Season Preview: Centennial League
(Photo credit: Colorado Sports Network) The Centennial was the strongest league in the state last season, with its top two teams, Overland and Eaglecrest, playing for the 5A title and a number of others making deep playoff runs. Expect more…
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Continue Reading(Photo credit: Colorado Sports Network)
The Centennial was the strongest league in the state last season, with its top two teams, Overland and Eaglecrest, playing for the 5A title and a number of others making deep playoff runs.
Expect more of the same this season in a league stocked full of some of Colorado’s most skilled and athletic players. Colbey Ross, the defending Gatorade Colorado Player of the Year, will have his Eaglecrest team primed for another shot at title glory, but the Raptors should get plenty of fight in their own league.
So just how will the Centennial play out? Here’s our preview:
1. Eaglecrest (Last season: 25-3, 12-2, tied for first in Centennial)
Count us among the guilty parties who didn’t quite see Eaglecrest’s run coming last season. It was easy to look at all the talented players the Raptors had lost during their memorable playoff run the season before and think they’d be lacking experience around star Colbey Ross. But Eaglecrest rose to the occasion and played beautiful team basketball. Players like Victor Garnes, Josh Walton, Ikenna Ozor, Xai’Vion Jackson and Elijah Wilson were part of an impressive do-your-role cast that cared little about the numbers it put up. All but Wilson in that group return, and Eaglecrest has more talented players like 2018 guard Jalen Talbott in the pipeline. You won’t find us doubting the Raptors anymore.
2. Cherokee Trail (19-7, 10-4, third)
David Thornton deserves all the accolades the 6-5 all-state forward earned as a senior last season. But does Thornton average 20 and 10 without all the pressure superlative point guard Jaizec Lottie puts on defenses? We’re not sure he would have, which is why we also don’t expect a fall off from the Cougars despite Thornton having moved on to the college ranks. Lottie, now a 6-1 senior, is that good. Ian Kelly, a 6-5 forward has worked hard to improve his game, and though he’s not the athlete Thornton was, he’s solid and tough. Deon Barfield, who is one of the best athletes playing basketball in the state, should be in for a big junior season after really taking strides this past grassroots season. And coach Morgan Gregory never has a shortage of athletic guards, meaning he should have a deep bench. CT will have the tools to make a run, and it will all start with Lottie.
3. Grandview (13-11, 7-7, fifth)
The school on Arapahoe Road has plenty of reason to be optimistic and that begins with the superb point guard-big man duo of LeChaun Duhart and Gage Prim. Both seniors, the 5-11 Duhart and the 6-6 Prim play with great confidence and are tough to game plan for given their versatility. Duhart is as comfortable attacking the basket and drawing contact as he is picking his spots on the perimeter. Prim is tough to handle around the glass but also continues to develop a nice mid-range game. Ben Boone, a 6-4 guard, averaged 8.1 points per game as a sophomore also creates mismatches with his size. And young guards Tyler Unger and Levi Dombro could help the program sooner than later. The Wolves, who have a great coach in Michael Rogers, are equipped to build on what was a strong 2015-16 season.
4. Smoky Hill (4-19, 2-12, seventh)
Talented depth will be the hallmark of coach Anthony Hardin’s second team, and it’s the biggest reason we believe the Buffs will make a mega leap from the bottom of the league standings. It starts with 6-4 shooting guard Kenny Foster, the state’s top sophomore. A top-five scorer in the league as a freshman, Foster has only enhanced his game during a tireless offseason. He’ll benefit greatly from twin towers in 6-7 John Harge and Will Becker, both of whom are likely future Division I players but also missed a large majority of last season due to injuries. The Buffs also have perhaps the state’s best freshman in point guard Quinten Rock, who transferred in from Chicago and was one of the top players, regardless of class, at our Expo last month. He’s already received a scholarship offer from the University of Denver. Also at that spot is speedy Eugene Rivers, another standout at the Expo. Wings Jahwan Phillips (6-3) and Kyle Cabs (6-5) are two more athletic and talented players who can create matchups in the league. In terms of talent, Smoky Hill might be at the top of the league. But can they mold it all together and create enough chemistry to reach the top of the league? Only time will tell.
5. Overland (25-3, 12-2, tied for first)
The best player Colorado has seen for years, 6-10 De’Ron Davis, has changed Blazer green for Indiana red. And nearly every other major piece of Overland’s run of back-to-back state titles has moved on as well. But Danny Fisher is too good of a coach not to think he’ll mold this new iteration of his team into a competitive unit. A burgeoning guard in 6-1 junior Daijon Smith, who made some appearances on the title team as a sophomore, exploded during the spring and summer and is ready for a bigger role. Same goes for fellow 6-1 guard Nick Holmes, a senior who has really increased his explosiveness. Junior guard Asad Yousef also has varsity experience. The X-factor may be Goy Wang, a 6-4 wing, who is the brother of former Overland standout Padiet Wang, who is now at CU-Colorado Springs. Wang had a strong spring and summer on a strong Colorado Chaos 16U team. Two new additions to the varsity roster who could also contribute: point guard Tucson Redding and wing Laolu Oke.
6. Arapahoe (12-13, 5-9, sixth)
The Warriors made big strides last season, the second under coach Brad Jansen, running to the second round of the 5A playoffs. Arapahoe had great senior leaders in Ryan King, Joseph Kleeman and James Walsh, but the team’s star was 6-4 wing Kyle Lukasiewicz. An uncommitted senior who is one of the top wings in the 2017 class, Lukasiewicz has made major strides with his 3-point shooting. Long with good athleticism, Lukasiewicz has always had the ability to drive the lane, but his improved 3-point shooting makes him an even more dangerous. Jared Johnson and Camden Flinders are a pair of seniors who also made contributions as juniors last year. Most importantly, Arapahoe has developed continuity and chemistry in Jansen’s program, and the young players coming up the pipeline know what to expect and should be ready to contribute.
7. Cherry Creek (16-10, 8-6, fourth)
The Bruins were seconds away from a trip to the final four last season, falling in heartbreaking fashion in the quarterfinals to Chatfield. Much has changed since then. Longtime coach Mike Brookhart left the school and is now coaching Denver West, and JV coach Kent Dertinger was promoted to the top spot. The team also saw the graduation of its top two players, Hayden Parr and Will Halfon. Still, the cupboard isn’t bare. Dmitri Stanley, an athletic two-sport star, is now an experienced junior point guard. Jalen Meeks, a 6-1 senior, is a highly athletic, high-energy player who impressed during summer ball. Alec Pell is a 6-4 sophomore transfer from Texas who is fundamentally sound, shoots it well and can rebound for his size. It might take some time, but Creek doesn’t stay out of the mix long.
8. Mullen (6-17, 0-14, eighth)
The Mustangs are still building, but there is promising talent on the way. Mullen will be led by sharpshooting senior Matteo Busnardo, a 6-0 guard and recent Concordia (Neb.) commit who averaged better than 15 points per game last season. Two talented sophomores should make contributions this year in 6-2 Vaughn Stitt and 6-4 Jeordon Holmes, who impressed at our Expo last month. Reggie Parris, a 6-2 junior, was a solid contributor last year at 5 points per game. Though the Mustangs were winless in league play last year, don’t expect them to be an automatic on opponents’ schedules this season.