Mr. Colorado Basketball Candidate: Colbey Ross

Colbey Ross is not the kind of player to shy away from a challenge. Playing up a division this summer on Colorado Chaos' top 17U squad, Ross demonstrated his abilities as a dynamic scorer, a harassing defender and, above all, a true floor leader. It are those qualities that make Ross a contender, even as a junior, for our inaugural Mr. Colorado Basketball award, which will be given to the state's top player at the end of the season in February. As a sophomore, Ross, along with his older brother Elijah, nearly guided Eaglecrest to the Class 5A state title game, falling to ThunderRidge 57-47 in the final four. Along the way, Ross -- again, as a sophomore -- averaged 17.3 points and 3.8 assists per game. Through a combination of athleticism, great vision and a competitive will that stands toe to toe with any competitor he'll meet in the state, the 6-foot-1 Ross has all the tools to help the Raptors make another strong state title run. As if his sophomore season wasn't impressive enough, Ross may have been Colorado's top grassroots player this summer, marveling coaches in his own program and others alike with his knack for getting to the hole and scoring in droves. Expect more of the same this season for Ross -- a season that could once again march deep into Boulder.