5A Playoffs: Contenders and Sleepers from Quadrant 1 & 2

<p>Playoff brackets were released on Monday morning, and it was broken up into four quadrants, with 32 teams in total making the playoffs. Here, we focus on two quadrants and what teams stand out to us at first look. </p> <p><em><strong>Teams in Quadrant 1: Cherry Creek, Lakewood, Smoky Hill, Horizon, Mountain Vista, Monarch, Eaglecrest, Ralston Valley</strong></em></p> <h2><strong>Quadrant 1: Contender</strong></h2> <p>Cherry Creek is the team to beat in this region as they come in as the No.1 overall seed in the state after an undefeated 14-0 start to the year and check off plenty of boxes that not every team in the state has. They are ultimate competitors with a chip on their shoulder, have plenty of scoring options that are locked in on both ends of the court, and have the No.1 player in the state of Colorado that they KNOW will be up for the challenge. [player_tooltip player_id="608058" first="Julian" last="Hammond"] is the real deal and the University of Colorado commit comes into the playoff fresh off of his best game of the season. Hammond put up 39-points in the Centennial League championship game and has others around him that want to avenge an early exit from a season ago. Point guard, [player_tooltip player_id="770403" first="Myles" last="Purchase"] is a tenacious defender that refuses to lose, [player_tooltip player_id="921104" first="Christian" last="Hammond"] is a walking bucket and players like [player_tooltip player_id="1142616" first="Chase" last="Penry"] and [player_tooltip player_id="917013" first="Arden" last="Walker"] give the Bruins a unique blend of size and athleticism that leads the way. I expect the Bruins to step up in a big way and are who I am choosing to hoist the trophy this year, but others will certainly be looking to alter those plans, so all need to step up if they plan on winning it all.</p> <h2><strong>Quadrant 1 Sleeper:</strong></h2> <p>Mountain Vista is a team that I can say is a sleeper, but it honestly all comes down to one question: who else is going to step up and help [player_tooltip player_id="759207" first="Ben" last="Bowen"] out. Opposing teams are keying in on him and sending double teams with shades his way. He has to go against so many different looks and traps a game that it allows other players to be in opportunities that they should be able to score. The Golden Eagles are the No. 8 seed on the bracket but have what it takes to surprise a team or two when he is playing well. If they can get others like [player_tooltip player_id="918911" first="Henry" last="Gamble"] and [player_tooltip player_id="1051098" first="Ty" last="Strawbridge"] to step up even more and knock down shots and force teams to not be able to give Bowen so much attention they can go even further. Expect him to show up every game but for others to also try and help him along the way.</p> <p><em><strong>Teams in Quadrant 2: Chaparral, Vista Peak, Fairview, Chatfield, ThunderRidge, Rocky Mountain, Douglas County, Rampart</strong></em></p> <h2><strong>Quadrant 2: Contender</strong></h2> <p>ThunderRidge is a team that I knew would stand out heading into the season, and they were as good as advertised despite some bumps in the road. The Grizzlies had to worry about quarantines and injuries along the way but head into the tournament with plenty to be excited about. The Grizzlies have the most size in the state and have a cohesive bunch that plays for one another. With [player_tooltip player_id="916967" first="Garrett" last="Arnold"] starting at pg and healthy, ThunderRidge has been an undefeated team that looks like the most complete team in the state. They have a stifling frontcourt trio of [player_tooltip player_id="916957" first="Nolan" last="Marold"], [player_tooltip player_id="918919" first="Joey" last="Bilello"] and [player_tooltip player_id="759280" first="Zach" last="Keller"] that controls the paint and score at will down low with [player_tooltip player_id="618859" first="Jackson" last="Brennan"], [player_tooltip player_id="972415" first="JJ" last="Williams"] and [player_tooltip player_id="916966" first="Jason" last="Simental"] all being X-factor type of players that can change the outcome of the team. When they're all locked in and aligned, I do not see many teams being able to match this team's intensity, size, and talent. Solid bunch that should come out of the __ region.</p> <p>Chaparral is the team I’m expecting to make a Cinderella run as they have what it takes to win in the playoffs. They are well-coached, committed defenders and play with an edge each time out, and that is what you need if you want to make a run. Chaparral is the No. 5 team in the 2<sup>nd</sup> quadrant but is just as dangerous as any team in the state. If you catch them on a good day, they look like the best team in the state and have what it takes to win it all. For size, they have [player_tooltip player_id="1139542" first="Joel" last="Speckman"] who is arguably the most skilled big in the state. He’s a forward in the 2022 class that scores at ease, competes on both ends of the floor, reads what the defense gives him, and adjusts. He has excellent guard play in [player_tooltip player_id="759289" first="Luke" last="Williams"] at the helm who made the switch up to 5A and looks great as well as a versatile wing in [player_tooltip player_id="965763" first="Braden" last="Boley"]. The Wolverines will need more than just those three if they plan on making a push at it but certainly have the pieces and are my pick for the darkhorse team out of the region.</p> <h2><strong>Quadrant 2: Sleeper</strong></h2> <p>Douglas County is a team that I would not be thrilled to go up against if I am being frank. They have one of the top guards in the state in [player_tooltip player_id="759278" first="Jaeton" last="Hackley"] leading the way that helps them in every single department but also have started to get a bit of a rhythm in [player_tooltip player_id="1029180" first="Keegan" last="Phillips"] who is starting to look healthy. I have seen Phillips in a rhythm, and there are not better heat-check scorers in the state that can tap into a scoring overload as he can; it just has to come together. They also have started to get their team back to full strength with [player_tooltip player_id="1050939" first="Cooper" last="McBride"] getting back into his true form. They already have had players like [player_tooltip player_id="1143879" first="Ty" last="Nettles"] and [player_tooltip player_id="918915" first="AJ" last=" Jackson"] step up, which makes this group one of the quicker teams in the state and those two players ability to change up the pace and apply pressure on the defense has this as a dangerous team that could catch fire at the right time. I would seriously not underestimate this team or look back at a loss or close game and think this isn’t one of the more talented teams in the region. I expect some noise. </p>