Class 3A State Tournament Breakdown
Note: I will post my full prediction on Thursday and next week will post my Player of the Year and All-State First/Second Team.
#1 Sterling vs #9 Strasburg on 3/8 @ 8:30pm
The Elite 8 turned out to be just another round of League Championships. All 4 games feature league matchups and the 4 winners will be from either The Patriot, Metro, IML, and Metro. Class 3A was filled with tons of upsets and well see if that continues in the Elite 8. The first game features #1 Sterling vs #9 Strasburg. Sterling and Strasburg played each other twice this year with Sterling going 2-0 against Strasburg. Sterling also won both game by 30+ points as well. Strasburg had a great season this year going 18-6 and pulling the upset in the Sweet 16 beating DSST-Stapleton. Strasburg is averaging 63.9 ppg and giving up 54.2 ppg. Strasburg went 5-5 against playoff teams but are playing very good basketball to end the season and are currently on a 3-game winning streak. Strasburg is led on offense by senior Brock Lane 17.2 ppg and 11.1 rpg and senior Jake Miller 15.8 ppg. Strasburg is hoping that the third time is the charm and pull the upset. Sterling is 24-0 and are hoping to finish the perfect season off with back to back state championships. Sterling cruised through both games winning both by 40+ points. Like I said Sterling is 2-0 against Strasburg and one thing I have noticed is Sterling does a good job of focusing into whoever they are playing. Sterling is averaging 70.5 ppg and only giving up 35.8 ppg. Sterling defense is one of the best in the State. Sterling went 13-0 against playoff teams. Sterling is led by senior Bodie Hume 20.1 ppg, 6.6 rpg, and 3.8 apg and junior Carter Keil 8.5 ppg and 2.9 rpg. Sterling has 6 players scoring over 5 ppg. Sterling is my pick to win the State Championship and of course beat Strasburg. I am going with Sterling to win by 25 points.
#12 Lutheran vs #20 Colorado Academy on 3/8 @ 10:15am
The second game or the earliest game on Thursday features #12 Lutheran taking on #20 Colorado Academy. Colorado Academy pulled off an initial upset against Roaring Fork 48-44 and then had to end the Cinderella story for St. Mary’s beating them 62-57. Colorado Academy season was very up and down most of the year beating the teams they were supposed to but seeming to never get over the hump against better opponents. Colorado Academy is 15-9 on the season and went 4-6 against playoff teams. Colorado Academy is averaging 60.8 ppg and giving up 52.5 ppg. Colorado Academy is use to playing in close games and could be a huge advantage in the Elite 8. Colorado Academy is led by junior DeAnte Dennis 18.5 ppg & 3.5 rpg and junior Alex Mushkin 15.3 ppg & 4.5 apg. Colorado Academy is extremely young with only two seniors on their roster. Colorado Academy is 0-1 against Lutheran with the 9 point lose during the regular season. Lutheran is playing very solid basketball right now. Lutheran struggled with La Junta in the opening round then blasted Vanguard 68-50. Lutheran played very well towards the end of the season winning the Metro League Regular season but ended up third in the Metro League Tournament. Lutheran went 18-6 during the regular season and went 7-3 against playoff teams. Lutheran is averaging 62.7 ppg and giving up 52.5 ppg. Lutheran is led on offense by senior Tyler Eldred 14.9 ppg & 3.2 rpg and senior Peter Gibas 9.5 ppg & 4.6 rpg. Lutheran has 6 players scoring over 5 ppg. Lutheran must keep playing consistent basketball. I am going Lutheran over Colorado Academy by 5.
#2 Alamosa vs #7 Bayfield on 3/8 @ 5:30pm
Alamosa vs Bayfield round #4 will be the most important of all the games with a spot in the semifinals on the line. Alamosa leads the current series 2-1 but Bayfield had the bigger win in the League Final upsetting Alamosa. Bayfield struggled at the start of the season going 2-4 to start the season. Bayfield did turn it around winning 14 of 17 games. Bayfield is playing some of their best basketball right now winning 4 straight including dominating wins over Brush 62-41 and The Academy 73-46. Bayfield is 16-7 and went 8-7 against playoff teams. Bayfield is averaging 60.8 ppg and giving up 51.8 ppg. Bayfield is led by senior Ryan Phelps 18.0 ppg, 13.0 rpg, and 2.3 apg and Hayden Farmer 10.7 ppg and 5.3 rpg. Bayfield must continue to get solid guard play to advance another round. Alamosa had a very solid season but came up just short again in the League Tournament to Bayfield. Alamosa RPI was still good enough to snag the #2 seed in the tournament. Alamosa dominated both games beating Cedaredge 61-20 and then beating Grand Valley 57-39. Alamosa went 20-3 on the season and went 13-3 against playoff teams this year. Alamosa is averaging 54.3 ppg and giving up 38.9 ppg. Alamosa is led on offense by senior Noah Romero 11.4 ppg & 2.6 apg and senior Ry Adam 11.1 ppg and 3.3 rpg. Alamosa does have a solid post prescience but do sometimes rely on their shooting. This is going to be another very good game and a berth to the final four at stake. I am going with Alamosa over Bayfield by 2 but this could go either way.
#6 Faith Christian vs #14 Manual on 3/8 @ 1:15pm
Metro final #2 features #6 Faith Christian vs #14 Manual. Manual finished 4th in the Metro league tournament but woke up in the State tournament beating Pagosa Springs 74-61 and then pulling a huge upset 80-77. Manual is looking like their selves from the beginning of the season where they beat some very solid teams. Manual went 16-8 during the regular season and went 6-6 against playoff teams. Manual is averaging 67.7 ppg and giving up 59.8 ppg. Manual is led on offense by junior Jaedon Bowles 23.8 ppg 5.9 rpg and junior A’dantre Thompson 10.7 ppg 4.7 rpg. Manual has 8 players scoring over 5 ppg and are also a young team with their top 3 scorers all either juniors or sophomores. Manual will still have some momentum going into their net game and must continue to play good basketball. Faith Christian went 1-0 against Manual beating them in OT 44-43. Faith Christian is playing some of the best basketball in Class 3A. Faith Christian is peaking at the right time and it showed winning the Metro League tournament then demolishing Kent Denver in the sweet 16 65-33. Faith Christian will have to keep up the momentum of course against a very solid opponent. Faith Christian went 18-6 during the regular season and went 9-6 against Playoff teams. Faith Christian is averaging 65.4 ppg and giving up 53.8 ppg. Faith Christian is led by senior Benjamin Hawkins 19.0 ppg 4.4 rpg and senior Jonah Gardner 14.6 ppg 4.8 rpg. Faith Christian will look to avoid an upset minded Manual team and will have to play good basketball to move on. This game is also going to be a very good one and could see coming down to the wire. I am going with Faith Christian over Manual by 5.
MileHigh Prep Report 