CLASS 1A BOYS BASKETBALL – TEAM CAPSULES
BY: KERRY SHERMAN
Denver Jewish Day is back to defend its 2023 state title, but the Tigers will have to navigate through the field as the #3 seed. The top two seeds, McClave and Cheyenne Wells, both come from the High Plains League and District 2, while the 5280/District 8 has a pair of teams in the field, too, with Flatirons Academy joining the reigning champs. Also, District 5 is well represented, with Stratton and Idalia in the bracket. Games begin at the University of Northern Colorado with a 10:15am quarterfinal between McClave and Idalia.
Individual statistics quoted below are courtesy of MaxPreps. Teams are listed in bracket order.
#1 MCCLAVE CARDINALS (19-4)
COACH: Jeremy Mallard
STATE TITLES: 2022, 2013
LEAGUE: Shared High Plains title (4-1), won District 2 title
REGIONALS: Beat North Park (71-32), Pikes Peak Christian (72-51)
STREAK: Won 14 straight
RECORD VS STATE TEAMS: 2-2
Wins: Cheyenne Wells, Sierra Grande
Losses: Cheyenne Wells, Simla
TEAM NOTES: Third straight appearance – lost in third place game last year – have won at least 19 games in each of last three years – won Lamar Holiday Basketball Tournament title – outscored opponents 1373-992 on the season – two losses to Kansas opponents – 3-2 in games decided by single digits – 1-1 in OT
| NAME | PTS | REBS | ASSTS | STEALS | 3-POINT |
| Tuff Kelley | 16.0 | 9.0 | 1.1 | 1.3 | 3 |
| Conner Forgue | 14.3 | 4.9 | 2.5 | 1.3 | 58 |
| Ethan Bronniman | 8.3 | 3.4 | 2.7 | 2.6 | 46 |
| Ray Mungaray | 6.9 | 4.3 | 1.6 | 1.2 | 13 |
| Mason Barr | 5.5 | 2.0 | 3.7 | 1.2 | 10 |
| JR Mungaray | 5.0 | 6.0 | 0.8 | 1.0 | 1 |
| Kielan Mallard | 3.5 | 2.3 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 20 |
#8 IDALIA WOLVES (19-5)
COACH: Brad Wingfield
STATE TITLES: None
LEAGUE: Won YWKC (5-0), runner-up in District 5
REGIONALS: Beat Primero (70-61), Belleview Christian (73-60)
STREAK: Won 2, 18 of last 20
RECORD VS STATE TEAMS: 0-3
Wins: None
Losses: Cheyenne Wells, Stratton (2)
TEAM NOTES: First appearance since 2006 – fourth place in 2006 – 3-1 in games decided by single digits – lost to Stratton in district final – outscored opponents 1524-1075 – Kale Morris over 1000 career points
| NAME | PTS | REBS | ASSTS | STEALS | 3-POINT |
| Kale Morris | 17.5 | 5.8 | 1.4 | 3.4 | 76 |
| Tarek Glanz | 17.1 | 5.9 | 2.8 | 2.7 | 28 |
| Fernando Herrera | 9.6 | 3.5 | 2.0 | 3.3 | 6 |
| Gabe Kechter | 5.7 | 4.0 | 0.7 | 1.2 | 2 |
| Kagen Hoyda | 3.8 | 4.9 | 3.5 | 2.6 | 3 |
| Kolby Morris | 2.9 | 1.8 | 0.9 | 0.8 | 10 |
| Tate Towns | 2.8 | 3.8 | 0.5 | 1.5 | 0 |
#4 STRATTON EAGLES (19-5)
COACH: Curt Isenbart
STATE TITLES: 1992, 1990
LEAGUE: Second in Union Pacific (5-1), won District 5 title
REGIONALS: Beat Moffat (73-39), Otis (59-53)
STREAK: Won 5 straight, 12 of last 14
RECORD VS STATE TEAMS: 2-4
Wins: Idalia (2)
Losses: Cheyenne Wells, Merino, Simla, Limon
TEAM NOTES: Making second straight appearance – finished third last year – won Akron Holiday Tournament title – 4-1 in games decided by single digits – 0-1 in OT – outscored opponents 1469-1093 on season – Cyler Notter over 1000 career points
| NAME | PTS | REBS | ASSTS | STEALS | 3-POINT |
| Cyler Notter | 12.5 | 6.2 | 1.3 | 2.4 | 41 |
| Von Isenbart | 12.4 | 6.0 | 1.2 | 2.3 | 26 |
| Jose Gallardo | 6.9 | 3.8 | 1.7 | 2.3 | 10 |
| Rustin Williams | 6.6 | 1.9 | 0.3 | 0.9 | 40 |
| Gage Levin | 5.3 | 5.2 | 0.5 | 1.2 | |
| Brody Webb | 5.1 | 3.7 | 0.4 | 1.0 | 4 |
| Ethan Bohnen | 3.9 | 2.8 | 0.3 | 0.8 | 6 |
| Charlie Tagtmeyer | 3.3 | 1.9 | 1.0 | 2.2 | 5 |
#5 FLATIRONS ACADEMY BISON (17-7)
COACH: Todd Glasser
STATE TITLES: None
LEAGUE: Third in 5280 (4-2), third in District 8
REGIONALS: Beat Briggsdale (75-46), Nucla (67-55)
STREAK: Won 3 straight, 9 of last 10
RECORD VS STATE TEAMS: 1-4
Wins: Fowler
Losses: Merino, Denver Christian, Sanford, Denver Jewish Day
TEAM NOTES: First appearance since 2018 – won consolation championship that year – 2-3 in games decided by single digits – did not play an OT game this season – outscored opponents 1553-1164
| NAME | PTS | REBS | ASSTS | STEALS | 3-POINT |
| Pistol Chavez | 20.1 | 6.3 | 2.0 | 3.7 | 63 |
| Jude Meyer | 11.3 | 3.3 | 3.1 | 1.9 | 30 |
| Parker Wilson | 10.3 | 7.8 | 2.3 | 1.5 | |
| Trey Abeyta | 6.3 | 1.8 | 4.3 | 1.7 | 22 |
| Brandon Guildner | 5.7 | 3.7 | 0.2 | 0.5 | |
| Shawn Austermann | 3.3 | 3.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | |
| Micah Doughty | 3.3 | 2.9 | 1.0 | 0.9 | 7 |
#2 CHEYENNE WELLS TIGERS (20-4)
COACH: Kendall Pelton
STATE TITLES: 1955, 1954
LEAGUE: Shared High Plains title (4-1), runner-up in District 2
REGIONALS: Beat Dove Creek (62-19), Denver Waldorf (39-16)
STREAK: Won 3 straight, 19 of last 21
RECORD VS STATE TEAMS: 3-1
Wins: Idalia, McClave, Stratton
Losses: McClave
TEAM NOTES: Making second straight appearance – did not place last year – finished runner-up in 2017 – 2-2 in games decided by single digits – 1-1 in OT (both against McClave) – outscored opponents 1124-767 – held five opponents to fewer than 20 points
| NAME | PTS | REBS | ASSTS | STEALS | 3-POINT |
| Corey Hill | 16.5 | 12.8 | 1.1 | 0.9 | |
| Carson Noe | 11.3 | 6.0 | 2.9 | 2.0 | 19 |
| Zach Dickey | 5.7 | 3.2 | 1.4 | 1.1 | 33 |
| Perry Chadwick | 4.6 | 2.8 | 3.5 | 1.0 | 9 |
| Conrad Ball | 3.7 | 2.6 | 0.9 | 1.2 | 14 |
| Bryson Hyle | 2.7 | 2.3 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 2 |
| Taegan Eiring | 2.0 | 1.5 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 15 |
#7 PEETZ BULLDOGS (19-4)
COACH: Dave Hodges
STATE TITLES: 2018, 1962 (C)
LEAGUE: Second in North Central (3-1), Won District 4 title
REGIONALS: Beat Centennial (60-41), Genoa-Hugo (65-51)
STREAK: Won 6 straight, 14 of last 16
RECORD VS STATE TEAMS: 0-1
Wins: None
Losses: Merino
TEAM NOTES: First appearance since winning title in 2018 – 3-2 in games decided by single digits – did not play an OT game – outscored opponents 1442-1028
| NAME | PTS | REBS | ASSTS | STEALS | 3-POINT |
| Noah Naegele | 14.7 | 7.0 | 1.4 | 1.6 | 19 |
| Rhyder Bayne | 12.6 | 2.8 | 2.0 | 1.7 | 57 |
| Chance Segelke | 9.9 | 4.5 | 6.7 | 2.3 | 36 |
| Aiden Hill | 7.6 | 4.2 | 1.2 | 0.7 | 22 |
| Connor Schumacher | 7.2 | 2.5 | 1.4 | 1.6 | 13 |
| Aaron Bernhardt | 3.4 | 1.7 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 3 |
| Logan Vallier | 3.3 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 16 |
#3 DENVER JEWISH DAY TIGERS (18-3)
COACH: Matan Halzel
STATE TITLES: 2023
LEAGUE: Won 5280 title (7-0), Won District 8 title
REGIONALS: Beat South Baca (57-46), Front Range Baptist (52-41)
STREAK: Won 7 straight, 14 of last 16
RECORD VS STATE TEAMS: 1-1
Wins: Flatirons Academy
Losses: Bishop Machebeuf
TEAM NOTES: Won title last year in first-ever appearance – no losses this season to 1A teams – two to 3A regional teams – 3-1 in games decided by single digits – 1-0 in OT – outscored opponents 1231-950
| NAME | PTS | REBS | ASSTS | STEALS | 3-POINT |
| Kennan Winnerman | 16.9 | 6.7 | 2.4 | 2.6 | 6 |
| Solly Bielsky | 14.8 | 6.1 | 3.1 | 2.0 | 32 |
| Lev Friedman | 12.4 | 3.8 | 4.4 | 2.0 | 48 |
| David Romershteyn | 6.3 | 2.3 | 3.6 | 1.4 | 18 |
| Aaron Daniel | 4.6 | 6.1 | 1.1 | 0.9 | |
| Tyler Marshall | 2.4 | 2.7 | 0/6 | 0.2 |
#6 SIERRA GRANDE PANTHERS (18-5)
COACH: Matt Lucero
STATE TITLES: None
LEAGUE: Second in Southern Peaks (4-1), won District 6 title
REGIONALS: Beat Wiley (67-42), De Beque (51-37)
STREAK: Won 4 straight, 10 of last 12
RECORD VS STATE TEAMS: 0-2
Wins: None
Losses: Crowley County, McClave
TEAM NOTES: Making second appearance in three years – took 4th place in 2022 – 5-3 in games decided by single digits – did not play an OT game – Brian Ontiveros over 1000 career points – Coach Matt Lucero over 300 career wins – outscored opponents 1327-1015
| NAME | PTS | REBS | ASSTS | STEALS | 3-POINT |
| Brian Ontiveros | 16.6 | 2.1 | 1.9 | 1.9 | 44 |
| Jadyn Martinez | 13.4 | 6.2 | 1.5 | 2.8 | 17 |
| Aron Ojeda | 11.8 | 4.7 | 1.7 | 1.9 | 25 |
| Manuel Miranda | 5.8 | 3.1 | 2.8 | 1.4 | 27 |
| Rolando Najera | 3.4 | 3.5 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 4 |
| Tyler Kester | 2.1 | 4.2 | 0.8 | 1.6 | 2 |
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