Six bigs to watch in the Continental League

<p>There have been changes to the world as we know it, and the Colorado high school basketball scene has taken its fair share of changes as well. Typically, we will have already started with some tournaments at this time of the year to get things kicked off, but there has to be a compromise on both ends. Not only will the season start late, but it will be a condensed season, so teams and players must get off to hot starts. Here we will focus on the new leagues across the state. One conference that had a shake-up this offseason and will have plenty of talented teams, and my projected state champion will come out of this league. Let’s take a look at the 5A/4A Continental League.</p> <h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1050946" first="Micah" last="Nanninga"] – Castle View</strong></span></h2> <p>Nanninga is one of the bigger players in the state at 6’8 and is getting adjusted to his frame. He did not play or contribute much to Castle View in his junior season other than entering the game and grabbing key rebounds. Still, with the way he played with Colorado Chaos this summer, he deserves some recognition, and it should set him up for a more prominent role this season. Nanninga is progressing as an interior scorer that rebounds and goes right up with the ball, knows where to be on the floor, and once he establishes position in the post, keeps the ball high. Nanninga ran the floor well with that scrappy bunch and protected the paint to where he steps into the season as a player watch.</p> <h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="759280" first="Zach" last="Keller"] – ThunderRidge</strong></span></h2> <p>If it were not for an injury that sat down Keller for most of his sophomore season, we would probably have him as the No.1 player in the class. He made a significant jump and will be able to prove his top-3 ranking with a season of full health and his improvements over the summer and is the reason why the Grizzlies enter the season as the favorites. Keller is a 6’7 paint beast that cannot be contained with just one player. He is athletically gifted, finishes above the rim, and improved on his motor over the summer to where he was competing on every possession. Keller also has worked on his mid-range game and is shifting the defense, which keeps them guessing. He protects the paint, gets others involved, and in tournaments, and private runs, I have seen a focused Keller who looked unstoppable. If ThunderRidge gets that [player_tooltip player_id="759280" first="Zach" last="Keller"] this season – good luck to the rest of the Continental league.</p> <h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Mason Hart – Douglas County</strong></span></h2> <p>Hart is the secret weapon that the rest of the Continental league does not know about. He is a quick leaper and one of the best athletes in the conference. He did not play varsity as a sophomore, but the 6’8 big man showed out at the Kenny Anderson Showcase with Knights Elite. Hart was dunking in traffic, catching alley-oops, and establishing position inside. Hart moves extremely well as a mobile big man who grabs boards in bunches and protects the paint with blocks off the backboard. I am anxious to see if it translates to the season as Douglas County will already be one of the most interesting teams to watch in the entire state.</p> <h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="916957" first="Nolan" last="Marold"] – ThunderRidge</strong></span></h2> <p>Marold has the size and physicality, which separates him from the pack, and mix that in with the experience as he is a four-year varsity player, and you have the makings of one of the top big men in the entire state. Marold has been on our radars since he entered high school and has proven to be one of the most consistent players in the state. This 6’7 interior player is coming off of a season where he led the Grizzlies in points (10.5), rebounds (6.0), and blocks (1.5) a game. Marold sets hard screens, is unmovable on the block, and knows his way around the rim. Marold grabs boards and goes straight up, protects the paint, and is a nightmare matchup as he does everything so well. With the way that he played with Colorado Hoops Academy this summer, he got a bit bigger and stepped into a role that he will most likely play in college. Marold is a valuable piece, and Mr. Consistency. T-Ridge has the best frontcourt in the state, and with their size, how do you stop them?</p> <h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="916973" first="Garrett" last="Siebert"] – Legend</strong></span></h2> <p>Siebert is a slick 6’7 forward who can open up the floor with his blend of outside shooting and slashing. Siebert plays with contagious emotion, and when he is on, he is on. In his junior season, Siebert was the team’s best rebounder at 4.6 rebounds a game, but with the style of play that Legend implores, he is a perfect fit for the situation. Although he did not shoot the ball the way that we saw this summer during the high school season, having a big that spaces the floor gives a team the freedom to play freely. He put up 11.9 points a game and contributed to the system. He was on a fun Colorado Hoops Academy team where he was the emotional leader and hit big shots for the team all summer. He will have to show that he can consistently hit the outside shot, have his way inside, and contribute on the boards as he did all summer long. If he brings that into the season, Legend will be a tough out for whoever it is they are up against.</p> <h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="965747" first="Ty" last="Bergman"] – Regis</strong></span></h2> <p>Bergman is a skilled high IQ player with a bright future. He is a 6’7 versatile player that shoots the 3-ball well, gets inside with a set of moves, and controls situations when he has the ball. Bergman is a reliable player with upside as he makes the right play. Bergman was Regis’ best rebounder as a junior at 5.5 boards a game, and he was a player that the team relied on to score as well at 7.1 points a game. Bergman is unselfish and gets the ball moving around, reads what the defense gives him, and scores in bunches. For Pro Skills this summer, he was the team’s most consistent player as he stood out in every setting as a floor spacer that gets inside and bangs and rebounds amongst trees. I am excited to see what the future holds for him as he is also a wizard in the classroom as well. Bergman is a player that I enjoyed watching this past year.</p>