CLASS 4A BOYS BASKETBALL – TEAM CAPSULES
BY: KERRY SHERMAN
Kent Denver won the second state title in program history last season, and the Sun Devils are the top seed in the bracket. They’re one of three teams back from last year’s Great Eight, along with University and Timnath. University is one of two double digit seeds still in the field, with the 10th seeded Bulldogs joined by #14 Peak to Peak. The Great Eight begins play on Wednesday at the Denver Coliseum. The Final Four will be played on Friday, and the championship game is slated for Saturday.
Individual statistics quoted below are courtesy of MaxPreps. Teams are listed in bracket order.
#1 KENT DENVER SUN DEVILS (22-3)
COACH: Todd Schayes
STATE TITLES: 2025, 1997
LEAGUE: Metro champ (9-0)
REGIONALS: Beat Berthoud (90-62), Stargate School (101-61)
STREAK: Won 15 straight
RECORD VS STATE TEAMS: 5-0
Wins: Aspen, St. Mary’s, Resurrection Christian, Peak to Peak, Forge Christian
Losses: None
DTEAM NOTES: Defending state champion – have won at least 20 games in each of last four years – 2-2 in games decided by single digits – outscored opponents 2104-1426 – 68% free throw as a team
| NAME | PTS | REBS | ASSTS | STEALS | 3-POINT |
| Caleb Fay | 24.2 | 7.2 | 3.2 | 2.0 | 38 |
| Sam Glynn | 13.7 | 2.4 | 2.8 | 1.7 | 60 |
| Henry Czaja | 10.6 | 5.6 | 0.8 | 1.6 | 0 |
| Josiah Seyoum | 9.1 | 3.4 | 2.3 | 1.4 | 41 |
| Liam Ash | 8.2 | 2.3 | 3.1 | 1.0 | 18 |
| RJ Skewes | 5.4 | 3.5 | 0.7 | 1.1 | 13 |
| Stanley Tsai | 3.7 | 2.3 | 2.1 | 1.4 | 11 |
| Quinn Goldberg | 3.4 | 0.7 | 1.9 | 0.4 | 22 |
#9 DENVER WEST COWBOYS (23-2)
COACH: Conya Bey
STATE TITLES: None
LEAGUE: City champ (13-0)
REGIONALS: Beat Delta (70-32), Prospect Ridge Academy (56-51 OT)
STREAK: Won 3 straight
RECORD VS STATE TEAMS: 1-0
Wins: University
Losses: None
TEAM NOTES: 5-0 in games decided by single digits – outscored opponents 1679-1070- 70% free throw as a team
| NAME | PTS | REBS | ASSTS | STEALS | 3-POINT |
| Jaheim Taylor | 14.3 | 9.9 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 4 |
| Yasin Sekue | 11.7 | 9.3 | 2.6 | 0.6 | 2 |
| Tiden Silver-Colbert | 10.5 | 2.3 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 37 |
| Ari Cowans | 9.4 | 1.6 | 0.7 | 0.9 | 25 |
| Tegan Robinson | 8.2 | 3.8 | 3.1 | 0.6 | 26 |
| Dalton Sekyewa | 5.5 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 22 |
| Amir Gemeda | 4.0 | 1.7 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 5 |
#4 LAMAR THUNDER (22-3)
COACH: Fred Veyna Jr.
STATE TITLES: 1961 (AA)
LEAGUE: Second in Tri-Peaks (11-2)
REGIONALS: Beat Jefferson Academy (46-40), Fort Lupton (59-56)
STREAK: Won 9 straight
RECORD VS STATE TEAMS: 5-2
Wins: University, Colorado Springs Christian (2), St. Mary’s, Banning Lewis Academy
Losses: Aspen, Banning Lewis Academy
TEAM NOTES: 9-2 in games decided by single digits – outscored opponents 1504-1046 – 61% free throw as a team
| NAME | PTS | REBS | ASSTS | STEALS | 3-POINT |
| Jacob Dunning | 20.4 | 4.9 | 0.7 | 2.1 | 73 |
| Alex Williams | 13.5 | 8.0 | 1.2 | 1.9 | 19 |
| Andrew Chairez | 5.5 | 3.5 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 11 |
| Baylor Autry | 5.2 | 2.7 | 0.8 | 1.1 | 5 |
| Alex Santos | 4.4 | 1.7 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 7 |
| Braxen Shelton | 3.5 | 3.1 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 2 |
#5 TIMNATH CUBS (22-3)
COACH: Brian Gustafson
STATE TITLES: None
LEAGUE: Second in Longs Peak (13-3)
REGIONALS: Beat The Pinnacle (77-41), Eagle Ridge Academy (51-50 2OT)
STREAK: Won 4 straight
RECORD VS STATE TEAMS: 2-1
Wins: Severance, University
Losses: Severance
TEAM NOTES: 4-2 in games decided by single digits – outscored opponents 1621-1141 – 73% free throw as a team
| NAME | PTS | REBS | ASSTS | STEALS | 3-POINT |
| Jack Hemme | 15.7 | 3.6 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 20 |
| Max Roselle | 13.7 | 6.6 | 1.6 | 1.2 | 28 |
| Luke Jacobson | 8.2 | 3.8 | 1.8 | 1.2 | 12 |
| Davis Walter | 8.0 | 4.2 | 1.4 | 1.2 | 26 |
| Cody Nelson | 7.0 | 1.7 | 2.2 | 1.4 | 19 |
| Dylan Mock | 4.8 | 3.6 | 1.5 | 1.1 | 3 |
| Reece Yoch | 4.1 | 2.8 | 1.4 | 0.7 | 3 |
#2 MONTEZUMA-CORTEZ PANTHERS (25-0)
COACH: Mike Hall
STATE TITLES: 2002
LEAGUE: Intermountain champ (12-0)
-REGIONALS: Beat Rifle (56-44), The Classical Academy (52-50)
STREAK: Won 25 straight
RECORD VS STATE TEAMS: 3-0
Wins: Rehoboth (NM), Grand Junction, Gallup (NM)
Losses: None
TEAM NOTES: 3-0 in games decided by single digits – outscored opponents 1613-924 – 70% free throw as a team
| NAME | PTS | REBS | ASSTS | STEALS | 3-POINT |
| Trey Hall | 19.2 | 8.5 | 3.0 | 5.0 | 21 |
| Ah-Dae Lang | 14.0 | 1.9 | 2.4 | 2.0 | 42 |
| Trace Hartsoe | 8.6 | 5.0 | 1.8 | 1.5 | 13 |
| Royce Watts | 5.6 | 2.2 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 20 |
| Asher Bennetts | 5.4 | 5.0 | 2.0 | 1.1 | 1 |
| Wyatt Oliver | 4.7 | 4.3 | 1.3 | 1.5 | 13 |
| Kaleb Schmitt | 3.7 | 3.7 | 1.5 | 1.4 | 6 |
#10 UNIVERSITY BULLDOGS (18-7)
COACH: Bobby Ervin
STATE TITLES: 1996 (3A)
LEAGUE: Second in Patriot (8-2)
REGIONALS: Beat The Academy (71-49), Eaton (60-51 OT)
STREAK: Won 2 straight
RECORD VS STATE TEAMS: 0-5
Wins: None
Losses: Lamar, Denver West, Timnath, Strasburg, Resurrection Christian
TEAM NOTES: 3-3 in games decided by single digits – outscored opponents 1691-1249 – 63% free throw as a team
| NAME | PTS | REBS | ASSTS | STEALS | 3-POINT |
| River Sawyer | 18.3 | 4.2 | 2.4 | 2.2 | 50 |
| John Elbe | 15.1 | 5.5 | 1.2 | 0.9 | 24 |
| Coehn Nitzel | 14.0 | 7.0 | 5.8 | 3.1 | 7 |
| Marcus Prestwich | 7.5 | 2.5 | 3.6 | 1.9 | 39 |
| Chayse Thompson | 3.6 | 3.5 | 1.6 | 1.3 | 11 |
| Landon Plant | 3.2 | 2.3 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 2 |
| Grant Weber | 3.2 | 2.8 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 3 |
#14 PEAK TO PEAK PUMAS (16-9)
COACH: Evan Eschmeyer
STATE TITLES: None
LEAGUE: Fifth in Metro (5-4)
REGIONALS: Beat DSST: Conservatory Green (55-51), Holy Family (64-58)
STREAK: Won 5 straight
RECORD VS STATE TEAMS: 1-2
Wins: Forge Christian
Losses: Aspen, Kent Denver
TEAM NOTES: 11-3 in games decided by single digits – outscored opponents 1417-1328 – 60% free throw as a team
| NAME | PTS | REBS | ASSTS | STEALS | 3-POINT |
| Tysen Burton | 24.1 | 7.4 | 1.7 | 3.3 | 42 |
| Cole Boonstra | 11.7 | 5.6 | 3.1 | 2.7 | 9 |
| Dane Hirt | 9.3 | 5.0 | 3.2 | 1.5 | 15 |
| Lan Kalezi | 6.5 | 1.8 | 1.5 | 0.9 | 26 |
| Noah Burton | 4.9 | 6.3 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 5 |
| Sulaiman Ebadi | 3.4 | 3.3 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 8 |
#6 ASPEN SKIERS (19-6)
COACH: Cory Parker
STATE TITLES: 2022 (3A)
LEAGUE: Western Slope champ (11-1)
REGIONALS: Englewood (47-37), Coal Ridge (43-35)
STREAK: Won 5 straight
RECORD VS STATE TEAMS: 2-2
Wins: Lamar, Peak to Peak
Losses: Kent Denver, Palisade
TEAM NOTES: 5-3 in games decided by single digits – outscored opponents 1252-1027 – 56% free throw as a team
| NAME | PTS | REBS | ASSTS | STEALS | 3-POINT |
| Jack Berro | 15.0 | 7.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 12 |
| Brett Eggleston | 10.1 | 3.4 | 2.6 | 1.3 | 54 |
| Kristo Klavins | 8.1 | 2.2 | 3.2 | 1.2 | 18 |
| Max De Bates | 5.6 | 3.6 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 7 |
| Ryan Nitti | 3.8 | 3.3 | 1.2 | 1.6 | 1 |
| Kieron Byford | 3.6 | 3.5 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0 |
| Tharyn Mulberry | 2.8 | 3.9 | 1.6 | 1.3 | 2 |
| Jackson Rumbaugh | 2.5 | 1.3 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 14 |
MileHigh Prep Report 