Final Four Preview: Class 5A
The champs are bringing an edge to Boulder.
Overland, which captured the Class 5A state title last season, looks poised to do so again, and the Trailblazers will open up Final Four play at the Coors Events Center in Boulder on Friday eager to go back-to-back.
Like last season, Overland and star De’Ron Davis had a few hiccups along the way, but they enter this final stage playing some of their best basketball of the season, having cruised through their first three playoff games with little resistance.
What could stand in their way before the Trailblazers lift another golden ball? Only an athletic, speedy 26-0 squad from down the road in Aurora. Shawn Palmer’s undefeated Rangeview squad has been stellar this season, and they are two games away from leaving a perfect legacy.
Of course, both teams have formidable opponents to face Friday before such a matchup could occur Saturday night.
With that, let’s break down Friday’s semifinal matchups, shall we?
Eaglecrest (24-2) vs. Rangeview (26-0), 7 p.m.
The all-Aurora battle has a lot to offer, namely a deep roster of quick, attacking guards who get after it at both ends.
As Rangeview demonstrated during its quarterfinal victory over Cherokee Trail last week, it thrives on a system of organized chaos defensively. Because they are so long and quick, they have the tools necessary to take calculated risks on the defensive end. And everybody runs. Tyrei Randall, Elijah Blake, Elijah Reed, Jalen Guidry, Marquis Kraemer, the list goes on. These guys all seem to have a sixth sense of how to find each other on the break, and they are always ready to take off the other way.
Of course, speeding up Eaglecrest won’t be easy. The Raptors are a strong half-court team, and while they have the athletes to run, they’ve been especially impressive this season when they can work for good shots in half-court sets. It helps when you have an efficient scoring point guard in Colbey Ross who can open himself and others up with his ability to penetrate and finish through contact.
The matchup up between Ross and Rangeview point guard Elijah Blake will be get-your-popcorn action, but the standouts will need help.
Rangeview X-Factors
Matthew Johnson, 6-2 junior guard
Johnson can be a knock-down 3-pointer shooter when he gets into a rhythm. With all the movement defenses make to stay in front of Randall and Blake, opportunities open up for shooters. And Johnson’s outside shooting could be key the Raiders scoring enough to move on.
Elijah Reed, 6-3 senior forward
Reed has great straightaway speed and he is often the guy sprinting ahead of the break in order to catch and finish. Reed brings a strong element of toughness and can make life difficult for opponents inside, more than his size would suggest.
Eaglecrest X-Factors
Elijah Wilson, 5-9 senior guard
Wilson is a tough-nosed guard who brings a little bit of everything to the table for the Raptors. He’s averaged five points, two assists and two steals per game.
Ikenna Ozor, 6-3 junior forward
Ozor poured in 22 huge points in the victory over Regis Jesuit, which features a strong front line. Eaglecrest will need another big night out of the junior to advance.
Prediction: Rangeview stays perfect and moves to the title game.
Overland (23-3) vs. Chatfield (24-2), 8:30 p.m.
Fifteen seconds into Overland’s quarterfinal game against Doherty last Saturday, player of the year frontrunner De’Ron Davis gathered a lose ball under his own basket and delivered pain upon the rim.
The thunderous dunk sent a message that the Trailblazers are entering the final stage of this season determined to leave a mark as back-to-back champs. When you are the prohibitive favorite to start a season, sometimes a team needs some kind of motivation to cultivate an edge. Overland dropped three games in the middle of the season, but they have responded in resounding fashion.
Overland, everyone expected it to be here. Few externally predicted Chatfield would reach this stage. Well, except the Chargers themselves.
“We expected a lot of ourselves,” said senior point guard Riley Welch, who has provided a big boost after spending his junior season in New Jersey. “I think we work as hard as anyone in the state. We have a lot better players than people think we do.”
A closer look at some of those players:
Chatfield X-Factors
Cameron Pearson, 6-0 senior guard
Pearson was excellent in Chatfield’s victory over Cherry Creek. The lefty can really stroke it from deep, and the Chargers will need to knock down shots to extend the Overland defense. Doherty had some good chances to do that Saturday, but their shots just weren’t falling.
Josh Frenette, 6-6 senior forward
Frenette has been a strong force in the middle for the Chargers. He has really good hands, can catch the ball in traffic and finish. He has been the beneficiary of solid penetration from Chatfield’s guards. Frenette can also step out and knock down from mid-range.
Joe Miks, 6-1 junior guard
Miks is a player Overland will have to chase. He does a great job running of the ball and he can release quick off the catch. He’s got the ability to get going in a hurry from the perimeter.
Overland X-Factors
Reggie Gibson, 5-11 senior guard
Jervae Robinson has received a lot of attention, and deservedly so, for his huge senior season after spending his junior year in Oklahoma. But Gibson has also been big time for the Trailblazers in the backcourt and he had a coming out party in the Final Four last season. He’s experienced and tough, and he has the ability to knock down some big shots. He’s also one of the state’s top ball-handlers.
Alijah Halliburton, 6-3 senior guard/forward
The versatile future Wyoming football player has had some huge scoring games this season, but his biggest contribution comes on the defensive end. He’s got quick feet and good strength, and he makes it difficult for the opposition to penetrate with any clear path to the basket.
Prediction: The Trailblazers head back to the title game.