Games of the Week: Jan 14-19th

This week with so many good games we're going to do a game of the day. There is an understanding that some days have multiple good games but we are going with the game of the night. Here’s what we chose. Monday Ralston Valley vs. Wheat Ridge This is two of the teams off to the most surprising starts of the season. Ralston Valley is 9-4 on the season and just beat a top-10 Arvada West team convincingly They are led by Jordan Stratch who is off to an impressive 15.8 points and 7.9 rebounds a game and scored 19 points in the last game. Alongside him has been Caden Gigstad who finished with 12 points in the win. The two are trying to prove that Ralston Valley are a team to take seriously. On the other side is Wheat Ridge who is an impressive 10-2 on the season behind. Julian Claussen (17.5 points and 6.7 rebounds) a game. They also have Alex Morales (13.2 points), Blair McVicker (11.4 pts) and Dominic Bronk (10.8 pts) all averaging double digits a game and this is a group that is tough to beat as you cannot just focus on a single guy. Wheat Ridge needs to beat quality opponents to be given a nod as a possible top-10 team and as the season goes along can emerge as a team to take serious by tournament time. This is a great battle for both teams that will help RPI. Tuesday Fairview vs. Poudre It was hard not going with Mountain Vista versus Chaparral as these are two of the best teams in the entire state facing off but for this I chose a matchup I expect to be a bit closer. Fairview is coming off of a disappointing 57-59 loss to Pueblo East so this is a bounce back spot. Mark Dolan 17.7 points and Jalen Page 14.3 points and 6.6 rebounds a game have been consistent for the Knights and will need to get them back on the right track. With continued help from sophomore Greysen Carter (12.0 points) I believe they are in a great spot to get back to the team that brings it each and every night and prove that was just an off night. Poudre will need this win to make a good case for themselves when playoff seeding comes out. They are off to a 12-2 start which is amongst the top in the state. They have one of the best duos in the state that average over 20 points a game in Damian Forrest and Jack Fisher who are trying to finish their senior seasons with a bang. With great size on this Poudre team that have what it takes to compete with every team in the state they just have to pull it together and continue their winning ways. As long as they have two players in Forrest and Fisher playing at a high level they have a chance and I am excited to see how this battle will go down low. Wednesday Overland vs. Smoky Hill This should be a slug fest. A Centennial league battle between two of the most interesting teams in the state. For Smoky Hill it is a season that has been up and down depending on the matchups. They only have two losses on the season and are looking for a signature win, this could be it. Kenny Foster has been incredible in his senior season and has picked up exactly where he left off of last year. He is up to 28 points a game and is the favorite for Mr. Basketball this year. Quentin Rock is the perfect running mate and is one of the state’s best point guards. He is at 16.0 points and 7.7 assists per game and will be tested against a solid Trailblazers bunch. X-factors for Smoky is Jalen Weaver and Jordan Whitaker and as long as they are also producing this team can be scary come tournament time. Overland is balanced but the man in the middle gets it done and causes so many mismatches. Graham Ike is averaging a double-double on the year at 16.3 points and 11 rebounds a game and causes so much attention that it opens things up for others. A matchup to watch will be Hezekiah Swanson versus Rock. Swanson is a pitbull defender that makes this hard for the opposing guards on both ends of the court. He plays hardnosed defense as well attacks offensively. Whats best is how he affects the game in so many ways. Swanson is up to 12.7 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game. He has played the passing lane well as well as led the press and is also why he is over two steals a game as well. That will be a solid battle as I expect Graham to have a monster game. Smoky must have a big man step up to slow him down if they want to win this game. Thursday Castle View vs. Mountain Vista Castle View has been impressive and might be the turnaround team of the year. They struggled last year but has now turned it around and at 10-2 on the season. Chase Hettinger has led them at 24.4 points a game which is remarkable but the real reason for the changes is because of the help from others. Bryson Lindsey (14.0 points and 6.0 rebounds) a game has contributed mightily, Michael Poux is at 12.3 rebounds a game which is amongst state leaders and has great size that keeps the defense honest as well as Carson Moorhead and David McKean. This will be their biggest win to date if they pull this one off so all guys will have to be involved. Mountain Vista has jumped onto the scene and has turned into the top team in the entire state. They have won eight straight games and have taken the state by storm as they have remained undefeated. They have two TOUGH games this week as they first are up against Chaparral for another test. An underrated aspect not many are talking about with Mountain Vista is how battle tested they are. They have some solid ones versus quality opponents on the year both close games and convincing wins and have what it takes to remain amongst the top. They have great size and players that are ready to step up to the challenge. Ben Grusing is the scoring leader at 16.3 points a game and can be accounted on but Simon May has been the leader for this bunch. He is averaging 11.4 points and 8.0 rebounds a game and also makes sure that he gets everyone involved when teams demand double-teams. It will be up to like Corban Gamble and Luke Boeyink to also step up if they want to take down Chaparral as well as carry that on to a Castle View team that is eager to prove doubters wrong. This should be a high scoring game. Friday Eagle crest vs. Grandview This is a slow-paced battle where whoever controls pace will win the game. The Wolves will look for their big men Dayne Prim and Caleb McGill to lead them while guards Davon Walker, Lian Ramiro and Tyler Unger also go to work against another team that is guard heavy and up for the challenge. Prim has been a nightmare for opposing teams all year long. He is working the middle and is at 15.6 points a game and also rebounding at a high rate as he has 8.0 rebounds a game. He is the player that will open things up for the Wolves and if he is having one of those games that he has been having it will be a long day for the Raptors. I expect him to feast in this matchup. Eagle crest has started to come on. Aarol Bokol (17.7 ppg) has started to look comfortable and has been letting it fly. He is a confident wing that excels with the ball in his hands and has not been afraid to take big shots. He has a solid bunch around him and maybe the most underrated player in the state in Thurbil Bile (8.5 rpg) down low to bring the energy and set the tone on the defensive end. Ty Robinson and Zion Ruckard will be asked to do a ton and if they want to take down the state champs will have to really be engaged. This is a game that Eagle crest can show how much they have progressed in the last couple weeks and prove that they belong despite a few bumps in the road. Expect a chess match here with two great coaches in Michael Rogers and Jarris Krapcha trying to figure it out. While Grandview will slow down the game and go inside and eat at you slowly, Eagle crest has the personnel to match.