CLASS 1A BOYS BASKETBALL DISTRICT PREVIEW – MONDAY
BY: KERRY SHERMAN
While most district tournaments in Class 1A don’t get started for a day or two, some quarterfinal boys games will be played on Monday. We’ll take a daily look at each district during the week.
DISTRICT 3 (HOME SITES)
The top two seeds in District 3, La Veta and Springfield, each get a bye into the semifinals. That leaves a pair of quarterfinal tilts on Monday.
One of those quarterfinals has #4 Primero hosting #5 South Baca with the winner advancing to face La Veta on Wednesday in the semifinals. Primero enters on a three-game winning streak, while the Patriots have dropped four straight. South Baca won the head to head match-up back on Feb. 3rd, behind 25 points and 16 rebounds from Hayden Brooks. Brett Kendall led the Bulldogs with 19 points.
In the other semifinal, #3 Kim/Branson will host #6 Walsh, with Springfield awaiting the winner on Wednesday. The Mustangs have dropped four of their last five games, while Walsh snapped a nine-game losing streak on Friday. The Eagles lost to Primero on Saturday by three. Brock Doherty led the Mustangs with 15 points and eight steals in their 53-48 win over Walsh earlier this month. He was one of four Kim/Branson players with at least 10 points in the contest.
DISTRICT 8 (HOME SITES)
All four quarterfinals in District 8 will happen on Monday, but one team has already won a tournament game. Beth Eden Baptist beat #8 Rocky Mountain Lutheran 59-50 last Thursday to earn a spot against #1 Belleview Christian in the quarters. The Bruins locked up the top seed with their 58-50 win over Denver Jewish Day last Tuesday, and they enter on a 19-game winning streak. They had six players in double figures, led by Davin Hunter and Brandon Ewing with 16 apiece, in their 101-22 win over Beth Eden in the regular season. Alex Coon and Shane O’Donoghue each had seven for the Knights.
The other quarterfinal in the top half of the bracket has #4 Front Range Baptist hosting #5 Denver Academy of Torah. Front Range Baptist broke a two-game slide last Tuesday with an 11-point win over Rocky Mountain Lutheran, but the Falcons are just 4-4 in their last eight. The Falcons did not play DAT during the regular season. The Wolves have won their last four, but have not played in almost two weeks.
Denver Jewish Day earned the #2 seed for the tournament and the Tigers will host #7 Mile High Academy in one quarterfinal in the bottom half of the bracket. The Tigers lost their last two, by a total of 10 points, after having run off a 10-game winning streak. They beat the Mustangs 83-24 early in that streak. Andrew Zimmerman hit 19 of 21 from the floor in scoring 41 points, and Gavin Foonberg added 18 points and 15 dimes. Jonas Jaklich had seven points and seven rebounds for the Mustangs, who snapped a three-game losing streak with a win on Saturday.
Flatirons Academy has been off for close to 10 days after having a short two-game winning streak snapped by Fleming. The Bison are seeded third and will host #6 Denver Waldorf. The most recent win for Flatirons came over the Spartans, 75-43, almost two weeks ago. Josiah Durrill (23 points) and Pistol Chavez (21 points) both went for more than 20 for the Bison, while Neo Moss (17) and Cayden Quinn (14) combined for 31 for Denver Waldorf.
CLASS 1A GIRLS BASKETBALL DISTRICT PREVIEW – MONDAY
BY: KERRY SHERMAN
The brackets for all eight district tournaments in Class 1A have been released and we’re planning on doing a daily preview throughout the week. Things start to get really busy on Tuesday, but one quarterfinal is scheduled for Monday.
DISTRICT 3 (HOME SITES)
The top two seeds, Springfield and Kim/Branson, are already into the semifinals on Wednesday after receiving byes in the six team bracket. Kim/Branson, the #2 seed, awaits the winner of Monday’s quarterfinal between #3 La Veta and #6 Primero.
La Veta won its final two games of the regular season and six of the last seven. The Lady Redhawks scored at least 50 points in four of those six wins. Primero comes in having lost eight straight. The Lady Bulldogs have not won since Jan. 14th. La Veta earned a 63-38 win over the Lady Bulldogs ten days ago, behind 23 points and a dozen steals from Aspen Autry and 17 points from Kendyl Eddleman. Isabela Maldonado had 19 for Primero.
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