All-Senior 1st Team

Now that the season is over, it’s time to recognize those who stood out during this memorable campaign. Here we award our All-Senior Teams from Colorado. Choosing a total of 10 players only to make up the first, and second teams was no easy task. Our staff deliberated for a significant amount of time before finally coming up with the names below. Stay tuned for much more postseason coverage right here at Prep Hoops Colorado. FIRST TEAM G – [player_tooltip player_id="605549" first="Javonte" last="Johnson"] | Cheyenne Mountain When taking a look at the best overall year from an individual standpoint, there might not have been a season as incredible as Johnson had for Cheyenne Mountain. The senior guard is a player that can score from all three levels and is an elite athlete that is only scratching the surface on his potential. The combo-guard was the 5A/4A Pikes Peak Player of the Year as he led Cheyenne Mountain to a league title. He also led the entire state in scoring at 30 points a game and also grabbed 10.2 rebounds a game as well, which has never been done in the state of Colorado. He will continue his career at the University of New Mexico next year, and the Lobos got one of the state’s best scorers in recent memory. He was a unanimous decision for Prep Hoops 1st Team. G – [player_tooltip player_id="606413" first="Dominique" last="Clifford"]| Vanguard – Player of the Year When looking back at the past few seasons, there might not be a stock riser like Clifford. He went from being an unranked and unknown player his first two seasons to having a stellar junior season on a state runner-up team to being undoubtedly the No.1 player in the state while also being ranked nationally. The smooth scoring wing tuned teams up to the average of 24.5 points, and 13.0 rebounds a game, but what stands out most is his ability to allow others around him to shine as well. Clifford not only scored the ball at a high and efficient rate, but he got teammates involved as well. He dished out six assists a game and got through double teams with his unselfish behavior, which led to more wins. There are not many things on the court that Clifford can’t do as he is an above-average ball-handler, dunker and shooter and the University of Colorado did the right thing by locking up the top player in the state to play in Boulder next season. Clifford won the Maxpreps player of the year, and my guess is he is the Gatorade player of the year as well. G – [player_tooltip player_id="914081" first="TJ" last="Bamba"] | Lincoln Bamba came into the season with high expectations on one of the best backcourt duos in the entire state. Bamba led his Lincoln Lancers unit to the Great 8 in which Lincoln went on a run before falling to the No.1 team in 4A in a nail biter. When taking a look at his senior season as a whole, there were not many players that were able to carry the load as Bamba was on any given night. The 6’5 wing also was the team’s go-to offensive player as he put up 24 points a game, but he was also served as the team’s big guy averaging 10 rebounds a game as well. Bamba got to the lane and finished with highlight dunks and either-hand finishes as he was too big, quick, or strong for defenders that attempted to slow him down. Bamba will be taking his talents to play in the Pac-12 next season at Washington State University, and the Cougars are getting an elite athlete that buys in on both sides of the court that is willing to work extremely hard. F – [player_tooltip player_id="915287" first="Luke" last="O’Brien"] | Columbine Over the last four seasons, O’Brien just might be the most consistent player in the state. The 6’8 wing is a unique player as his size forced opposing teams, big men, to attempt to defend him, but that never worked as he carved opposing teams up each night out. O’Brien moves exceptionally well for a player of his size. He can put the ball on the floor, rebounds well, has sound footwork down low, and is also able to step out and shoot the ball as well. O’Brien became Columbine’s All-Time leading scorer as the four-year starter scored 1838 points a game, but no season was as solid as his senior season. O’Brien led the Rebels to a 21-5 record in his senior year as he led 5A in two categories. O’Brien was 5A’s leading scorer at 25.3 points a game and second in rebounds at 12.4 boards a game. O’Brien has been the focal point of every single game plan to stop Columbine and was able to overcome double and even triple teams at times. The future University of Colorado player has a bright future ahead of him. He easily makes the All-Senior list. F – [player_tooltip player_id="915288" first="Caleb" last="McGill"] – Grandview McGill is a UC-Davis commit that may not put up huge offensive numbers, especially in the realm of scoring. Plenty of that has to do with how Grandview operates offensively as a strategic team that passes the ball until they get the open shot. Still, when McGill was unleashed offensively, he over-performed, which tells you plenty of what you need to know about him moving forward. McGill put up 17.2 points a game, and the 6’7 forward also grabbed 7.1 rebounds to go along with it as well. While he improved as an inside-out weapon who could grab the board and start the break himself, he also excelled in PnR situations where he popped out and opened up the floor with his outside shot as well. He buys in defensively and shows up no matter who he is up against, as seen by his showing in the Tarkanian Classic. McGill is one of the most skilled players in the state, no matter the position, and he had an incredible high school career where he was a 1x state champion and was looking to bring home another. While his season ended abruptly, we are sure we will see him continue to cause headaches for opposing teams next season as he rounds off the All-Senior Team.