Previewing the 4A Playoffs games ahead of Thursdays games

<p>Here, we preview the 4A playoff games ahead of Thursday’s games. This is Part II.</p> <h3><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Sand Creek v. Longmont</strong></span></h3> <p>You have to tip your hat to what Sand Creek has been able to accomplish this season. To lose their coach and best player mid-season and still find a way to push forward and pick up a playoff win is an incredible feat and speaks to their resiliency. In their 45-43 nail-biting win over Centaurus it was [player_tooltip player_id="1137379" first="Konner" last="Morgan"] and [player_tooltip player_id="1050947" first="Markus" last="Ramirez"]  that led the way and kept the season alive. The 6’7 big man standout, Morgan, used his size to create extra scoring opportunities and took advantage of the mismatch. He will have his hands full with another player just as big and talented as he is, so he will need Ramirez to assist him in the scoring department. Ramirez can get going in bunches and be a difference-maker in the game. Those two players have the opportunity to keep the season alive, and it will take a full team effort for the Scorpions to pull off the upset.</p> <p>For Longmont, it is simple; stick to the game plan. They are a team that has the blueprint to keep winning and the personnel to go deep in the playoffs. It is concentrated play on offense as they go through [player_tooltip player_id="1141901" first="Keegan" last="Patterson"] and [player_tooltip player_id="965739" first="Eddie" last="Kurjak"] offensively with everyone else fitting in and need Caleb Johnson and the rest of the team to continue stepping up defensively. The Trojans did not play to the best of their ability in the first round but adapted and escaped with a win. They will make it a point to come up with a purpose, and I expect a bounceback game from them where the defense is on display.</p> <h3><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>D’Evelyn v. Lewis Palmer</strong></span></h3> <p>This is a game between two teams that have been up and down all season long, but when both teams are on, they are on.</p> <p>D’Evelyn comes into this game a bit battered up but has the personnel to compete no matter who is out there. It is difficult to say who is going to play, but I expect them to compete and give Lewis-Palmer all that they can handle.</p> <p>For the Rangers, it is a team with great depth, making it difficult to prepare for them. If you stop one player, they have enough to get going other ways, which only puts you in a hole. Eddie Speller Jr. has been one of the best players in all of 4A this year, and it has been too far overlooked. He has put the state on notice each game, and his 19 points in their first-round game led the way. He rebounds well, feasts in the paint, and runs the floor for easy scoring opportunities. [player_tooltip player_id="1138292" first="Brady" last="Jones"] has also been a load for opposing teams down low and he finished with an efficient 14 points in the game with [player_tooltip player_id="1050938" first="Noah" last="Ragsdale"] and [player_tooltip player_id="965754" first="Colin" last="Westfall"] handling the guard duties and letting it fly from deep. This team is looking better and better as they are getting chemistry and have what it takes to make a deep playoff run and win it all.</p> <h3><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Windsor v. Aurora Central</strong></span></h3> <p>This is a game where we get to evaluate the competition of teams played and conference.</p> <p>Aurora Central played well in their first game as they rode the hands of 6’3 sophomore [player_tooltip player_id="973010" first="Khafre" last="Garrett-Mills"]. Khafre was the only player to score in double figures as he had 22 points on the night and was easily the best player on the floor. He has been having an impressive season but up against a team in Windsor that is the No.1 team in 4A and has defenders in [player_tooltip player_id="966339" first="Jaden" last="Kennis"] and [player_tooltip player_id="916987" first="Ben" last="Hageman"], his hands will be full so who else will help?</p> <p>Windsor has been on a mission to prove a point all season long, and this will be another statement game for the Wizards. They will give the Trojans different looks and what they’ve had to answer is opposing teams size. Well, that will not be the issue in this one as they match up with them perfectly, so if they get their trio of Hageman, Kennis, and [player_tooltip player_id="1138311" first="Kobe" last="Greene"] going, then it is lights out for the Trojans. I think this is a game where Aurora Central will have to be perfect in if they want to pull the biggest upset of the season.</p> <h3><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Pueblo Central v. Mountain View</strong></span></h3> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1138291" first="Alex" last="Hurr"] of Mountain View has been one of the best and most creative scorers in the state this season, and he was sensational in their 56-53 upset win over Evergreen in the opening round. He finished with 24 points in the game, which he has averaged all year, and put the team on his back to lead the way. He will have to be even better than what he has been, which is a tall task as he is up against one of the best teams in the state with the size, athleticism, and skill to outmatch him. Mountain View will need a full team effort and for others to help Hurr because if not, this will be a blowout win. I'm interested to see what the gameplan is for the Mountain Lions in this one.</p> <p>Pueblo Central seems to be a team on a mission and with [player_tooltip player_id="969431" first="Kadyn" last="Betts"] manning the middle and making life difficult for opposing players inside and [player_tooltip player_id="1138301" first="Adonis" last="Reynolds"] doing everything in between then they are difficult to beat. Now throw in the fact that they have Steven Hemphill, who just had a season-high of 20 points and is looking like the standout scorer that he was as a junior, and Kyle Bigley being the X-factors, and this is a team that is ready for a late push. I expect for them to cruise in this one and get ready for the next round.</p>