Newest 4A Top-10 heading into the week

<ol> <li> <h3><strong>Windsor</strong></h3> </li> <li> <h3><strong>Longmont</strong></h3> </li> <li> <h3><strong>Mead</strong></h3> </li> <li> <h3><strong>Pueblo Central</strong></h3> </li> <li> <h3><strong>Evergreen</strong></h3> </li> <li> <h3><strong>Erie</strong></h3> </li> <li> <h3><strong>Lewis-Palmer</strong></h3> </li> <li> <h3><strong>Montrose</strong></h3> </li> <li> <h3><strong>Steamboat Springs</strong></h3> </li> <li> <h3><strong>Green Mountain</strong></h3> </li> </ol> <p>Move over; there is a new No.1 team in the land as <strong>Windsor</strong> put an end to an impressive streak that the Mavericks had that went over 30 games. Windsor went from the hunters to the now hunted and have a solid group of players led by [player_tooltip player_id="916987" first="Ben" last="Hageman"] (20.2 ppg &amp;7.7 rpg) and [player_tooltip player_id="966339" first="Jaden" last="Kennis"] (18.7 ppg). Both are tenacious defenders that also remain in attack mode. When they get Kobe Greene (13.6 ppg) going, they become a dangerous team that does not need size to win games. Cohesive unit.</p> <p><strong>Longmont</strong> just picked up a Top-3 win this week to push themselves up on our rankings list. [player_tooltip player_id="965739" first="Eddie" last="Kurjak"] (18.7 ppg) has been a pest on the defensive end, a consistent rebounder, and the team’s go-to option offensively. He has had help from junior scorer Keegan Patterson (14.7 ppg) offensively, but this team’s identity is on the defensive side of the ball. Every player they have is willing to lay it all out on the line and are all bought-in. This team takes pride in their defense, and not too often do you get a group willing to do that.</p> <p><strong>Mead’s</strong> streak has finally come to an end as they stumbled twice last week, but it is not about how many times you fall, but how you get back up. This is a resilient bunch that now get to realign themselves and get back to playing winning basketball. Junior sharpshooter [player_tooltip player_id="918902" first="Elijah" last="Knudsen"] is up to 16.3 points a game and is one of the more skilled guards in the state leading the way for the Mavericks. I expect him to be aggressive this week and am even calling out an explosion for him by week’s end. [player_tooltip player_id="918899" first="James" last="Shiers"] (12.6 ppg &amp; 9.7 rpg) has controlled the paint, grabbed rebounds, and has been Mead’s inside presence. That dynamic duo has been solid, but will have to elevate their game if the Mavericks want to get back to winning basketball. [player_tooltip player_id="921097" first="Nick" last="Basson"] (10.9 ppg) is the X-factor and difference-maker for the team, so he will also need to step it up if they plan on righting the ship.</p> <p><strong>Pueblo Central</strong> is the team I would be most nervous about heading into the playoffs. They have a perfect blend of size, athleticism, and excellent guard play, as everyone seems to know what they’re doing. Pueblo Central feeds the hot-man, and that is typically their 6’7 sophomore big man [player_tooltip player_id="969431" first="Kadyn" last="Betts"] who is having a spectacular start to the season at 17.4 points and 10.8 rebounds a game. He runs the floor well, grabs boards, and goes right up with it as he has a good feel around the rim. Senior combo-guard Adonis Reynolds (16.5 ppg) has also stepped in and been productive for the Wildcats. That group will be prepared for whoever they are up against in a couple of weeks.</p> <p><strong>Evergreen</strong> continues to go as [player_tooltip player_id="916974" first="Griffin" last="Lauritano"] takes them. He is up to 16.1 points and 7.9 rebounds a game and has had help from Jackson Mott (14.3 ppg). Those two understand what it takes to win and want to go out with a bang. This group is bought-in and has to stay locked in against better teams with more help around them. The Cougars have opportunities to prove themselves as they get ready for a playoff run.</p> <p><strong>Erie</strong> has some solid wins under their belt that have helped push them up the rankings, as well as two losses on the year that I know they wish they could get back. When Erie is on, they have proved that they could be a top team in the state. They have senior leadership, which separates them from the pack, with Kevin Loy (12.8 ppg) and Jordan Nguyen (11.4 ppg) leading the way and a talented junior in Kayan Hargrave (12.8 ppg) that puts them over the hump. The Tigers have a deep bench and play a bunch of guys as there is not much drop-off from top to bottom. They remain in the Top-10 as they continue to pick up valuable wins.</p> <p><strong>Lewis-Palmer</strong> needs every win that they can get so they can get postseason eligible, and I think they will continue on their winning ways, so that should be nothing to worry about. People should be worried about them returning to full health with still six games remaining in the season. Junior wing, [player_tooltip player_id="1046034" first="Cameron" last="Lowe"] returned back for the Rangers and put up 17 points in his return. He only bolsters a solid lineup that has Eddie Speller Jr. (15.7 ppg), [player_tooltip player_id="965754" first="Colin" last="Westfall"] (15.3 ppg), and Brady Jones (12.2 ppg). Mix in the fact that they still have [player_tooltip player_id="1050938" first="Noah" last="Ragsdale"], who plays the right way and is an X-factor, and this is easily a bunch that has the chance to win it all. Look out for Lewis-Palmer.</p> <p><strong>Montrose</strong> is one of the last undefeated teams standing in 4A. The only reason they are not higher is the strength of schedule, but they have beat everyone they have been up against and relatively easy. The Indians are led by [player_tooltip player_id="967537" first="Luke" last="Hutto"] (15.8 ppg &amp;8.3 rpg). Since his freshman season, he has been a fixture and, in his junior year, still has been having the game come easy to him. Fletcher Cheezum and [player_tooltip player_id="918926" first="Trey" last="Reese"] are both capable of exploded for big games at any moment, and all three will have to be on their A-game heading into the playoffs. This is a bunch that we have not seen play much, but the wins keep coming in for.</p> <p>I was today years old when I found out that <strong>Steamboat Springs</strong> is the Sailors. Cool mascot. They have a talented big man that has gone under the radar for far too long. 6’8 big man Eric Pollert is off to a great start this year as he is putting up 15.3 points and 8.6 rebounds a game. He is demanding double teams, making the right play, and getting it right back to score with ease, and that has his team off to a 9-0 record. For a team that does not score a ton of points, to have a player you can dump it into and make plays happen can go a long way, and he has been that guy.</p> <p><strong>Green Mountain</strong> is a team that continues to impress me as that is a group that has no quit in them. They continue to fight and have a chance to prove themselves with their four remaining games. The Rams are against other teams in the Top-10, and it begins with a team in D’Evelyn that has been knocking top teams off. Green Mountain is led by [player_tooltip player_id="916981" first="Austin" last="Peterson"] (18.3 ppg), who leads by example on both ends of the floor. Not often is your team’s best scorer also one of their top defenders, and he gets after it on every possession. He has had help from Darius Padilla (7.4 ppg) and Corbin Jantzer (8.5 ppg) but will need a full team effort with the games left on their schedule. Everyone will need to be on the same page, and defense must continue to be the focal point.  </p>