CLASS 1A GIRLS BASKETBALL DAILY DIGEST – FEB. 19TH
BY: KERRY SHERMAN
One district tournament got underway last Saturday, and another gets going tonight. We’re planning on a series of daily updates during the week, helping you stay on top of the happenings as teams try to qualify for regionals.
DISTRICT THREE
District 3 will play quarterfinals on Monday, semifinals on Wednesday, and then third place and championship games on Friday. Quarterfinals are at host sites, and then the action shifts to La Junta High School for the rest of the tournament.
South Baca is the top seed after winning the Ark Valley title and the Lady Patriots will have a bye into the semifinals. Springfield, the runner-up in the Ark Valley, is the #2 seed and will also take a bye into the semifinals.
In the top half of the bracket, #4 La Veta hosts #5 Primero on Monday night. La Veta won the regular season meeting 65-42 behind 32 points from Aspen Autry. It was one of four 30-point games for the junior during the regular season. She also had nine steals. Zoe Reif added a double-double of 16 points and 10 rebounds, as well as six blocked shots. Isabela Maldonado nearly had a double-double for the Lady Bulldogs, recording 12 points and nine rebounds.
Fighting for the right to face Springfield in the bottom half of the draw, #3 Kim/Branson hosts #6 Walsh. The Lady Mustangs won two games over Walsh during the regular season, 40-21 on Dec. 8th, and 28-24 on Jan. 26th. Ysabel Gonzalez led Kim/Branson with 11 points in the first meeting, but she was held scoreless the second time around. Charlee Buhrle went for 17 points and eight rebounds in the rematch.
Maribel Carrillo led the Lady Eagles with eight points, eight rebounds, and three blocked shots in game one of the series. She tallied nine points and two blocks in the second meeting. Averi Kunselman added nine points and eight boards in round two.
DISTRICT EIGHT
Two quarterfinals were played in District 8 last Saturday, with #4 Mile High Academy advancing 42-31 over #5 Denver Waldorf. Third-seeded Front Range Baptist took care of #6 Belleview Christian, 39-11.
Mile High Academy moves on to face top-seeded Flatirons Academy in the semifinals on Tuesday. Front Range Baptist will face #2 Rocky Mountain Lutheran at The Courts Complex in Northglenn.
CLASS 1A BOYS BASKETBALL DAILY DIGEST – FEB. 19TH
BY: KERRY SHERMAN
Two of the eight districts get their tournaments underway tonight, with quarterfinal action happening in District 3 and District 8. As the teams across the 1A classification begin their treks towards next weekend’s regionals, we’ll keep you updated with daily reports.
DISTRICT THREE
The only team in District 3 to receive a bye into the semifinals is top-seeded Springfield. The Longhorns won the Ark Valley title by beating #3 Kim/Branson last Friday. They will get the winner of tonight’s quarterfinal between #4 South Baca and #5 Walsh.
South Baca got a 41-39 overtime win over Walsh on Jan. 5th, after the Eagles erased a seven-point deficit in the fourth quarter to force the extra session. The Patriots outscored Walsh 3-1 in the overtime period. Hayden Brooks had a 14-point, 12-rebound double-double in the victory. Landen Stegman added 13 points, seven rebounds, and six steals.
The bottom half of the bracket has #2 Primero hosting #7 Manzanola in one quarterfinal, while Kim/Branson hosts #6 La Veta. Primero beat Manzanola 62-26 just about three weeks ago, with Mathew Pachorek (16), Brett Kendall (14), Jace Robinson (10) all scoring double digits for the Bulldogs. Zane Lange was the lone Bobcat in double figures with 11 points.
Kim/Branson got 21 points from Kolter Cranson, 13 from Brock Doherty, and 10 from David Gamez in a 68-46 victory over La Veta on Jan. 12th. That trio also combined for 18 rebounds and 12 steals. Isiah Rodriguez had 15 points for the Redhawks, and Trey Medina added 13 points.
The scene will shift from home sites on Monday to La Junta High School on Wednesday and Friday. The district will play third place games, as well as championships, on Friday.
DISTRICT EIGHT
Thanks to a 68-55 win over Belleview Christian last Tuesday, Denver Jewish Day earned the 5280 title and with it, the #1 seed for the the District 8 tournament. The Tigers host #8 Rocky Mountain Lutheran tonight in one of the four quarterfinals. In the regular season, DJDS picked up a 68-29 victory, with Solly Bielsky recording a 21-point, 10-rebound double-double. The sophomore was two steals away from a triple-double. Gavin Borchardt led the Eagles with nine points, 13 rebounds, four steals, and five blocks.
The other quarterfinal in the top half of the bracket has #4 Front Range Baptist hosting #5 Denver Waldorf. Front Range Baptist won the regular season meeting in late-January, 54-42. The Falcons outscored Denver Waldorf 27-5 in the fourth quarter to snag that victory. Alex Prelog went for 19 points and 10 rebounds for the Falcons, while Cayden Quinn and Henry Lottridge each had 12 points for the Spartans.
Belleview Christian, the #2 seed, hosts #7 Mile High Academy in one of the quarterfinals in the bottom half of the bracket. The Bruins got monster performances from Garrett Owen and Brandon Ewing in an 89-31 victory over the Mustangs in early-January. Owen tallied 29 points, nine rebounds, five assists, six steals, and three blocks, while Ewing recorded 27 points, 12 rebounds, eight assists, and five steals. Max Ramos gave Mile High Academy 14 points and seven rebounds.
In the other quarterfinal, #3 Flatirons Academy will host #6 Denver Academy of Torah. The two just met last Thursday with the Bison claiming a 69-36 victory. Pistol Chavez played a key role, recording 28 points, six rebounds, five assists, and five steals. Parker Wilson added a double-double of 12 points and 13 rebounds.
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