CLASS 1A BOYS BASKETBALL – STATE TOURNAMENT TEAM CAPSULES
BY: KERRY SHERMAN
McClave leads the field after winning the third title in program history last year, and the team that finished second to the Cardinals, Flatirons Academy, is also back in the bracket. In total, five of the Great Eight are returnees from a year ago. All games will be played at the Bank of Colorado Arena on the campus of the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley.
Individual statistics quoted below are courtesy of MaxPreps. Teams are listed in bracket order.
#1 MCCLAVE CARDINALS (23-2)
COACH: Jeremy Mallard
STATE TITLES: 2025, 2022, 2013
LEAGUE: High Plains champ (5-0)
REGIONALS: Beat Arickaree/Woodlin (75-40), Granada (73-42)
STREAK: Won 14 straight
RECORD VS STATE TEAMS: 3-1
Wins: Limon, Simla, Cheyenne Wells
Losses: Stratton
TEAM NOTES: Fifth straight appearance – defending state champion – have won at least 19 games in each of last five years – won Lamar Holiday Basketball Tournament title – 1-2 in games decided by single digits – outscored opponents 1734-983 – 59% free throw as a team
| NAME | PTS | REBS | ASSTS | STEALS | 3-POINT |
| Tuff Kelley | 17.5 | 9.5 | 1.5 | 1.6 | 6 |
| Mason Barr | 10.5 | 3.7 | 2.6 | 2.0 | 35 |
| Drew Howe | 8.9 | 3.0 | 2.4 | 1.7 | 31 |
| Myles Northrup | 8.4 | 2.7 | 3.6 | 1.7 | 31 |
| Kielan Mallard | 6.4 | 4.6 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 31 |
| Ryan Steinbrunn | 6.1 | 1.6 | 1.5 | 1.6 | 24 |
| Jr. Mungaray | 4.1 | 5.7 | 1.8 | 0.8 | 1 |
#8 ELBERT BULLDOGS (18-7)
COACH: Aaron Thieman
STATE TITLES: 1988 (A-II)
LEAGUE: Black Forest champ (4-0)
REGIONALS: Beat Cheraw (66-40), Otis (64-59 OT)
STREAK: Won 2 straight
RECORD VS STATE TEAMS: 1-4
Wins: Flatirons Academy
Losses: Byers, Stratton, Simla, Cheyenne Wells
TEAM NOTES: Second straight appearance – 1-3 in games decided by single digits – outscored opponents 1474-1101- 62% free throw as a team
| NAME | PTS | REBS | ASSTS | STEALS | 3-POINT |
| Ethan Tesman | 18.9 | 4.6 | 3.3 | 2.4 | 32 |
| Eli Cornell | 16.4 | 5.9 | 4.0 | 2.6 | 49 |
| Jeremiah LaChausse | 8.5 | 7.3 | 0.9 | 1.4 | 4 |
| Grant Smith | 8.1 | 4.4 | 1.5 | 1.8 | 39 |
| Carl Hughett | 3.4 | 4.2 | 0.9 | 1.0 | 8 |
| Sam Cornell | 3.1 | 5.0 | 1.6 | 1.0 | 13 |
#4 FLATIRONS ACADEMY BISON (21-4)
COACH: Todd Glasser
STATE TITLES: None
LEAGUE: Second in Mile High (11-1)
REGIONALS: Beat Flagler (56-46), Holly (58+35)
STREAK: Won 2 straight
RECORD VS STATE TEAMS: 0-3
Wins: None
Losses: Elbert, Heritage Christian (2)
TEAM NOTES: Third straight appearance – won consolation championship in 2024 – runner-up last year – 3-2 in games decided by single digits – outscored opponents 1611-1198 – 57% free throw as a team
| NAME | PTS | REBS | ASSTS | STEALS | 3-POINT |
| Jackson Schulz | 16.6 | 8.7 | 1.7 | 0.8 | 25 |
| Gunnar Ast | 16.5 | 12.1 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0 |
| Caleb Doughty | 15.0 | 4.5 | 4.3 | 2.7 | 23 |
| Henry Dehaan | 8.8 | 3.4 | 4.3 | 1.7 | 32 |
| Joel Costello | 4.2 | 2.5 | 1.2 | 1.0 | 2 |
| Braxton Kelley | 3.5 | 3.8 | 1.5 | 0.8 | 1 |
#5 STRATTON EAGLES (22-3)
COACH: Curt Isenbart
STATE TITLES: 1992, 1990
LEAGUE: Second in Union Pacific (5-1)
REGIONALS: Beat Front Range Baptist (82-59), Sangre de Cristo (56-48)
STREAK: Won 4 straight
RECORD VS STATE TEAMS: 4-1
Wins: Cheyenne Wells, McClave, Elbert, Byers
Losses: Limon
TEAM NOTES: Fourth straight appearance – finished third last three years – 6-2 in games decided by single digits – outscored opponents 1611-1140 – 52% free throw as a team
| NAME | PTS | REBS | ASSTS | STEALS | 3-POINT |
| Von Isenbart | 18.7 | 6.3 | 2.3 | 2.7 | 53 |
| Ricky Schillig | 11.3 | 5.9 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 22 |
| Judson Isenbart | 9.0 | 4.8 | 2.7 | 1.5 | 18 |
| Dominic Hornung | 7.6 | 3.0 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 13 |
| Gavin Ruhs | 6.9 | 5.3 | 0.5 | 1.1 | 1 |
| Corbin Notter | 4.6 | 2.4 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 24 |
| Nolan Notter | 2.0 | 1.4 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 2 |
#2 NUCLA MUSTANGS (25-0)
COACH: Mike Rummel
STATE TITLES: None
LEAGUE: San Juan champ (12-0)
-REGIONALS: Beat Kit Carson (75-49), De Beque (55-44)
STREAK: Won 25 straight
RECORD VS STATE TEAMS: 3-0
Wins: Vail Christian, Plateau Valley (2)
Losses: None
TEAM NOTES: First appearance in more than 20 years – 5-0 in games decided by single digits – outscored opponents 1598-1073 – 60% free throw as a team
| NAME | PTS | REBS | ASSTS | STEALS | 3-POINT |
| Brycen Rummel | 16.7 | 10.0 | 6.6 | 5.5 | 56 |
| Holten McCluer | 15.0 | 6.3 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1 |
| Austin Garvey | 12.2 | 6.7 | 2.4 | 1.6 | 44 |
| Daniel Zunich | 8.2 | 3.6 | 2.9 | 2.3 | 11 |
| Caylon Joseph | 5.9 | 4.5 | 1.9 | 0.9 | 15 |
| Cole Bray | 2.7 | 2.1 | 1.6 | 1.4 | 5 |
| Ryker Collins | 2.3 | 1.9 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 2 |
#10 SIERRA GRANDE PANTHERS (20-5)
COACH: Edgar Garcia
STATE TITLES: None
LEAGUE: Southern Peaks champ (6-0)
REGIONALS: Beat Caliche (72-46), Denver Waldorf (56-44)
STREAK: Won 2 straight
RECORD VS STATE TEAMS: 0-3
Wins: None
Losses: Byers, Sanford (2)
TEAM NOTES: Did not make the field last year – first appearance since 2024 – 1-4 in games decided by single digits – outscored opponents 1496-928 – 56% free throw as a team
| NAME | PTS | REBS | ASSTS | STEALS | 3-POINT |
| Jadyn Martinez | 19.0 | 5.6 | 2.4 | 4.9 | 37 |
| Rolando Najera | 15.2 | 6.2 | 5.6 | 3.6 | 22 |
| Nehemiah Wilson | 8.7 | 4.6 | 2.5 | 3.3 | 11 |
| Carlos Lopez | 6.4 | 4.0 | 1.2 | 2.4 | 4 |
| Davonte Cochran | 5.0 | 4.1 | 1.3 | 0.9 | 9 |
| Davien Estrada | 3.2 | 6.1 | 0.4 | 0.8 | 0 |
#3 CHEYENNE WELLS TIGERS (23-2)
COACH: Kendall Pelton
STATE TITLES: 2024, 1955, 1954
LEAGUE: Second in High Plains (4-1)
REGIONALS: Beat Springfield (60-34), Wiley (45-34)
STREAK: Won 4 straight
RECORD VS STATE TEAMS: 1-2
Wins: Elbert
Losses: Stratton, McClave
TEAM NOTES: Fourth straight appearance – finished fourth last year – finished runner-up in 2017 – 2-2 in games decided by single digits – outscored opponents 1383-848 – 52% free throw as a team
| NAME | PTS | REBS | ASSTS | STEALS | 3-POINT |
| Corey Hill | 22.3 | 16.1 | 2.5 | 1.5 | 4 |
| Trey Scheler | 10.3 | 5.8 | 2.1 | 2.6 | 0 |
| Caden Muth | 9.9 | 2.9 | 5.0 | 2.8 | 20 |
| Trevin Smith | 4.2 | 2.0 | 1.5 | 1.3 | 15 |
| Marcus Bogenhagen | 3.5 | 1.8 | 1.5 | 0.8 | 18 |
| Daryon Campbell | 3.4 | 2.8 | 1.7 | 0.8 | 3 |
#6 PRAIRIE MUSTANGS (21-4)
COACH: Denis Bringelson
STATE TITLES: None
LEAGUE: North Central champ (4-0)
REGIONALS: Beat Mile High Academy (60-11), Peetz (47-40)
STREAK: Won 5 straight
RECORD VS STATE TEAMS: 0-1
Wins: None
Losses: Wiggins
TEAM NOTES: Did not make the field last year – first appearance since 2019 – 5-1 in games decided by single digits – outscored opponents 1295-866 – 54% free throw as a team
| NAME | PTS | REBS | ASSTS | STEALS | 3-POINT |
| Tatum Bailey | 9.6 | 3.2 | 0.9 | 1.7 | 2 |
| Mason Holloway | 8.2 | 2.5 | 0.8 | 1.4 | 12 |
| Hunter Johnson | 7.9 | 3.0 | 0.9 | 1.1 | 10 |
| Tyler Troudt | 6.7 | 3.8 | 0.9 | 1.0 | 30 |
| Brennan Bringelson | 6.0 | 3.9 | 3.3 | 2.0 | 31 |
| Derek Dollerschell | 5.0 | 1.9 | 0.7 | 0.9 | 2 |
| Owen Kilmer | 3.0 | 1.3 | 0.9 | 1.1 |
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