Centennial League: Predicted Order of Finish

<p><em>(Photo credit: Overland Athletics)</em></p><p>As our season preview series rolls on, tonight we begin our preview of the Centennial League. Tonight: Predicting the order of finish in one of the state’s top leagues. Tomorrow: Preseason All-League Teams.</p> <p><strong>1. OVERLAND</strong><br /> It’s hard to pick against the champs. Boasting the state’s best player, blue chip forward <strong>De’Ron Davis</strong>, the Trail Blazers look like a team that is every bit as talented as the one that raised the shiny, golden ball in Boulder back in February. Overland is simply to talented and too deep not to capture another Centennial League crown. Bold prediction: They won’t drop a game in the league along the way.</p> <p><strong>2. CHEROKEE TRAIL</strong><br /> The Cougars have won of the most talented backcourts in the state, led by one of Colorado’s top point guards, <strong>Jaizec Lottie</strong>. He has great instincts as a floor general and can open scoring opportunities for some of the team’s other very capable scores, including senior <strong>David Thornton</strong> (13.6 points per game last season), <strong>Ronnie Barfield</strong> (10.2), <strong>K.J. Sapp</strong> (6.0) and <strong>Isiah Gilbert</strong> (4.5). Under coach Randy Gregory, this group has the talent and the experience to make a deep playoff push.</p> <p><strong>3. EAGLECREST</strong><br /> The Raptors will have a difficult time replicating the 12-2 mark they compiled in the Centennial League last season on the way to a second-place finish. Eaglecrest lost three of its four top scorers from the group that marched all the way to the state final four. That being said, the Raptors have one of the state’s very best players in <strong>Colbey Ross</strong>, who averaged 17.3 points per game as a sophomore. Ross will be a great leader for a talented group of young guards coming up through coach John Olander’s pipeline, and senior forward <strong>Nate Bokol</strong> appears ready to make a big leap as an inside presence.</p> <p><strong>4. CHERRY CREEK</strong><br /> The Bruins return a solid amount of talent from a team that finished 8-6 in the league last season. <strong>Hayden Parr</strong> and <strong>Will Halfon</strong> comprise a pair of hard-nosed guards who averaged a combined 24 points per game last season. Mike Brookhart’s teams are always a tough out, and this year will be no different given the versatility of the Bruins.</p> <p><strong>5. ARAPAHOE</strong><br /> After a rare down year last season, the Warriors are looking up and for good reason. Brad Jansen, now in his second full season after taking over just before the start of the 2014-15 campaign, has shooters all over the court, and more importantly he says his guys have started to buy in to a harassing defensive philosophy. <strong>Brett Harmon</strong> and <strong>Ryan King</strong> provide solid leadership as seniors, and <strong>Kyle Lukasiewicz</strong>, a 6-foot-3 shooting guard with great length, is one of the state’s top juniors.</p> <p><strong>6. SMOKY HILL</strong><br /> The Buffaloes are swimming in young talent. They boast the state’s best freshman in <strong>Kenny Foster</strong> and a handful of its top sophomores. Will that youthful energy be enough to make up for a lack of experience as Anthony Hardin begins his first season as Smoky Hill’s head coach? Time will tell, but this will certainly be an entertaining group to watch.</p> <p><strong>7. GRANDVIEW</strong><br /> The Wolves had four players who averaged double figures last season. All four of those players are gone, including Andrew Joiner, one of the league’s top scorers last season at 15.3 points per game. That means new faces will have to step up at Grandview. LaChaun Duhart averaged 6.1 points in 11 games for the Wolves as a sophomore last season</p> <p><strong>8. MULLEN</strong><br /> Mullen boasts one of the state’s best players in 2016 6-foot-6 wing Nathan Davis, but there is no definitive timetable on his return as he continues to rehab from a torn ACL he suffered in the spring. That will leave players like juniors Matteo Busnardo and Tanner Haas to step up if the Mustangs hope surprise folks in the Centennial.</p>