3 reasons why Boulder’s strong season is far from over

<p><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/caleb-wehmuller/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/caleb-wehmuller/">[player_tooltip player_id="915355" first="Caleb" last="Wehmuller"]</a></a> went to talk to Boulder coach Riley Grabau about his recent struggles before a game last month. Hours later, he set a career-high in points.</p> <p>Grabau's exact message to his senior guard was to go home, close his eyes and visualize making shots. But deeper than that, it was a ploy to get him to relax and trust in himself.</p> <p>“Just to see this tonight, and for him to come out and look like a whole new player, it's proud to see as a coach,” Grabau said about Wehmuller after he scored 27 in a win over Broomfield Jan. 24. “His work ethic showed tonight. He went in and played. I told him, ‘Just play.'”</p> <p>Grabau — a Panthers alum who went on to play at the University of Wyoming — has seemingly hit every right button in his second year in charge. How will it continue?</p> <p>A week ago, PrepHoops.com examined the status of Fairview in the piece <em><a href="https://prephoops.com/2020/01/now-and-the-future-5a-contending-fairview-set/">“Now and the future: 5A contending Fairview is set”.</a></em> This week, Boulder's glistening roster and the young coach whom they trust are at the forefront.</p> <p>Here are three quick reasons why Boulder could end up being one of the strongest contenders in 5A.</p> <p><strong>A tested senior class</strong></p> <p>If you want tested — mentally, physically — let me reintroduce Wehmuller.</p> <p>The senior guard, deemed a “gym rat” by his coach, returned for his final season after tearing his ACL just before what looked destined to be a strong junior campaign.</p> <p>His ability to find his own shot while getting others involved was clear when led the team in scoring as a sophomore. In his return for Boulder this year, he's shown the ability to go berserk if needed (see above), but, credit to his high basketball IQ, he's more eager to make the right play.</p> <p>His unselfish play highlights an eight-senior-deep team that's bent on the concept.</p> <p>In his rare stat explosion, Wehmuller went 5 for 5 from deep and missed just two shots while putting up 27 against Broomfield last month.</p> <p><strong>In Grabau they trust</strong></p> <p>Last year, his team bounced back from a 1-9 start to win 12 of its final 15 games, including a first-round state playoff win over George Washington. And currently, Boulder is undefeated in the 5A Front Range League alongside rival Fairview.</p> <p>The key has been the buy-in from his roster.</p> <p>“Riley's a genius,” Wehmuller said before the season. “He played D-I basketball at Wyoming, has great motion-offense concepts and defensive principles. And most importantly, he brings a family aspect to the team. Everybody loves him and he loves everybody, and it's a genuine love.”</p> <p><strong><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/tyler-turner/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/tyler-turner/">[player_tooltip player_id="770375" first="Tyler" last="Turner"]</a></a> and Peter Boyle</strong></p> <p>The Feb. 17 game against Fairview at CU Events Center is drawing close. And, by all accounts up to this point, it looks like the winner of that will win Front Range League and enjoy a top-five seed in the state playoffs.</p> <p>It's a matter of whose stars will shine brightest.</p> <p>Fairview's Greysen Carter (17.7 PPG) and <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/jalen-page/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/jalen-page/">[player_tooltip player_id="526680" first="Jalen" last="Page"]</a></a> (12.2) are bona fide standouts. Each has nice size, strong frames and a feathery touch from deep.</p> <p>And Boulder has guys like that, too. With the likes of Turner (10.2) and Boyle (9.3), the Panthers have a twofold that can go off in spurts if needed.</p> <p>Turner, who has surprising pop for his 6-foot frame — i.e., a one-handed slam on a fastbreak last month — took over in last year's Fairview-Boulder game, scoring eight of his 23 in the final 3:51 to upend the Knights.</p> <p>Boyle, the son of University of Colorado coach Tad Boyle, has the same tall, slender frame as his dad. At 6-6, he's by far the tallest player on roster, which means he'll likely have to go up against some of the elite big men in the state playoffs.</p> <p>Against ThunderRidge at the start of the new year, he went against 6-7, bulky junior <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/nolan-marold/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/nolan-marold/">[player_tooltip player_id="916957" first="Nolan" last="Marold"]</a></a>, who is far bigger in size, and Boyle held his own. Marold had 15 points but was visibly frustrated as Boyle hassled him throughout the night.</p> <p>The Panthers face Monarch Friday.</p>