Midseason 4A Rankings (Part 1)

<p><strong>1. Lewis-Palmer (11-1)</strong></p> <p>Despite having a loss Lewis-Palmer still looks like the best team in 4A. Lewis-Palmer’s only loss comes against a top ten 5A team, Chaparral. This team is long and deep like many Lewis-Palmer teams in the past. Leading the charge is Air Force commit [player_tooltip player_id="1046034" first="Cameron" last="Lowe"], standing at 6’5 Cam is an elite scorer from the wing who can shoot from the outside and also take advantage of smaller players to score inside. Lewis-Palmer adds more great height with Black Hills State commit [player_tooltip player_id="1150078" first="Brady" last="Jones"], he stands at 6’8 and is a great rim running big who is a great finisher above the rim. This team also has a standout junior, [player_tooltip player_id="1329902" first="Eli" last="Robinson"], another tall wing (6’6) alongside [player_tooltip player_id="1046034" first="Cameron" last="Lowe"], Eli is a good athlete who just has a solid game, he finishes well at the rim and affects the game with or without the ball in his hands. This team is built for a deep run with great height and one of, if not the best players in 4A.</p> <p><strong>2. Pueblo South (9-0)</strong></p> <p>Pueblo South has one of the fasted paced offenses in the state making them a ton of fun to watch. This year they are averaging over 80 points a game... yes in high school! The Austin brothers set the pace for this team as they both bring great energy to the court and are very verbal leaders. Both of the brothers are averaging above 20 points a game. [player_tooltip player_id="1137823" first="Maurice" last="Austin"] is the floor general for the squad and has shown off his ability to be one of the most efficient players on both sides of the floor in the state. South is also recently got back another good guard [player_tooltip player_id="965560" first="Ray" last="Aragon"], he is a microwave-type player who makes exhilarating plays in this high-paced offense. This well-coached team is looking to make another deep run this year.</p> <p><strong>3. Pueblo Central (11-1)</strong></p> <p>Is it really a 4A rankings without multiple Pueblo teams (the answer is no!). Pueblo Central is a team being led by the best junior playing locally in Colorado, [player_tooltip player_id="969431" first="Kadyn" last="Betts"]. [player_tooltip player_id="969431" first="Kadyn" last="Betts"] is a 6’8 combo-forward who gets it done down low but also can efficiently shoot the ball from the outside. Then there is lead guard [player_tooltip player_id="1306022" first="Syris" last="Williams"], Syris forces opposing players to play at his pace as he is physical, patient player. Syris also has a quick trigger on his jumper that catches defenders off-guard. This duo is leading the team to a great season so far and will be a team you do not want to see when playoffs come along.</p> <p><strong>4. Mead (7-3)</strong></p> <p>It’s easy to argue that the defending state champs should be ranked higher as they have had the toughest schedule in 4A. Mead’s only losses come from a top 10 5A team, Horizon, and the two others from top-notch out-of-state competition. Mead is led by sharpshooting Colorado Mesa commit, [player_tooltip player_id="1284466" first="Elijah" last="Knudsen"]. Knudsen is a great scorer but he is not only concerned about his own stats as he is a great team player. Manning the paint is 7 footer [player_tooltip player_id="1284551" first="James" last="Shiers"], James is the best rim protector in 4A as he gets 2 blocks a game but also scares players into bad shots. These two’s stellar play has opened up opportunities for junior [player_tooltip player_id="1284601" first="Nick" last="Basson"], who is a good athlete and a great set shooter from 3-point land. Do not be surprised to see Mead back in the final four for the third year in a row. </p> <p><strong>5. Montrose (12-0)</strong></p> <p>Montrose is looking strong once again after their championship appearance last year. So far this year they have only one game that was within 10 points, all the others they have dominated. Overall defensively this team is filled with guys who can switch and guard multiple positions. Senior [player_tooltip player_id="967537" first="Luke" last="Hutto"] is a combo-forward who is super fundamental, down low he has some sneaky good post moves that cause separation between him and defenders. The other standout senior is [player_tooltip player_id="1160720" first="Fletcher" last="Cheezum"], he is a hustle guy who finds himself in the right spots often. This team plays together and is great defensively, that’s all you need to be a great team!</p>