5A First Round Preview: Chauncey Billups Region

Brad Cochi

February 18, 2019 @ 05:24 PM

It’s playoff time! The Colorado Class 5A state tournament is set to kick off with the first round on Wednesday. A total of 16 games will be played, and they will determine who will face each of the four teams that received first-round byes in each of the four regions. Let's take a look at each first-round matchup in the Chauncey Billups Region:   First-round byes: No. 1 Chaparral, No. 8 Fairview, No. 9 Columbine, No. 16 Castle View. No. 32 Fossil Ridge (13-10) vs. No. 33 Pine Creek (13-10), Wednesday, 6:30 p.m. Fossil Ridge might have a future stud on its hand with sophomore Luke Yoder (12.3 ppg) but this year’s version of the Sabercats has a balanced approach to scoring. With only two players – Yoder and Zack Crane (10.8 ppg) – scoring in double figures, Fossil Ridge has six other players who average over five points a night. Pine Creek, on the other hand, is an excellent passing club that averages 15.2 assists per game and is led by guard Grant Wilkinson, who also leads the team in scoring at 15.6 points a night. Neither these teams made it out of the first round last year, so this first-round matchup at the very least guarantees on will do so this winter. No. 17 Mullen (14-9) vs. No. 48 Chatfield (7-16), Wednesday, 7 p.m. As the 48th and final team to round out the 5A postseason field this season, there is no clearer underdog in the fray than Chatfield. But with 6-foot-2 senior guard Luke Carlson (14.6 ppg) leading the way, the Chargers have a solid group of double-digit scorer – Carlson, Connor Vernon (11.9), Christian Holmes (11.1) and Dylan Carter (10.1) – who can all hold their own at the defensive end. The Mullen Mustangs defeated Chatfield, 91-58, in the finals of the Mullen Mustang Invite. The Mustangs also have their own vaunted group at the top in Christian Davis (14.0 ppg), Isaac Ondekane (13.3) and Isaac White (11.2), and are the fifth-highest scoring team in 5A. If the Chatfield boys aren’t on their game, this one could get ugly. No. 25 Palmer (14-9) vs. No. 40 Broomfield (11-12), Wednesday, 6:30 p.m. The Broomfield Eagles have their hands full with Palmer’s one-two punch of seniors Isaiah Robinson (19.5 ppg) and Darien Meyers (18.1), both of whom are playing excellent basketball heading into the playoffs. The Eagles counter with senior point guard Steven Croell (15.7), a versatile and aggressive lefty who also plays quarterback, as well as a young but tall roster that boasts five players over 6-foot-3. Broomfield seemed to be hot and cold during the regular season and lost a lot of close games. The Eagles will have to be hot on Wednesday night if they want to play their way into an upset and a second-round date with Front Range League rival Fairview. No. 24 Cherry Creek (11-12) vs. No. 41 Doherty (10-13), Wednesday, TBA Here we have an interesting matchup between two teams with sub-.500 records, but both teams have clear strengths that they hope to ride to victory. Doherty reached the postseason on the strength of its defense, allowing an average of just 57.1 points during the regular season. Cherry Creek has the star power, and a backcourt that is bursting at the seams with young talent. Bruins sophomore Julian Hammond III (20.2 ppg), sophomore Myles Purchase (12.7) and Sebastian Cole form trio of guards that, when they get hot, can’t be contained. But the Doherty boys certainly will try on Wednesday night, and it will also take a big from guys like Lucas Moerman to pull off the upset.