Sr. | F | 6-foot-8

Stats: 29.9 points, 10.4 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.2 steals, Class 6A Sweet 16

The CSU signee and 2026 Mr Colorado Basketball was dominant for the Raiders despite being the sole focus of opposing game plans every single time he stepped on the floor. He shot 47% from the floor and dropped 30-plus points on a dozen occasions.

Sr. | PF | 6-foot-9

Stats: 19.0 points, 10.9 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.6 blocks, 1.6 steals, Class 5A state champion

The Indiana State commit didn’t play until after winter break after transferring back from a prep school in Oklahoma. He was the driving force behind the Lions’ run to the title, shooting 58% from the field while also locking down the paint on the defensive end.

Sr. | G/F | 6-foot-6

Stats: 24.1 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 2.0 steals, Class 4A state champion

The Air Force commit was the centerpiece of the Sun Devils’ back-to-back titles. He could play every position on the floor, from bringing the ball up to knocking bodies in the paint. He was capable of taking over the game in the half-court and in transition.

Jr. | G | 6-foot-2

Stats: 19.7 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.1 steals, Class 6A Final Four

The uncommitted Wolverines star helped Chaparral to the Continental League title and another Denver Coliseum appearance. Perhaps the best pure scorer in the state, Williams shot 42% from 3 and his run-and-gun style had opposing defenses reeling.

Jr. | G | 6-foot-5

Stats: 19.0 points, 9.2 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 1.9 steals, Class 6A Final Four

The CSU commit was the other half of the Wolverines’ dynamic duo alongside Williams. He was named the MaxPreps Colorado Player of the Year after consistently stuffing the stat sheet, affecting the game in every way while also playing dynamic defense.

Sr. | SG | 6-foot-3

Stats: 19.6 points, 4.4 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.7 steals, Class 6A state finalist

The Black Hills State commit was critical in leading the Mustangs to their first title game appearance in 23 years, along with senior forward Zeke Andrews. Braketa shot 44% from 3-point range, with 103 long-range makes, leading Colorado’s biggest classifications.

Soph. | PG/F | 6-foot-5

Stats: 18.0 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 2.1 blocks, 2.3 steals, Class 6A Final Four

The uncommitted hooper switched from forward as a freshman to point guard this season, a reflection of his ability to do it all. He was part of Rangeview’s three-headed monster, along with Archie Weatherspoon V and Aidan Perez; he dominated the paint.

Jr. | F | 6-foot-6

Stats: 18.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.1 steals, Class 6A state champion

The uncommitted rising star was the most heralded player on the Jaguars’ first title team. His play, along with teammates Kai Valentine, Cooper Ellwood and Davis May, propelled Rock Canyon to Coliseum upsets in the Final Four and championship game.

Coach Kent Grams, Rock Canyon

Record: 25-3, Continental League runner-up, Class 6A state champion

In his 14th year helming the Jaguars, Grams’ squads had been consistent Coliseum contenders, but could never quite break through to the trophy. That changed this year as his balanced team took on the identity of its relentlessly competitive coach.

Honorable Mention

Zeke Andrews, Sr. F, Ralston Valley; Noah Adkins, Soph. G, Denver East; Oliver Junker, Sr. F, Mountain Vista; Archie Weatherspoon V, Jr. G, Rangeview; Aidan Perez, Sr. G, Rangeview; Preston Brunton, Sr. F, Mountain Range; Cooper Ellwood, Jr. G, Rock Canyon; Kai Valentine, Sr. F, Rock Canyon; Madden Smiley, Sr. PG, Windsor; Noah Sokolowski, Jr. F, Horizon; Keegen Balistreri, Sr. G, Arvada West; Jordan Dotson, Jr. PG, George Washington; Cash Boykin, Sr. F, Columbine; Drew Paine, Sr. F, ThunderRidge; Luke Schmeeckle, Sr. G, Silver Creek; Jonas Miller, Sr. G, Lewis-Palmer; Judah Michael, Sr. G, Northfield. ]]> 7463125 2026-03-29T06:00:55+00:00 2026-03-30T15:07:30+00:00 /2026/03/29/kent-grams-all-colorado-coach-of-year/ Sun, 29 Mar 2026 12:00:42 +0000 /?p=7464025 Rock Canyon’s championship run was punctuated by two declarations of confidence that came nearly a quarter-century apart.

Back in 2002, Jaguars boys basketball head coach Kent Grams was a centerpiece on ThunderRidge’s first title team. When one of Wheat Ridge’s stars went on a scoring binge in the championship game, Grams told ThunderRidge head coach Joe Ortiz at halftime that he would “shut him down.”

Grams delivered, holding Wheat Ridge’s Tony Bolling scoreless in the second half. Fast forward 24 years, and Grams’ star player delivered a similar proclamation to him. “We got this,” All-Colorado forward Jacob David asserted during a fourth-quarter timeout when the Jaguars were down one point — en route to a Class 6A championship victory over Ralston Valley.

The win gave Rock Canyon its first title, and earned Grams the nod as the 2026 All-Colorado boys hoops Coach of the Year.

“Kent played with pure passion in everything that we did, and that fueled us to move forward in the state tournament in 2002,” Ortiz recalled. “He was the leader and the key to our team. (Another coach) sent me a note during the season saying, ‘You’ll go as far as that guy takes you.’

“He was tough and fearless and willing to do whatever it took to win. That’s how you have to play at times, and that’s what Rock Canyon did this year. Some people were saying Rock Canyon was the least talented team in the Class 6A Final Four. But all his players are like him. They took on his personality and drive and belief in each other.”

‘Anything to win’

In Grams’ 14th year at Rock Canyon, his Jaguars finally broke through after coming up empty in seven previous trips to the Great 8 and two previous appearances in the Final Four.

Rock Canyon lacked the star power of the other teams at the Denver Coliseum, but like the ’02 ThunderRidge team — which didn’t have a single all-state or first-team all-league player, and won games with defensive gusto — the Jaguars triumphed in all three Coliseum games by double-digits thanks to their complete team makeup.

“It was sometimes a bloodbath in practice when I would have to separate kids because it got so intense,” Grams said with a laugh. “And that was who I was in high school. I remember Ortiz kicking me out of practice many times. But that’s who we were. We were gritty. We would do anything to win. That’s how this Rock Canyon team was. ”

The Jaguars were just and lost their leading scorer to graduation. But something clicked this winter, when Rock Canyon (25-3) lost just one in-state game, a 54-50 road setback to Chaparral on Jan. 23 in a showdown that ultimately decided the Continental League championship.

“Losing that one actually helped us, because it made us come together as a team,” David said. “We were thinking we were all this, we were all that — but it brought us back to where our heads were level, and right.”

Rock Canyon avenged that loss in the Final Four, beating the Wolverines 75-60 before going on to topple Ralston Valley the next day, 68-58. The Jaguars were led by the 6-foot-6 David, but senior guard Davis May, junior guard Cooper Ellwood and senior forward Kai Valentine also played critical roles.

“I didn’t agree with us being the darkhorse, but that was the color commentary that I heard on the (game broadcasts),” Grams said.

In the end, Grams got the payoff he’s been working his life towards, in a game he almost veered away from a couple of times, only for the hardcourt to draw him back in.

Ahead of his senior year at ThunderRidge, Grams was going to quit basketball and go out for the wrestling team instead. Until Ortiz caught wind of it.

“He found me in the hallway and got after me,” Grams said. “There were words that can’t be repeated. I had bought wrestling shoes and he took them out my hands and said, ‘You’re not doing that.’ So that stopped my wrestling career before it even started.”

After graduation, Grams went to Fort Lewis to play football as a safety, but missed basketball so much that he eventually became a preferred walk-on with the Skyhawks’ basketball team. He played both sports for one year and eventually quit football to focus full-time on basketball in Durango.

Post-college, Grams remained in the game as an assistant coach for Ortiz, coaching the Grizzlies’ freshman and sophomore teams over a seven-year stint. Ortiz said he hoped Grams would take over the ThunderRidge program when Ortiz retired, but the timing didn’t work out.

As it turned out, it was a great under-the-radar hire in 2012 by Rock Canyon, which quickly evolved into a hoops heavyweight under Grams’ leadership. The Jaguars got an apple that didn’t fall far from the Ortiz coaching tree. David describes the tough-love yet also humorous Grams as “an aggressive coach who loves players who hustle, who loves defense and scrappy teams that can win games.”

“He’s going to tell it to you straight, he’s going to be honest and direct,” Ortiz said of Grams’ coaching style. “And sometimes it’s going to be harsh, and sometimes it’s going to be how much he loves you. But he loves his players. I know his players love him.”

The then-6-foot-5 freshman wanted to play Division I basketball, but at 260 pounds, he lacked the stamina and the skill to make that happen. He had gotten a few minutes a game on the Regis Jesuit varsity that season, but just like on his club teams all throughout middle school, Fiedler didn’t stand out except for his height.

So decided to put in the work necessary to change his trajectory. Strict dieting, including intermittent fasting. Wake-up calls at 5:30 a.m. all summer and into the school year to hit the weight room and the court. Sprints, jogging, and incline walking on the treadmill every morning.

The Denver Post����ap 2026 All-Colorado boys basketball team

The result of that disciplined effort brought Fiedler more success than that hopeful freshman could've imagined that day in his bed.

It earned the Regis Jesuit star a scholarship to Colorado State, led him to finish as the Raiders' all-time scoring leader, and then came the awards: CHSAA Class 6A Player of the Year. And now, The Denver Post's Mr. Colorado Basketball.

"I knew I wasn't going to get to where I wanted to go at 260 pounds," Fiedler said. "I had to switch what I did, what I ate, how I worked out, who I worked out with, the people I surrounded myself with. I had to change my whole life around. And to see the payoff over the last couple years has been the most rewarding thing."

Sophomore jump

Fiedler was down to 235 pounds as a sophomore, and then cut to 195 pounds as a junior. As his frame stretched to 6-foot-6 and he added muscle, he played this season at about 210 pounds, turning in a dominant campaign from start to finish.

The senior averaged a double-double this season with capping a sensational high school career that started to take flight in his sophomore season. Early in that year, Fiedler posted a 34-point, 10-rebound effort in a win against Mullen that foretold the type of player he could be without all the extra weight.

Fiedler surprised himself with that performance and eventually quit baseball to focus on basketball full-time.

"That was my first 30-piece in my life, and at that point, I was blown away because I never thought I could do that," Fielder said. "After that game, I just kind of thought, 'I can really do something with this.'"

And the omens kept coming.

As a junior, the forward dropped 37 points in at the Denver Coliseum. And as a senior, his double-double in a win over ThunderRidge (career-high 46 points with 11 rebounds) underscored what Division I coaches saw in the player who also had offers from CU, Stanford, and Kansas State, among others.

"Eric carried us down the stretch of that Rangeview game," former Regis Jesuit head coach Ken Shaw said. "And when we played at ThunderRidge this year, a stellar program for a long time, he kept making big plays, and big shots, just when it looked like (the Grizzlies) were going to get back into it. He is the type of player who is impossible to stop when he's locked in."

Easy points

Fellow Regis Jesuit senior Joe Haubert, who witnessed Fielder's transformation from pudgy freshman to program all-timer, noted that sometimes, opposing defenses underestimated the forward at the beginning of games. That didn't last long, as Fielder often saw double-teams, triple-teams and junk defenses that became standard by the latter stretch of the season.

"I think some defenses were almost like, 'Can he really be that good? Let's just have one guy guard him,'" Haubert said with a laugh. "And then when he has the first, say, 12 points for us, the other coach would be like, 'OK, we probably need to double him now.'"

Regis Jesuit lost to eventual state runner-up Ralston Valley in the this season, as the Raiders didn't have the firepower around Fiedler to have the type of success they were aiming for. But it is safe to say the Raiders wouldn't have gone 15-10 and 7-3 in the league without their superstar carrying them.

Fiedler, who was the co-Continental League Player of the Year along with Chaparral's All-Colorado junior guard Luke Howery, had his scoring binges fueled by his ability to draw fouls. He shot 76% from the stripe, averaging 8.2 points per game from there, and with 196 free-throw points.

ThunderRidge head coach Joe Ortiz called Fiedler "the best high school player I've seen in several years."

"He beats you off the dribble, he can shoot mid-range, but really his biggest strength is that he'll just overpower you," Ortiz said. "He shares the ball well when he needs to. Regis would isolate him, and he'd find open shooters or he'll beat you two-on-one, too. He's a unique scorer... And when he gets to the free-throw line, that's just easy points."

Ortiz believes Fiedler has a chance to play early at CSU because he has "the whole package of skills."

"He's like a post body, playing a guard game," Ortiz said. "CSU is getting a steal with him."

For Kent Denver, that they have.

Under the direction of head coach Ann Abromaitis (née Strother), a former Highlands Ranch star who won two national championships at UConn before playing professionally, the Sun Devils are headed to their first state title game.

In Abromaitis’ first two seasons, Kent Denver lost in the Sweet 16, but the Sun Devils broke through to a deep playoff run this year. They beat Timnath 53-46 on Friday in the Class 4A Final Four at the Denver Coliseum, avenging a narrow loss in the season opener on Dec. 2.

“I think we were all (a little starstruck) when she got hired,” said Kent Denver senior post Austin Duncan, a Washburn commit. “Knowing where she’s been and what she’s done, we thought good things were going to come of it — and here we are.

“She runs with us all the time (in practice). There’s dimes all over when she plays — behind-the-back passing, and she can shoot the ball from anywhere still. She’s still got it, and that rubs off on us.”

Coupled with the Kent Denver boys also beating Timnath in Friday’s Final Four, the Sun Devils join Class 5A Lutheran in going for a rare championship double-dip on Saturday at the Coliseum.

The Kent Denver girls were led by 15 points and 8 rebounds from Duncan, their senior stalwart on a team heavy in youth. The Sun Devils start three freshmen in point guard Elise Drogin-Tundermann, guard Emerson Hamman and forward London Barry. But that trio played beyond their years, with Drogin-Tundermann dropping 14 points and Barry adding 9.

“We have just the right combo — some young players who don’t know any better, who have never been here on a stage like this,” Abromaitis said. “They’ve worked hard and put in the time for this and know how compete. Then we’ve also got a senior leader (Duncan) who doesn’t want to go out. That’s a pretty good recipe.”

As a player, Abromaitis has experience at the Coliseum, and she won a pair of Class 5A titles (then the biggest classification) with Highlands Ranch as a junior and senior.

In her senior year in 2001-02, the CHSAA Hall of Famer was named the  one of only two Colorado females to earn that honor, along with ThunderRidge’s Abby Bartolotta (née Waner), who earned it in 2005. Abromaitis says she’s had conversations with this year’s team about competing at the Coliseum, which is notoriously unfriendly to shooters.

“I remember what it felt like to be here, and I’ve talked about that with them,” Abromaitis said. “I know we’re probably going to come out, shoot a couple airballs, get those nerves out. We’ve just got to play through it, work through it, and they really did that to win Wednesday (in a Great 8 matchup against D’Evelyn) and then again against Timnath.”

The Sun Devils led for the majority of the game against the Cubs, and used an early 8-0 run to create separation plus strong 3-point shooting (9-for-19) to cement the win.

‘Run Devils’

In the boys game, the game started the opposite way, with top-seeded Kent Denver quickly going down 8-0. But the Sun Devils ripped off a 15-2 run in the second quarter to reassert control, then didn’t step off the gas en route to an 82-72 victory.

Senior guard Sam Glynn paced Kent Denver with 23 points, while sophomore forward Henry Czaja added 19 points and star senior guard Caleb Fay (an Air Force commit) also showed up in critical moments despite dealing with some foul trouble. Fay finished with 15 points, and junior guard Liam Ash had 14.

A 13-2 run in the fourth quarter all but put the game on ice for Kent Denver, as the Cubs failed to match the Sun Devils’ depth and also had issues with Kent Denver’s ball pressure. Even when Timnath made a run late in the fourth quarter, Kent Denver was unfazed.

The team still has the same “Run Devils” identity of a season ago, even though they lost four starters to graduation.

“Everyone talks about Caleb, which they should, but it����ap not a one-man show,” 33rd-year head coach Todd Schayes said. “No one worries about who scores. We play fast, we sub a lot. I really think we can be as many as 16 deep.”

The Sun Devil boys have only lost to Class 6A opponents this season, with defeats to Northfield, Fruita Monument and Eaglecrest. Like the girls, a stacked schedule prepared them for the tense moments at the Coliseum as the boys are now one win away from a repeat championship following a dominant run through the tournament in 2025.

Schayes, who has taught sixth-grade history and English at Kent Denver for over three decades alongside his coaching career, notes that Abromaitis’s “fantastic coaching” enabled the girls’ program to catch up with the boys.

“She can’t be (longtime, intense UConn coach) Geno (Auriemma) — she found that out that first year,” Schayes said with a laugh. “So over the last two years, it����ap been less Geno’s coaching style and more her’s. She’s smiling more. The girls have bought in, and the moment is never too big for them.

“Her players and my players are each other’s biggest cheerleaders. We are screaming for them, they are screaming for us. I’m so happy for them and it����ap a phenomenal thing for our community to have both teams playing for the title.”

The girls take on Holy Family in Saturday’s championship at the Coliseum, while the boys play University.

The school announced the end of Shaw’s 19-year tenure as the Raiders’ boys basketball coach on Friday. But Shaw, who has won 873 games over 52 seasons coaching in Colorado, is leaving the door open on a return to the sidelines.

“I still enjoy the game and maybe even think that I’ve got a year or two left, which is kind of ridiculous when you’ve already coached for 52 years,” Shaw said. “To be perfectly honest, some of (my stepping down) was that Regis wanted to move on.

“And I get that. I mean, holy smokes, you can’t do it forever. And in my visiting with the AD and the principal, we thought it was maybe just a good time. It was a mutual parting of the ways, to put it tactfully.”

Regis Jesuit went 15-10 this year and lost in the second round of the Class 6A playoffs to Ralston Valley. Shaw called it a “frustrating year” considering the Raiders had some high-end talent. That included 6-foot-8 senior forward and CSU signee Eric Fiedler, who finished as the program’s all-time leading scorer.

Over Shaw’s 19 years at Regis Jesuit, the Raiders were a perennial playoff contender. They won three consecutive Class 5A championships from 2009-11, giving Shaw five state titles in his career to go along with an undefeated AA team at Yuma in 1981 and an undefeated 3A team at Sterling in ’84.

Shaw’s win total ranks third , three wins behind Denver Christian’s Dick Katte and also trailing the all-time leader Manual/Denver East’s Rudy Carey’s 929 victories. Shaw, who was awarded the John Wooden Legacy Award from the National High School Basketball Coaches Association in 2021, began his career as an assistant coach at Merino in 1974 under another Hall of Fame coach, Ron Vlasin, whom Shaw played for at the school on undefeated title teams in ’69 and ’70.

Over 52 seasons, Shaw’s coached 62 college players, 40 all-state players and six players of the year.

“Coach Shaw’s impact on Regis Jesuit and on Colorado high school basketball overall is nothing short of remarkable,” Regis Jesuit athletic director Ryan West said in a statement. “His commitment to excellence, his love for the game and his genuine care for developing well-rounded young men have shaped generations of student-athletes both on and off the court.”

The 74-year-old’s head coaching stops included Yuma, Sterling, Rocky Mountain, Smoky Hill and most recently Regis Jesuit. He is one of many notable names stemming from Vlasin’s coaching tree that is also highlighted by longtime ThunderRidge boys boss Joe Ortiz. In total, he’s made a dozen Final Fours, 31 Great 8s and won 25 league titles.

Shaw says “it’d have to be an ideal situation for me” to return to coaching in 2026-27.

“If the right opportunity presents itself, I would certainly give it some consideration,” Shaw said.

Regis Jesuit says it will now begin a nationwide search for its next head coach.

Twice, the Rams rose to the challenge to make program history by advancing to the program’s first state title game.

Green Mountain lost its leading scorer, senior guard Kantyn Pearson, to a right knee injury in the regular season finale. But the Rams beat Standley Lake anyway to win the Jeffco League crown.

Then, with Pearson cheering on from the bench, the Rams rallied from a 15-point deficit after one quarter on Thursday to in the Class 5A Final Four at the Denver Coliseum.

The Rams will face top-seeded Lutheran in Saturday’s championship game. Lutheran beat Standley Lake, 38-36, in a defensive battle in the other 5A semifinal.

“You look on paper and you see we lose about 16 points a game without Pearson in the playoffs, and other teams can be like, ‘Welp, their best player is out, they’re cooked,'” Green Mountain head coach Matteo Busnardo said. “But other girls have stepped up. We’ve had to figure out how to play without her in a short period of time.

“And the bond that has been in the making (back to youth basketball) has come through. All of that was on display in (Thursday’s) comeback against Montrose.”

In an era where open enrollment and transfers dominate the rosters of top basketball teams, the Rams are entirely homegrown. Green Mountain’s core group of juniors that led them to Thursday’s victory — including Ella Cockrum, Cadyn Cavanaugh, Addie Evans, and Grace Herrig — played together throughout elementary and middle school on a Rams’ feeder team.

Herrig paced the Rams with 11 points and 8 rebounds against Montrose, while Evans had 8, Cockrum 7, and Cavanaugh and senior captain Peyton Coil both had 6.

Montrose dominated the opening frame, racing out to a 24-9 lead behind the sharpshooting of freshman Landree Johnson and senior Maggie Legg. Both of those ballers finished with 16 points, but it was the Rams’ defense that proved critical for Green Mountain to build off a defeat in its Final Four appearance a year ago.

Green Mountain uncorked a 12-0 run in the second quarter as the Red Hawks endured a scoring drought that stretched past six minutes. Then the Rams took control for good with a 19-2 run in the second half. That settling in pleased Pearson, who let her teammates know about the flaws in their defense in the huddle following the first quarter.

“We had the whole, giant student section behind us, so we were trying to have flashy steals and flashy blocks,” Pearson said. “So I kind of yelled at them, said, ‘Stay down, stop jumping.’

“The rest of the game showed we’ve got no quit. Because when we decide to show up, I think we’re the best team in the state by far.”

Herrig said the Rams focused on eliminating open looks for Johnson, who hit three 3s in the first quarter. Green Mountain was visibly rattled, but a tough schedule this season — the Rams’ lone loss came to Class 6A Final Four participant Cherokee Trail, and they are now riding a 24-game win streak — gave them confidence they could come back.

“We had to lock down on defense, and that’s what we did,” Herrig said. “We had to dive on the floor, get every rebound, every 50/50 ball. We did all of those things starting in the second quarter like it was the final minutes of the fourth.”

Green Mountain’s turnaround over the final few quarters saved Evans’ 17th birthday, as the Coastal Carolina beach volleyball commit admitted that had the Rams lost, “I probably would’ve gone home and not talked to anybody.”

Evans also emphasized that the Rams’ run through the playoffs without Pearson has provided ample incentive.

“Losing Kantyn before playoffs, that was all the motivation we needed,” Evans said. “We want to win it for her. We’re playing for her. Because we know she’d give anything to be on the court with us.”

Pearson’s torn ACL/MCL on Feb. 16 left the Green Mountain gym in stunned silence. Pearson says hip dysplasia in both hips likely makes her more susceptible to the knee injury. She played all season through pain, with torn labrums in both hips. And she balled out with the memory of her late brother, Cayson Pearson, constantly on her mind.

Cayson Pearson died by suicide in early 2024, during Kantyn Pearson’s sophomore year. Kantyn had one of her breakout games a few days after her brother’s death. Her family started the in his honor, awarding scholarships to middle/high school players to help offset the cost of club as well as to seniors headed to play college hoops.

“The scholarship fund is really awesome because it’s giving people the chance to go and play basketball who maybe otherwise couldn’t afford it, which honors the biggest thing my brother really loved — playing basketball,” said Kantyn Pearson, who plans to attend BYU.

“… For me, I’m grateful for the high school career I’ve had, even with the injuries. I’m grateful for the lessons basketball has taught me, like how far hard work can get you. I honestly don’t have a lot of natural talent, and I’ve spent hours every day on my own, shooting by myself. It’s been awesome to be able to be as good as I am and I think my brother would be proud of me.”

While No. 3 Montrose finishes its season with a program-record 26 wins, the No. 2 Rams advance (26-1) to Saturday’s title to face Lutheran, who they beat 48-41 in overtime on Dec. 16.

No. 1 Lutheran 38, No. 5 Standley Lake 36

The Lions got the game-winning bucket from junior center Isla Koffmann to set up a rematch against Green Mountain in Saturday’s title.

Koffmann had a double-double with 14 points and 15 rebounds, while senior guard Berkley Schneider chipped in 12 points and 9 rebounds. The Gators were led by freshman guard Jojo Martin, who hit the buzzer-beater to take down Windsor in the Great 8, as Martin had a double-double with 13 points and 16 rebounds.

Lutheran led for the vast majority of the game, and Standley Lake’s struggles from beyond the arc (1-for-17) were pivotal in the Gators’ narrow defeat.

Statewright coached at Gateway for nine seasons, but was given a pink slip after going 4-18 in 2017-18. When that happened, she was ready to be done with coaching. Some within her circle encouraged her to apply for the Cherokee Trail job, but the listing had closed.

Then, the listing reopened.

“Sometimes you don’t know what’s best for you,” Statewright said. “So getting fired at Gateway, it was a blessing in disguise. I was devastated because I loved that community and I love those kids. I was heartbroken, and I was just going to be a mom and do my own thing.”

The Cougar faithful should be glad it didn’t pan out that way.

Since Statewright took the job eight years ago, Cherokee Trail has emerged as a perennial Class 6A contender. That included a first-ever Final Four berth two seasons ago. This season, the top-seeded Cougars return to the Denver Coliseaum on Thursday for a showdown against Northfield.

Statewright, a 1990 Montbello graduate, has a team capable of raising its first banner.

Cherokee Trail is headlined by Wichita State commit Aaliyah Broadus, a senior guard who can score at all three levels. Broadus’ surrounding cast is dangerous, too, with senior guard Karson Chaney (CSU-Pueblo), freshman guard Chloe Cain, sophomore guard Milania Gutierrez and senior guard Hannah Hazim (Bethany College).

Broadus and Chaney were on the floor two years ago when Cherokee Trail was up at halftime against Valor Christian in the Final Four, only for the Eagles to emerge with a 71-59 victory en route to winning the state title.

“We were up in that game and then we decided to start taking a bunch of hero shots and wanting to be superstars, and it cost us,” Statewright said. “So I think this group is a little bit more understanding of not caring about (individual stats), and only caring about the win at the end.

“This team can overcome obstacles better with each other than teams I’ve had in the past. We know how to rely on the team aspect, as opposed to one person trying to carry us.”

In addition to No. 1 Cherokee Trail aiming for program history, here are more storylines and players to watch at the 2026 CHSAA Class 6A and Class 5A Final Four on Thursday and Friday at the Denver Coliseum. The Class 4A Final Four pairings will be decided during Wednesday’s Great 8, which is also at the Coliseum.

Chaparral’s Takeover Dude. The Wolverines have an array of weapons, but there might not be a better pure scorer in the state than Christian Williams. The junior guard already holds offers from Stanford, CSU, and Cal, with surely more to come. He has 1,397 career points with still a full season left, and has improved drastically in his defense, passing and rebounding.

Rock Canyon’s due. This is the Jaguars’ third Final Four in Kent Grams’ 14 seasons as head coach, but will this be the time the Jaguars finally break through to the championship? They’ll have to avenge recent defeats to Chaparral (last year’s Sweet 16, this year in a game that decided the Continental League champion) to get there. Junior forward Jacob David will be critical.

Ralston Valley’s dynamic duo. The Mustangs won their first and only crown behind all-time preps great Nick Fazekas, who went on to star at Nevada and then play professionally. To get back to the mountaintop, the Mustangs will need big performances by the senior trio of Caiden Braketa, Zeke Andrews and Frank Psaute. All three average double digits.

Rangeview’s stout defense. The Raiders have several scorers who can dominate, and they can pile up buckets in transition and the half-court. But what has really set Rangeview apart is its commitment to defense. The lanky, athletic Raiders (who have six players who are 6-foot-3 or taller) completely shut down Cherry Creek in the Great 8 by allowing only 12 first-half points.

Coaching icons on center stage. Two of the most renowned coaches in Colorado high school girls basketball history face off in Thursday night’s Final Four when Highlands Ranch’s Caryn Jarocki takes on Denver East’s Carl Mattei. The two had many great showdowns in the first decade of this century when Mattei was at Regis Jesuit and Jarocki’s Falcons were mid-dynasty.

Northfield’s mother-daughter duo.  are coached by Sydney Price, whose daughter Madison Bethel has been a program pillar for three seasons. Their only in-state losses came to DPS rival Denver East (twice), which they avenged with a 61-59 win over the Angels in the district tournament. Watch out for junior guard London Taylor (14.6 points, 4.6 steals per game).

Denver East’s Serbian X-factor. The Angels are back in the Final Four for the first time in 16 years, largely thanks to senior forward Mairead Hearty (16.9 points) and junior guard Grace Hall (12.3). But don’t overlook the importance of 6-foot-6 sophomore forward Mia Avramovic, who came to the U.S. this season and has played for

Falcons’ scoring sophomores. Highlands Ranch is young, with only one senior, guard Kniyah Dumas, making an impact. The Falcons will lean on sophomore sensations (17.2 points per game) and Jayda Rogers (10.0). Plus, for Jarocki’s Falcons to control the paint, freshman post Kennedi Toliver is going to have to play beyond her years.

Motivation by Miller. Lewis-Palmer will go as far as can take them. The Rangers’ catalyst is averaging 17.8 points per game plus 5.5 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.9 steals. He dropped 17 points in the upset over top-seeded Palisade in the Great 8. Surrounding Miller are sophomore guard Devin VanderMeer (10.8 points) and senior forward Bryce Lowe.

Silver Creek’s run. The Raptors lost three straight games in mid-January, and it appeared the train was going off the tracks. But retiring head coach Bob Banning straightened out Silver Creek, which won 13 of its last 14 games, including upsets over Eagle Valley in the Sweet 16 and Mesa Ridge in the Great 8. The Raptors’ linchpin is senior guard Luke Schmeeckle (18.7 points).

Lutheran’s sideline legend. There’s no doubt that Lions head coach Josh Adams could still lace ’em up and take any kid in this tournament to school. The Colorado prep hoops icon, best known for his to capture the 2012 state title for Chaparral, leads an athletic and versatile team headlined by 6-foot-9 forward Kade Speckman (Indiana State).

Windsor’s repeat chances. Giving the Wizards a No. 11 seed for this tournament felt like a flaw in the computer calculations from the very beginning. The defending champions upset Regis Groff in the Sweet 16 and then Severance in the Great 8, if you believe the seeding. Senior guard Madden Smiley, a Wyoming commit, can put this team on his shoulders this weekend.

Lutheran’s dominance. No one’s come close to touching the Lions in the playoffs, as Lutheran’s won every game by at least 20 points. Since losing to Green Mountain in overtime on Dec. 18, the Lions have ripped off 19 straight wins. Senior guard is the primary scorer at 14.6 points per game, while junior center Isla Koffmann controls the glass (8.2 rebounds).

Standley Lake’s phenom freshman. Where did these girls come from? The Gators, making their first Final Four appearance, are led by 23.9 points per game. Fellow freshmen Chloe Miller and Ireland Kassatly are also key. Standley Lake is coached by first-year boss Enoch Miller, who led Roosevelt to consecutive Class 5A titles in 2023 and ’24.

Green Mountain’s supporting cast. With leading scorer Kantyn Pearson the rest of the Rams stepped up in the Great 8, paced by the junior duo of Grace Herrig and Addie Evans. Those two will again need to come up big, while fellow juniors Ella Cockrum and Cadyn Cavanaugh must also elevate their play to keep the program’s hopes of a first title alive.

Montrose’s depth. As the demonstrated in their Great 8 victory over Air Academy, they are a sum-of-their-parts type of team. One of two undefeated girls teams left this season, along with Class 2A Simla, balanced Montrose has three players averaging double-digit scoring in senior forward Mayce Oberg, senior guard Maggie Legg and freshman guard Landree Johnson.

Final Four Schedule

Thursday

5A Girls: No. 2 Green Mountain vs. No. 3 Montrose, 11 a.m.

5A Boys: No. 8 Lewis-Palmer vs. No. 13 Silver Creek, 12:45 p.m.

5A Girls: No. 1 Lutheran vs. No. 5 Standley Lake, 2:15 p.m.

5A Boys: No. 10 Lutheran vs. No. 11 Windsor, 4 p.m.

6A Girls: No. 1 Northfield vs. No. 5 Cherokee Trail, 5:45

6A Girls: No. 6 Denver East vs. No. 7 Highlands Ranch, 7:15 p.m.

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4A Boys/Girls Games: Matchups TBD based off Wednesday’s Great 8

6A Boys: No. 1 Chaparral vs. No. 5 Rock Canyon, 5:45 p.m.

6A Boys: No. 2 Ralston Valley vs. No. 3 Rangeview, 7:15 p.m.

Plus, the of Parker pulled off a Final Four double-dip, with the top-seeded girls cruising past Pueblo East and the No. 10 boys edging Grand Junction in the final games of the day.

Here’s everything to know from Saturday’s Class 5A and Great 8 action at the Coliseum to set up next week’s Final Four:

Girls: No. 2 Green Mountain 50, No. 7 Mead 40. Despite losing star senior Kantyn Pearson to a knee injury in the regular-season finale, the Rams kept on humming to advance to their second consecutive Final Four amid their 23rd straight win this season.

Green Mountain hasn’t lost since a 59-48 defeat to Cherokee Trail, the top seed in Class 6A which is in that bracket’s Final Four, on Dec. 6. The Rams looked poised and seasoned on Saturday while rallying from a 24-14 deficit late in the first half.

Junior forward Addie Evans led the Rams with 17 points and six rebounds, while junior guard Grace Herrig added 15 points. The Mavericks were paced by 14 points by senior guard/forward Elena Gomez and 12 points by freshman guard Kally Clark.

Boys: No. 13 Silver Creek 62, No. 12 Mesa Ridge 55. The Raptors’ dream run in the final season of retiring head coach at the school continued with a gritty win over the Grizzlies.

The back-and-forth game featured seven lead changes, and the Raptors got balanced scoring from the trio of senior guards Connor Bonsett (15 points), Luke Schmeeckle (14) and Blake Gorr (14). Senior 6-foot-6 center Cooper Herchert also came up clutch, with nine points and 11 rebounds.

Those four players helped Silver Creek offset a game-high 19 points by Mesa Ridge senior J’marius Jones, plus double-digit rebounds by seniors Eligah Myles and Brian Lamar. Silver Creek also shot well from 3 (6-for-11), while Mesa Ridge struggled at the line (4-of-12).

Girls: No. 5 Standley Lake 68, No. 4 Windsor 62. Call it the JoJo Martin Game.

With 5.7 seconds left, the Standley Lake freshman phenom stole the ball off a Windsor inbound and hit a buzzer-beating, to earn the Gators their first Final Four appearance in program history.

In a game where each team had four players score in double figures, Martin dropped a game-high 33 points with seven rebounds and two steals, the most critical of which helped propel the Gators to where they’ve never gone before.

Freshman Chloe Miller (14 points), senior Aaliyah Valenzuela (11) and freshman Ireland Kassatly (10) all also came up with critical buckets throughout the game to outlast Windsor in an instant-classic that saw four lead changes and eight ties.

The Wizards, who held a significant edge in rebounds (36-20) and points in the paint (40-28), were led by junior Nola Greenwald’s 18 points. They also got scoring from junior Gracie Worsley (15), senior Gabriella Gates (14) and junior Paityn Deselms (10). A 3 by Worsley with 22 seconds left tied it, but then Windsor was careless with the ball off the inbound under its own basket in the waning seconds, and Martin made the Wizards pay.

Boys: No. 11 Windsor 63, No. 3 Severance 51. The defending champions are back in the Final Four following a wire-to-wire victory headlined by Wyoming commit Madden Smiley.

The senior guard turned in a game-high 19 points along with nine rebounds, and senior Brady Kingsley chipped in 13 points while sophomore Marek Noel had 12. The Wizards led by as many as 14 points at one point, and capitalized on Severance miscues with 16 points off 16 turnovers.

The Knights were led by 13 points apiece from senior Blake Varney and sophomore Christian Powell. Windsor took an 14-8 lead after one quarter and Severance was never able to make it interesting after that. The Wizards looked like a battle-tested team that played much of their regular-season schedule against Class 6A and out-of-state opponents.

Girls: No. 3 Montrose 61, No. 6 Air Academy 54. It was Kinley Asp vs. Everybody, and Everybody won.

Asp, the  committed to Boston College, ripped off 36 points. But she got very little scoring help from her surrounding cast, and Montrose’s more balanced attack catalyzed the Red Hawks to victory.

Senior forward Mayce Oberg led Montrose with 20 points, while freshman guard Landree Johnson added 14 points and senior guard Maggie Legg had 13. Beyond Asp, no one else on the Kadets had more than five points.

The Red Hawks owned the opening frame, 16-8, but Air Academy battled back to tie it 26-26 at halftime. A key difference in the game was Montrose’s shooting from deep (9-of-18 from 3) and the Red Hawks also held a 17 to 7 advantage in points off turnovers as they led for all but 1:07.

Montrose, the Southwestern League champions, improved to 26-0. They are one of only two undefeated girls hoops teams remaining in Colorado, along with Simla in Class 2A.

Boys: No. 8 Lewis-Palmer 63, No. 1 Palisade 46. Bill Benton’s done it again.

The longtime Lewis-Palmer head coach led the Rangers back to the Final Four, this time with a dominating performance over top-seeded Palisade. The Bulldogs led for just 10 seconds of the game, and Lewis-Palmer took a commanding 19-4 lead after one quarter and never looked back.

Rangers senior guard Jonas Miller led the way with 17 points, while sophomore guard Devin Vandermeer had 16 points. Palisade was paced by 15 points by senior Hunter Howard.

Lewis-Palmer, owner of five state championships including two under Benton in 2019 and ’22, is peaking when it matters most after a late-regular season loss to Lutheran on Feb. 1.

Girls: No. 1 Lutheran 50, No. 9 Pueblo East 30. The Lions never trailed to punch their Final Four ticket with authority.

senior guard/forward and Dordt University commit Berkley Schneider, tallied a game-high 18 points while junior center Isla Koffmann dominated the glass with nine rebounds and also had four steals. Pueblo East freshman Dejanay Arrington led the Eagles with 13 points.

The Lions consistently capitalized off Pueblo East miscues, scoring 27 points off 21 Eagles turnovers. Lutheran led by as many as 26 points at one point. The Lions have now won 18 in a row, with their last defeat coming in overtime to Green Mountain on Dec. 18. Those two programs could meet again in next Saturday’s championship.

Boys: No. 10 Lutheran 61, No. 2 Grand Junction 54. Following the triumph by the Lions girls, the Lutheran boys pulled off the Final Four double-dip with an upset of Grand Junction.

Lutheran — coached by former Chaparral star Josh Adams, whose famous tip-in at the buzzer of the 2012 championship lifted the Wolverines to a title — was led by 6-foot-9 senior forward . The Indiana State commit had a game-high 23 points and nine rebounds, while senior guards Landon Hastedt (12 points) and Adams State football commit Evan Makkai (10) also contributed.

The Tigers were paced by sophomore guards Will Weirath (16 points) and Grant Lewis (14). By advancing to the Final Four, the Lions are on the doorstep of a crack at a fifth title, with the most recent one coming in Class 3A in 2021.

Class 5A Final Four Schedule

The Class 5A Final Four will be Thursday, March 12, back at the Denver Coliseum.

Boys

No. 8 Lewis-Palmer vs. No. 13 Silver Creek

No. 10 Lutheran vs. No. 11 Windsor

Girls

No. 1 Lutheran vs. No. 5 Standley Lake

No. 2 Green Mountain vs. No. 3 Montrose

The CHSAA Class 6A Great 8 and games took place from early morning into the late evening, and featured a handful of takeover performances by standout ballers, a few strong student sections, numerous dominating team showings and a dramatic finish in the final game of the day.

Here’s everything to know from Friday’s action at the Coliseum to set up next week’s big-school Final Four:

Girls: No. 5 Northfield 66, No. 13 Riverdale Ridge 59. The Nighthawks ended the prep career of a Colorado great to open Friday’s slate of games.

Riverdale Ridge blue-chip Brihanna Crittendon, CHSAA’s all-time leading scorer, didn’t come off the floor as she poured in 41 points on 11-of-17 from the field and 17-of-18 from the stripe. The Texas commit tacked on nine rebounds, three steals, a block and an assist.

But that gigantic effort wasn’t enough to offset Northfield’s balanced scoring. The Nighthawks got 21 points from Madison Bethel, 16 by London Taylor and 10 by Delaney Dennis as the junior trio propelled Northfield into the Final Four in just its second season in Class 6A.

Northfield, which lost the Class 5A championship to Roosevelt three years ago, avenged its first-round playoff defeat to Riverdale Ridge last season.

“We had to realize that (Crittendon’s) a great player, and we knew she was going to score, but we just had to try and limit her,” Madison Bethel said. “We did a decent job, but most importantly, we did what we needed to do on offense to come back and clap back at her points.

“On offense, we had to move the ball around, get (Crittendon) moving, get her a little tired and draw her out of the paint so we could get in there. That was the biggest piece for us to find the right open shots.”

Crittendon finishes her career with 3,073 points. Her next showcase will be at the on March 31 at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona. Then, she’ll play for USA Basketball at the on April 11 at Moda Center in Portland, Oregon, in a game featuring top American high school players against a U-19 World Team.

The 6-foot-3 combo guard/forward, who put Riverdale Ridge on the map with a Class 4A title as a sophomore before consecutive Coliseum appearances in 6A last year and this one, leaves for Austin in early June to begin her college career.

“We didn’t quit at all today and I’m proud of our girls. It’s not the way we expected to go out, but I’m very grateful for everything we’ve accomplished the last four years,” Crittendon said. “I definitely could’ve done more to get the win, but I’m proud of myself — I’m not going to hang my head too much. It’s time to move on to the next era of my life.”

Boys: No. 5 Rock Canyon 66, No. 13 Grandview 52. By the time Rock Canyon’s lead stretched to 15 points late in the fourth quarter, the Canyon Crazies let the Coliseum know how they were feeling.

Rock Canyon’s renowned student section, which showed out on force on Friday, ripped off three consecutive chants with the Jaguars’ win in the bag. First: “We want varsity!” Second: “Na na na na, hey hey hey, good-bye.” Third: “Warm the buses!”

Those chants capped a strong performance by Rock Canyon, which advanced to its third Final Four under 14th-year head coach Kent Grams. The game was close early, but Grandview never threatened in the second half. Senior Davis May (a Dordt University commit) paved the way with 20 points, while junior Avery Vasquez had 10 and the Jaguars’ defense consistently stifled Grandview.

Rock Canyon (23-3) has lost only one in-state game this season, a narrow 54-50 defeat to top-seeded Chaparral in Continental League play on Jan. 23. Beyond that, the Jaguars’ size, depth and athleticism have proven difficult to match, as the Wolves discovered on Friday.

“The hard thing about us is we’ve got multiple ways to beat you,” Grams said. “We’ve got a great post player with (6-foot-5) junior Jacob David, who didn’t have a great game because of foul trouble, and we can get the ball inside. But his teammates picked him up, because anybody else can step up at any given time, and that’s how it’s been all year.”

The Jaguars controlled the middle of the game, outscoring Grandview 36-21 in the second and third quarters, which ended up being the difference. At halftime, Grams implored his team to step on the gas, stop shooting 3s and penetrate the ball into the paint.

“We were allowing them to dictate the pace of the game (in the first half),” Grams said. “We like to push the pace, we try to multiply possessions. Our guards were walking the ball up the floor and allowing Grandview to set up their defense, so once we started pushing and getting the ball swung more and getting it to two or three sides (of the floor), I thought they would break down and we would get easier looks.”

It will be an all-Continental League showdown in the Final Four as Rock Canyon will face Chaparral, who ended the Jaguars’ season in the Sweet 16 last year.

“If we can be who we are, and get stops, who knows what can happen,” Grams said.

Girls: No. 6 Denver East 56, No. 3 Valor Christian 48. The combination of junior guard Grace Hall and senior forward Mairead Hearty led the Angels past the Eagles in the second girls game of the day.

After a 20-20 tie in the first quarter, Denver East used its size advantage inside with Hearty in addition to sharpshooting from deep (the Angels were 7-of-15 from 3-point range) to pull away from Valor Christian.

The Eagles were paced by 17 points by Utah pledge Peyton Jones, plus 15 points by George Washington commit Camryn Gunter, but they couldn’t get enough complementary scoring elsewhere to deny Denver East a Final Four berth in the fourth year under longtime Colorado high school coach Carl Mattei.

Hearty, a San Diego State commit, also tallied 13 rebounds to notch a double-double.

“We came out a little flat, like we were just excited to be there,” Mattei said. “Then, after we hit our first three 3s, I called a timeout and told them, ‘You belong here.’ Then they really started to believe, and we started to come back (in that first quarter). I thought our size was a huge factor in the rebounding, because as the game went along, we were controlling most of the second attempts.”

Mattei, in his 25th season coaching prep hoops, concentrated the Angels’ defensive schemes on preventing Jones and Gunter from completely taking over the game. That included a triangle-and-two, a three-two zone and a diamond defense as Mattei earned his 15th trip to the Final Four (14 at Regis Jesuit, which resulted in three titles).

“I feel like we did a good job maintaining coverage on (Jones and Gunter), or at least contesting their shots,” Mattei said. “But then when we were open, I don’t think Valor realized how many weapons we have.”

Denver East played a tough schedule to complete its stair-stepping to the Final Four under Mattei. Three years ago, the Angels lost in the first round of the playoffs; two years ago, they fell in the Sweet 16; and last season, they lost in the Great 8.

The Angels played against six out-of-state opponents this season, in addition to taking on Great 8 qualifiers in Legend, Highlands Ranch, Arapahoe and Northfield (three times). One loss to Broomfield and another to Northfield were Denver East’s lone in-state setbacks.

“We traveled the country in preparation to try to make a Final Four,” Mattei said. “I used the same blueprint for success (when I built Regis Jesuit into a power).”

Denver East last made the Final Four in 2010, when the Angels went on to beat Legacy 50-46 in the Class 5A title to capture the program’s lone championship.

Boys: No. 3 Rangeview 51, No. 6 Cherry Creek 33. The Raiders dominated the final quarters to cruise to victory over the Bruins, who scored just 12 points in the first half and then only 21 in the second half.

Rangeview’s defensive effort was paralleled by a strong offensive performance by senior wing Aiden Perez, who had a game-high 18 points on a scorching 7-of-10 from the field and 4-of-5 from deep. He missed his first 3 in the opening quarter, but then drilled the next four.

“I’ve been working on a game like this (on a stage like this) for this whole year — I’ve been putting in time on my preparation, been working on my 3s,” Perez said. “It’s all falling into place now.

“… Once I hit the first 3, I really felt the rhythm. And if Cherry Creek wasn’t going to step up and close out on me, because that kept happening, I’m going to show them I can shoot. And that’s what I did.”

Perez’s sharpshooting, along with a game-high 13 rebounds by senior wing Anthony Andrew, sent the Raiders to their seventh Final Four in Shawn Palmer’s 23rd season as head coach.

Perez called Andrew “a killer, even though he doesn’t get a lot of the hype he deserves” on a team headlined by junior guard Archie Weatherspoon V and sophomore point guard Marceles Duncan. Perez added that he believes Rangeview is “the best defensive team in the state.”

“We’ve got the guys, the size, the athleticism to shut teams down,” Perez said. “When it comes to defense, that’s one of our calling cards, and it kept us in the game the first half when our offense wasn’t going good.”

With the score 13-12 at halftime in favor of Rangeview, the Raiders uncorked an 11-0 run in the third to take command of the game. They never looked back from there as they took another step toward the program’s third title, with previous crowns coming in 2019 and 1985.

“We celebrated a little bit after the game, but we wiped it off pretty quickly,” Perez said. “That’s a good win, but that’s not the one we want just quite yet. We’ll be happy and satisfied when we’ve got that ring on our hand.”

Girls: No. 1 Cherokee Trail 66, No. 9 Legend 39: The Titans, last year’s state runner-up, saw their rebuild season come to an end at the hands of high-powered Cherokee Trail.

The Cougars owned the opening and closing quarters, building up a 17-9 lead over the Titans after one, and then closing out the fourth with a 27-10 advantage in the final frame.

Cherokee Trail star Aaliyah Broadus poured in 29 points and added six rebounds, a steal and an assist. The Wichita State commit was 10-of-13 from the field and made all nine of her free throws. Senior Karson Chaney and freshman Chloe Cain both chipped in 13 points. Legend was led by its senior leader, guard , who had 15 points.

Boys: No. 1 Chaparral 65, No. 8 Mountain Vista 45. The Wolverines are headed back to the Final Four with a convincing win over their Continental League rival behind a commanding performance by their dynamic junior duo.

Christian Williams led all scorers with 21 points, while CSU commit Luke Howery had 17 points. And defensively, the Wolverines limited Golden Eagles star forward Oliver Junker to just eight points and one rebound. Junker got in foul trouble early, and eventually fouled out.

Chaparral went up early, leading 17-8 after one quarter, and took a 16-point lead into halftime. Mountain Vista, which lost a narrow 57-56 game to the Wolverines in league play on Feb. 20, was never able to recover from that deep deficit.

Girls: No. 7 Highlands Ranch 54, No. 2 Arapahoe 31. A half-Moon took over Friday’s final girls game at the Coliseum.

Highlands Ranch junior shooting guard Addie Moon lit it up with 24 points to pace all scorers, and lead the Falcons back into the Final Four. Her twin sister, fellow key contributor Katie Moon, hurt her knee last month and played sparingly. But one Moon was enough for the Falcons, who also got 13 points from sophomore guard Kimora Banks-Thomas.

It was a tight game after the opening quarter, but Highlands Ranch outscored Arapahoe 29-11 across the second and third quarters to blow the game open. Falcons sophomore Jayda Rodgers had a game-high 11 rebounds, while the Warriors were led by junior Jaya White’s 12 points.

This is the Falcons’ last season in Class 6A before moving to 5A for the next cycle. But youthful Highlands Ranch, which has won seven state titles under 30th-year head coach Caryn Jarocki but none since 2011, may very well exit Colorado’s biggest classification on top.

Boys: No. 2 Ralston Valley 54, No. 7 George Washington 53. Fittingly, a nail-biter capped a fantastic day of hoops at the Coliseum as the Mustangs edged the Patriots in a see-saw battle.

Zeke Andrews, the Mustangs’ All-Colorado quarterback, hit the as the clock wound down to give Ralston Valley the dramatic victory. Andrews finished with 17 points, while Caiden Braketa had 12 for the Mustangs. The Patriots’ Jordan Dotson led all scorers with 18 points.

Ralston Valley was ahead for most of the game, but there were seven lead changes in total, with the final one coming on Andrews’ bucket with two seconds left. The Mustangs prevailed despite being out-rebounded (27-15 in favor of GW) and out-scored in the paint (26-16).

6A Final Four matchups at Denver Coliseum

Girls (March 12)

No. 1 Cherokee Trail vs. No. 5 Northfield

No. 7 Highlands Ranch vs. No. 6 Denver East

Boys (March 13)

No. 1 Chaparral vs. No. 5 Rock Canyon

No. 2 Ralston Valley vs. No. 3 Rangeview

“The emotions were really high in the locker room after that, especially with our key seniors taking off their jerseys for the last time,” recalled. “After (Rangeview head coach Shawn) Palmer addressed the team, and everyone was loitering around, I pulled in coach for the hug and told him, ‘We’ll be back here next year. And we won’t be leaving feeling like this.'”

The Raiders, the No. 3 seed in the easily fulfilled the first part of Weatherspoon’s prediction. Rangeview, 22-3 and with no in-state losses, takes on No. 6 Cherry Creek in Friday’s Great 8 at the Coliseum.

Now comes the harder part: Winning the most difficult three games of the season in a pressure-packed, anti-shooter environment with Colorado high school basketball immortality on the line. In Palmer’s 23 seasons, the Raiders have made 10 Great 8s and are aiming for their seventh Final Four, with a Class 5A title in 2019 highlighting the program’s modern resume.

To be the last team standing is again the hope, and Weatherspoon knew he needed to step up his game and his leadership this season to put the Raiders in a position to win another title. Even more so following the graduation of last year’s leading scorer, All-Colorado guard LaDavian King.

“As part of that conversation we had in the locker room following that loss (in the 2025 Final Four), Palmer told me the amount of trust he had in me to lead the team this year,” said Weatherspoon, who is averaging 19.8 points. “I knew I was going to have a bigger leadership role, and I knew it was going to be another season of championship or bust. I had to step up.”

“Cinco,” as he’s called around the halls of Rangeview, has. The junior is one of three Rangeview captains, alongside sophomore and senior , both of whom are also averaging double-digit scoring.

The 6-foot-6 Duncan made an unusual position switch this season from center to point guard, while Perez — last year’s sixth man — emerged as a force in his first full season with the Raiders. Perez sat out much of 2024-25 due to the 365-day transfer rule after he came over from Overland.

With that trio leading the way, Rangeview cruised through its first two playoff games with wins over Erie and ThunderRidge. The only defeats the Raiders have this year were at the prestigious in Las Vegas just before Christmas, the second out-of-state trip the team took in December following a weekend jaunt to Arizona for a couple of games earlier in the month.

All of which was designed to prepare Rangeview for this weekend and next.

“Last year, we wish we could have been in some closer games and challenged our guys a little bit more,” Shawn Palmer said. “So we went out and tried to build the toughest schedule we could. It was the second year of a two-year (scheduling) cycle, so there were certain limitations. But that’s why we went to Arizona, where we played Perry High School, who’s a four-time consecutive state champion in the highest class down in the Phoenix area.

“That’s also why we played in the top bracket (of the Tarkanian Classic), which was eye-opening, and it was frustrating to lose close games there. … We’re broke now after doing all this travel, but we just keep telling the kids that (us as coaches) wanted to put mountains in front of them to climb so that we can come out prepared for what we wanted to do for the rest of the season.”

At the Tarkanian, Rangeview went 1-3, with its three losses coming by a combined 11 points. The first defeat was to Redondo Union (California), which is currently No. 28 in the . Duncan said all the losses in Las Vegas were beneficial for Rangeview’s growth throughout the season.

“At the start of those games, we came out rushed, we came out a little timid because of the caliber of competition we were playing,” Duncan said. “But we learned from those experiences, and since we’ve gotten back to Colorado, we’ve been playing with confidence and belief that we are the best team every time we step on the floor.”

Rangeview’s riding a 16-game winning streak into the Coliseum, including Ws over fellow Great 8 qualifiers in Mountain Vista, Grandview and George Washington (three times). With no true post, Rangeview relies on the Duncan as well as the 6-foot-7 Perez to crash the glass. The Raiders’ starting five is rounded out by senior Anthony Andrew and junior Conrad Marshall Jr.

“We have to defend and rebound at a high level (to win at the Coliseum),” Palmer said. “We’re very talented offensively and can score a lot of different ways, whether it be transition or in the half-court. But when we really have a strong mindset and a high level of communication defensively, and we really rebound the ball, it puts us in a great spot.”

Duncan has offers from Power 4 programs such as Kansas, Missouri and TCU. Weatherspoon holds offers from mid-majors such as Buffalo, High Point University, Northern Colorado and UTEP. And Perez says he also has college interest and intends on playing at the next level.

That trio is determined to end another notable Rangeview season on a high note.

“The feeling we had last year, none of us want to feel that way again,” Perez said. “We promised that to each other, and with that promise, we’ve been sticking together on and off the court, playing unselfishly, doing all the things we need to do in order to win three more games.”