Games of the weekend: Week 3

There are some very good games as we have a ton of our in-state teams playing out of state right now and doing our state some justice. We have fared well so fare and will be looking to continue picking up wins and earning respect. Here we take a look at a weekend slate that has more solid games to cover. Here are our favorite games of the weekend. Friday Cherry Creek versus Lincoln The Cherry Creek Holiday Classic had some very interesting games from start to finish with not one blowout. I thought that the Creek game was going to get out of hand as the Bruins got off to a very hot-start but seeing as Vista Ridge fought back in the game it makes for an even more interesting matchup between Lincoln and Cherry Creek. For Lincoln, there is no guessing what is going to happen. They have one of the best duos in the entire state in Ty Foster and TJ Bamba that will do ANYTHING to will their team to victory. They single handily beat Legend on Thursday in the opening game of the tourney as they combined for 50 of the team’s 60 points and will turn their attention to another great set of guards. Creek has a very solid group of guards that is headlined by Julian Hammond III who is coming off a 1stteam All-State football season where they brought home the gold trophy behind their star QB. He is also one of the best juniors in the entire state on the hardwood as well. He put up 10 points against Vista Ridge and is getting back into basketball shape with 1stteam All-State corner and point guard Myles Purchase alongside him. He is a floor general that gets others involved and is capable of locking down the best ball-handler as well. He tied for a team-high 13 points and also dished four assists as well. Davey Hands and Sebastian Cole have carried the way while their teammates were on the gridiron and continued to dominate when they returned. They get to the rim and find the open man and are both capable of knocking down shots as well. This will be a great battle of great guards that is worth watching. Fairview v. Thomas Jefferson Fairview is a team that has been up and down to start the season offensively but has played great defense and a winning brand of basketball. They have a solid group led by Greysen Carter who can score from all three levels, Jalen Page who is the inside presence and defensive stopper and has great guard play with Mark O’Neill and Jalen Page also being two-way players who get after it. They struggled early on in the first game of the Cherry Creek Classic but found a way to win which sets them up with a solid battle with Thomas Jefferson. The Spartans are led by Darius Hornbuckle who set the tone early sinking shot after shot and creating for himself off of the dribble at the rim as well. He is difficult to defend and will cause Fairview problems if he gets off to a quick start. James Abbey Jr. is also a guard that can score in various ways as well. He gets after in on both ends of the floor and offers some scoring assistance and sophomore Said Mobasher has been a welcomed addition as well as a versatile guard that is capable of turning the game around if his shot is on. This will be a fun game where I expect it to go back and forth throughout the duration of the game. That fourth quarter will be crucial on the team that makes the most free-throws will most likely win the game. Sand Creek v. Classical Academy Sand Creek has played some solid basketball to begin the season despite taking some tough losses and is a fast-paced high scoring team that wants to have the opposing team uncomfortable. Markus Ramirez is a shooting guard with the range that keeps attacking and finding openings that the defense gives him, Greg Garnett plays the passing lanes as well as anyone in his conference and gets it going on that end of the floor and Gabe Brock is an X-factor that can turn the game around. Classical Academy is off to a very hot start as we expected and that is behind Micah Lamberth who is up to 17.5 points a game. He does everything as he gets other others involved, rebounds at a high level and also plays great defense as well. Kade Walker is also at nine points and 6.5 rebounds a game and that duo have been enough to get Classical academy off to a 4-1 start. Saturday Vista Peak v. Lewis-Palmer Tournament day and the Tarkanian Classic will take over the day so we are unsure of what will be the best game. But in-state there is Vista Peak versus Lewis-Palmer. Vista Peak has great guard play with AJ LaCabe is a go-to scorer that can create for himself, excels in PnR situations and can also score from all three levels. They are best when Curtis Stovall and Sayo Olawabi are aggressive offensively and attacking their men. They are two-way players with high upside and the surprising standout of their season has been Jalen Carrizales who is a speedy and craft guard. Executing late and taking care of the ball is what is standing in front of them still remaining undefeated on the season and they have seemed to have turned that around. It will be an interesting game in that aspect. The 4A champs from last season are off to another great start. They are coming off of an upset loss to Liberty and will look to right the ship against a talented Vista Peak team that I am sure they will be ready for. Through six games it has been Eddie Speller Jr. that has led the way with 13.3 points and 6.7 rebounds a game as a force on both ends of the floor that has his way with other big men That will be the difference in the game as there might not be a Bison player that can match up with his physicality. Cameron Lowe and Colin Westfall are both averaging in double-figures and can score in various ways as well as they have the winning pedigree and situational awareness to control games and they also have had relied on junior Noah Ragsdale to be the X-factor as well. This is a loaded team that knows how to win and I expect them to start off well as they still have a bad taste in their mouth from last game. This will be a game of proving themselves for both teams that should call for a good contest.