CLASS 1A GIRLS BASKETBALL REPORT by Kerry Sherman

CLASS 1A GIRLS BASKETBALL REPORT

BY: KERRY SHERMAN

As the final weekend of the regular season arrives, there seems to be as much drama surrounding the 1A girls basketball regional field. The top four seeds are locked into hosting, The next three feel like they will also host, and three or four more are fighting for the last spot. At the other end of the field, it looks like four teams are battling for two spots. All rankings are from Thursday afternoon’s release of the CHSAA Selection and Seeding Index.

Top-ranked McClave and #2 Eads, both out of the High Plains league, are pretty well locked in as the top two seeds for the regional bracket. Idalia (#3) and Stratton (#4) are jostling for the next two spots. Both have locked up hosting positions, but the final order will be determined by this weekend’s schedule.

Idalia was the top seed for the NCL/YWKC crossover tournament this week, and the Lady Wolves, who own a head-to-head win over Stratton, dispatched #15 Prairie in the quarterfinals on Monday. Four of the top eight teams in the Index, and seven of the top 20, are in the tournament field. As many as 10 of the 12 teams in the tournament could make the final bracket, and lots of points are available with such a loaded tourney.

Stratton has to make up less than five one-thousandths of a point to make up to overtake Idalia for the third seed. The Lady Eagles see #17 Granada come to town on Friday, and they will close out at #9 Springfield. Two wins may not be enough, if Idalia wins its tournament, as the final three possible opponents are all in the top eight.

Fleming is solidly in as the #5, with decent gaps between it and Stratton on the top end, and #6 Briggsdale on the bottom side. The Lady Wildcats meet #8 Hi-Plains in the semifinals on Friday, while Briggsdale faces Idalia.

About the only way the Lady Falcons can slide a spot is with a pair of losses over the weekend, and two wins by #7 Evangel Christian Academy. ECA opens its own tournament against #16 Flagler. That field also includes #26 Cotopaxi and 2A #4 Rangely.

Hi-Plains can likely hold onto its hosting position with a split this weekend, but if the Lady Patriots go 0-2, that opens the door for Springfield, who tangles with #22 Kim/Branson and Stratton to close things out. De Beque is four one-hundredths of a point out of eighth, sitting in 10^th position. That gap is probably too big to overcome, barring Hi-Plains and Springfield both getting swept. The ranking of the competition would likely keep those two ahead of the Lady Dragons.

Four teams look to be in the mix for the final two spots in the regional field. Right now, #31 Elbert and #32 Weldon Valley hold edges of around two one-hundredths of a point over #33 Denver Jewish Day and #34 Centennial. The gaps from there down increase significantly.

Elbert faces a pair of top 20 teams this weekend, hosting #19 Genoa-Hugo/Karval and visiting #11 Cheyenne Wells. A win in either should lock up a regional spot. Weldon Valley completes pool play in the NCL/YWKC tourney with games against #41 Peetz and #27 Lone Star. The Lady Warriors own a win over Peetz this season, but have lost twice to Lone Star.

Denver Jewish Day is in the semifinals of the 5280 tournament, facing #24 Mile High Academy on Thursday. The Lady Tigers will have one more game after that, win or lose. Centennial has a league tournament game against #42 Sangre de Cristo on Thursday, and will also have one more contest in that tourney over the weekend. If either of the two above these two goes 0-2, there could be room to move up, with a 2-0 weekend.