
Whos not: Summit lost its final two games and beat only one 4A team with a winning record this season (Ranum). ... If it wasnt for two wins against Fort Morgan (0-22), Berthoud would have finished last in the Northern Leagues East Division.
Bracket buster(s): No. 10 seed Montrose has a 10-11 record, but the Indians played a 5A schedule for most of the season. Their biggest victories were at Fruita Monument and at home against Glenwood Springs. ... No. 4 Mesa Ridge has beaten four teams in the tournament: Elizabeth, Pueblo County, Pueblo East and Pueblo Central. ... Golden, Broomfield, Silver Creek, Sierra and DEvelyn made it to the Sweet16 last season. The Demons, Eagles and Jaguars were No. 1 seeds in 2006.
Prime-time players: DEvelyn senior Andrew Hooper leads the list. The 6-foot-9 forward averages 19.3 points, 12.6 rebounds and 5.7 blocked shots. He also leads the Jaguars in three-pointers (42). ... There are lots of long-range marksmen in the region, with Ranums Nick Reeves (52three-pointers), Broomfields Tim Halliday (46) and Silver Creeks Chaz Kramer (44). ... Devon Manning of Pueblo Central averages 20points. ... Goldens Brad Lubkeman was fourth in the 4A Jeffco League in scoring, averaging 14.8 a game.
Buzzer beaters: Steamboat Springs coach Kelly Meek has guided the Sailors for 35 years, leading them to the Sweet 16 16 times and the quarterfinals 10 times. His roster mainly is underclassmen, but the Sailors have a tradition of playing well in the state tournament. "Our kids and our program are used to stepping up to a higher level," Meek said. "Its not something that we fear." ... DEvelyn has beaten four teams in this region this season: Steamboat Springs, Golden, Summit and Montrose.
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