A look at the Class 5A and 4A Final Four matchups Friday at Denver Coliseum.
Class 5A
No. 1 Rangeview (26-0) vs. No. 5 Grandview (20-6)
Time: 7 p.m.
Breakdown: The Raiders are two wins away from becoming the first undefeated 5A champion in 16 years, with their cross-town rivals the only thing standing in the way of a second straight trip to the 5A title game. Rangeview has won 45 in a row dating back to 2018, but the inside-outside senior combo of 6-foot-7 post Caleb McGill (17.2 ppg, 1.5 bpg) and guard Lian Ramiro (15.3 ppg, 4.5 apg) has already pushed the Raiders to the limit in a 38-37 loss Dec. 6.
No. 2 Fairview (23-3) vs. No. 6 Valor Christian (20-6)
Time: 8:30 p.m.
Breakdown: The Knights rallied from a double-digit deficit to beat Chaparral 55-46 in the Great 8 and advance to the Final Four for the first time in 10 years. They’ll need a similar defensive effort against a deep and athletic Valor Christian squad that features six players averaging eight points per game or better. Amondo Miller (12.1 ppg, 2.8 apg) is at the top of that list, and could find himself matched up opposite Fairview 6-foot-5 senior Jalen Page (13.3 ppg, 2.1 bpg).
Class 4A
No. 1 Mead (25-1) vs. No. 5 Northfield (21-5)
Time: 5:30 p.m.
Breakdown: The top-seeded Mavericks got everything they could handle from Lincoln in the Great 8, with seniors Will Maher (21), Nick Jacobs (14) and Jacob Bartholomew (14) combining for 49 points in a 69-63 victory. Next up is another tough Denver Prep League foe in the up-and-coming Nighthawks. Led by 6-foot-7 senior Nahsyah Bolar (18.2 ppg, 11.3 rpg), Northfield is in the Final Four in just its second year as a varsity program.
No. 10 Pueblo West (20-6) vs. No. 11 The Classical Academy (20-5)
Time: 4 p.m.
Breakdown: The 11th-seeded Titans are the Cinderella of the 4A tournament, having reached the Final Four after years of one-and-done showings in the state playoffs. The senior tandem of 6-foot-4 point guard Micah Lamberth (14.8 ppg, 3.9 apg) and 6-6 center Tyler Trogstad (12.3 ppg, 9.1 rpg) pace the Titans. After upsetting No. 3 Longmont in the Great 8, they face a Pueblo West club that’s in the 4A semifinals for the second time in three seasons with senior point guard Taylor Harris (15.7 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 4.8 apg) leading the way.
