CLASS 1A BOYS BASKETBALL REPORT by Kerry Sherman

CLASS 1A BOYS BASKETBALL REPORT

BY: KERRY SHERMAN

The temperatures across the state are set to plummet this weekend, but there are plenty of red-hot match-ups on the schedule in Class 1A. A number of those involve teams ranked inside the top-12 of Thursday morning’s release of the CHSAA Selection and Seeding Index.

#1 NUCLA (12-0)

Nucla remained undefeated on the season and moved to the top spot in the Selection and Seeding Index in the process, as the Mustangs won a pair of games over the past week. The Mustangs overpowered a top-20 Ouray team 70-33 last Thursday, and outlasted 2A #10 Plateau Valley 46-39 on Tuesday. Brycen Rummel stuffed the stat sheet against Ouray, recording 20 points, seven rebounds, six assists, and eight steals. Austin Garvey added 17 points in that win. Holten McCluer and Rummel both registered double-doubles against Plateau Valley, with McCluer going for 19 points and 10 rebounds, and Rummel posting 10 points and 11 boards. Nucla goes to De Beque on Thursday, and hosts Dove Creek next Tuesday.

#2 CHEYENNE WELLS (8-1)

The Tigers had one of its two games last weekend postponed due to dangerous travel conditions, but they got their other one in against #10 Otis. They got 15 points and 10 rebounds from Trey Scheler, and Corey Hill added 12 points and 21 rebounds against the Bulldogs, as the Tigers claimed a 53-38 victory. Cheyenne Wells hosts Cheraw on Thursday in High Plains league play. The Tigers also go to Genoa-Hugo/Karval on Saturday, and hosts Greeley County (KS) next Tuesday.

#3 MCCLAVE (8-1)

McClave played two more road games last weekend, and the Cardinals picked up wins in both. They handled Springfield 72-26 on Thursday, and took a High Plains win at Eads on Friday, 69-33. Tuff Kelley scored 16 points in the first of those two wins, and then recorded a double-double of 11 points and 10 boards in the latter. Mason Barr led the team with 15 points against Eads. The Cards play their first home games of the season this weekend, starting with 2A #13 Limon on Thursday. They will host #5 Stratton on Saturday, and Kim/Branson next Tuesday.

#4 FLATIRONS ACADEMY (8-2)

Flatirons Academy split a pair of Mile High games over the past week, beating Denver Academy last Thursday, and falling to 2A #2 Heritage Christian 54-51 on Tuesday. The Bison led Denver Academy 22-2 after one, and 42-14 at the half. Jackson Schultz and Henry Dehaan each scored 24 points in that game, and Schultz grabbed a game-high 15 rebounds. Gunnar Ast had 15 points and 12 boards in the Tuesday night loss. The Bison are off until Monday, when they visit Estes Park.

#5 STRATTON (7-2)

Stratton had a pair of games against 2A LPAA squads last weekend, and the Eagles came away with wins in both, running their winning streak to six. Von Isenbart went for 24 points in Thursday’s 74-43 win over Sedgwick County at home, and he added 19 points at Merino on Saturday in a 65-58 win against the Rams. Ricky Schillig also had 19 points in that victory. After hosting Eads on Friday, the Eagles will head to McClave on Saturday, and they will host #7 Elbert next Tuesday.

#6 PRAIRIE (8-3)

With a 65-58 loss to Kimball (NE) last Saturday, the Mustangs were on a two-game slide entering their North Central league clash at #14 Peetz on Tuesday. That skid came to an end with a 53-44 victory. Prairie has a top-10 showdown on Friday, as it visits #9 Evangel Christian. The Mustangs are back at home on Tuesday to host Potter-Dix (NE).

#7 ELBERT (6-3)

The Bulldogs rolled to a three-game winning streak in the past week, but playing their fourth game in less than six days, that hot run ended against the #1 team in 2A on Wednesday. Ethan Tesman led the Bulldogs with 15 points in a 52-23 win over Miami-Yoder in a Black Forest game last Friday, and he added 14 the next night, as Elbert beat Deer Trail 63-17. Eli Cornell had a game-high 21 points in that win after scoring 14 the previous night. Cornell (26) and Tesman (23) combined for 49 points on Tuesday, as the Bulldogs edged Denver Jewish Day 61-46. On Wednesday, Elbert went toe-to-toe with Byers, but fell by a 71-61 count. The Bulldogs are busy again this week, hosting 2A Calhan on Friday, visiting Hanover on Saturday, and traveling to Stratton next Tuesday.

#8 SANGRE DE CRISTO (9-1)

Playing for the first time in January, the Thunderbirds got three wins in the past week, beginning with a 75-25 victory over Moffat last Friday. Their defense forced 40 turnovers in that win. The following night had the T-birds earning a 69-48 decision over Cheraw, and Sangre got a 61-43 win on Tuesday against 2A Del Norte. After being at home in all three of those games, the Thunderbirds are on the road this weekend, visiting Primero on Friday, and Centennial on Saturday.

#9 EVANGEL CHRISTIAN ACADEMY (7-2)

The winning streak for Evangel Christian Academy reached five last week, as the Eagles picked up two more victories. They dominated Kiowa 62-28 on Thursday, and Las Animas 69-39 on Saturday. ECA gets its shot at claiming a signature victory on Friday when it hosts Prairie in a top-10 clash. The Eagles also have a road game at Hi-Plains on Saturday.

#10 OTIS (6-3)

Cambric Klinzmann went for 15 points and seven rebounds last Saturday, but the Bulldogs fell at Cheyenne Wells by a 53-38 tally. Five Bulldogs hit for double figures on Tuesday, including Klinzmann, with 13, at Otis rolled past Caliche 78-54, Grady Bechtle led with 24 points and nine rebounds, and Austin Hornung chipped in 18. Otis plays a pair of NCL teams in its next two outings, Friday at Briggsdale, and Tuesday at home against Weldon Valley.

#11 DENVER WALDORF (8-4)

The Spartans made it to the championship of the Lotus tournament last weekend, with wins over Vanguard Classical East (72-50) and Crescent View Academy (74-54). Cayden Quinn went for 22 points, and Henry Lottridge added 19 in the first of those victories, while Quinn and Sarab Baidwan scored 22 points apiece in the latter. Lottridge chipped in 21. The title game saw the Spartans hook up with the tournament hosts, and they took an 83-60 loss in the match-up. Lottridge had 22 points and 10 boards in the defeat. Denver Waldorf was back in the win column on Tuesday, with a 66-44 victory over Mile High Academy. Lottridge had another double-double, checking in with 18 points and 13 rebounds. The Spartans will visit Arickaree/Woodlin on Saturday.

#12 WILEY (8-2)

Wiley saw action three times last weekend, and the Panthers came away with a pair of wins. Mason Grasmick scored 13 points, and Luke Rohlman added a double-double of 10 points and 10 rebounds, in a 46-31 win over Eads last Thursday. Grant Mauch went for 14 points on Friday, but Wiley fell on the road at Kit Carson, 40-33. The Panthers completed the weekend with a 63-46 win at Flagler, with Mauch scoring 21 points, and Grasmick pitching in 15. Wiley goes to Kim/Branson on Thursday and hosts Walsh on Friday. Both of those games are in Arkansas Valley play. The Panthers have a non-league game at Deer Trail on Saturday.