“Early Season RPI Standings and Outlook for our Big School Boys Hoops!” and a look at the week ahead…
Welcome back, hoops fans! A ton of excitement in the first few weeks of our CHSAA big school boys hoops which is a sign of things to come as we approach the New Year and ultimately our #MileHighMadness March playoff fun!
We started with our preseason coaches poll, now the RPI initial standings have been posted, and soon the CHSAA RPI/MaxPreps MPI will give us our weekly Seeding Index!
It’s a unique format that’s lovely for the Ball Fever Crew as it will allow us to cover many worthy teams as the RPI and Seeding Index will change as the season matures. Let’s wait no further and jump into the RPI top teams early on and see what’s on tap for the coming week:
Tuesday 12/17:
Starting off HOT with our Coaches Poll Preseason #1 Ralston Valley in 6A and 5A Preseason #2 Dakota Ridge in fun non-conference action. Dakota Ridge’s 4-3 start has dropped them, for now, from the top squads in the early RPI standing but Ralson Valley remains unbeaten at 5-0 behind Tanner Braketa’s 19 points per game which has the Mustangs at a 68 point per game pace for rival to try and match!
Next, down south, as Discovery Canyon is 5-1 early on and RPI #7 in 5A and is hosting the Falcon Falcons. Discovery Canyon is right at 60 points per game and are familiar with Falcon whom they beat by 10 earlier this month in tournament play.
Regardless of RPI, Lutheran and Mead will be a good one to catch this night. Both squads outside of the Top RPI early on but both were top 10 in our Coaches Poll. Mead also looks to add another big win to their 2-2 start which includes an “upset” of Preseason #1 Windsor in their opener.
Solid 6’4 senior guard Miles McMonigle has our Arapahoe Warriors sitting at 2-0 behind his 18 points per game early this season. The Warriors host Rock Canyon who will always fight and already have 7 games under their belt at 4-3. Early unbeaten start has the Warriors at #7 in RPI.
Top 10 RPI action in Frederick and Standley Lake early in the week and season! RPI #6 in 5A Frederick’s Jovan Aldana is #StatStuffin at 16 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 blocks per game, not to be outdone by Standley Lake’s Derrek Sims 16 points, 6 rebounds and 3 steals. Both teams have 2 losses and someone must get a third!
Wednesday 12/18:
The Raptors have been no stranger to the Top 10 over the years and they started as #5 in our Preseason Coaches Poll along with landing at the 6A #3 spot in this week’s RPI. Eaglecrest, 4-1 in state, now take their show on the road to the Las Vegas Tarkanian Classic to face Hialeah Academy out of Florida. We’ll be keeping an eye on the Raptors and other Colorado squads in out of state tournaments.
ThunderRidge was just outside of the Preseason Coaches Poll but a fast 4-1 start to the season has them as RPI #4 slot early on with their only loss coming to red hot Chaparral in the annual Chap/TRidge Tournament. A huge out of state challenge for the Grizz as well in 6-0 Liberty out of Arizona this night!
Another squad Vegas bound is the Denver South Ravens who came in at #9 in preseason Coaches Poll with some intriguing balance of senior leadership and young studs coming up in the Ravens ranks who we will surely cover this season. Outside of the initial RPI after only two varsity games but expect D South to move up and represent CO well at the Tarkanian Classic!
Mullen has landed at #4 in early RPI standings after a very busy and challenging 5-3 start to the season including hosting their own December tournament. After hosting, the Mustangs now take to the road and travel to Wheat Ridge, who’s a solid 4-1 so far themselves.
Action down south as 6A RPI #9 Liberty and Cameron Cunningham’s 14 points per game will host always tough Pueblo South coming to the Springs after a 3-3 start.
Daniel Thomason is a walking “double double” machine averaging 20 points and 11 rebounds per game for Fruita Monument but they are at #9 right now in RPI as Thomason has missed the last couple tournament games and Fruita looks to get back on track vs Eagle Valley.
Thursday 12/19
No team has received a boost via transfer like the Rangeview Raiders, who are off to a 5-0 start welcoming senior LaDavian King into their program who is averaging 14 points per game as a Raider. Rangeview, #6 Coaches Poll and now #2 RPI initial standings, are off to Arizona for the Aztec Christmas Classic squaring off with 10-0 Sahuaro of Tempe AZ.
Staying active this week, ThunderRidge is off to the Saguro Classic in Arizona as another CO squad looking to represent on the road…
A bit of a mixed bag early for our 5A Coaches Poll preseason #1 Windsor who are 5-2 to start and just outside the initial RPI Top 10. Solid junior lefty Madden Smiley is pacing the Wizards with 18 points and 8 rebounds per game and they look to build their resume’ vs 6A Grandview.
Speaking of strong “lefties” here comes 6A #1 Chaparral led by “super soph” Luke Howery averaging 20 points, 10 rebounds, and 7 assists per game – straight “stat-stuffin”! Fresh off winning their Chap/TRidge tournament 68-60 on the Grizzlies home court the Wolverines are headed out of state to tangle with Carlmont out of Belmont, California. Howery’s running mates are fellow soph Christian Willams, big 6’9 junior Luke Willams, and to close out Chap’s youth movement keep an eye out for #FreshmanAlert Champ Spears who is a fearless addition as a young point guard.
Let’s not forget about Valor coming in at RPI #10 and prolific scorer Cole Sherer’s 27 points per game look to add to their 2-1 start at the Cherry Creek Holiday Classic. Local tourney action!
Preseason Coaches Poll #4 Mountain Vista is 3-2 but two strong wins came in state over Smoky Hill and Valor while their two losses both came in out of state competition. The Eagles will be heard from come March and in all future standings! Facing Riverdale Ridge in local tourney play this night.
Silver Creek didn’t crack the Preseason Coaches Poll but that hasn’t slowed their 6-0 start and rise to 5A #1 in RPI initial standings. Five games in seven days kept the Raptors extremely busy in first two weeks of the season and they were up for the challenge! They face Standley Lake this night who also has six games under their belt and playing well.
Another team not on the preseason radar is led by senior Kaleb Ferguson is Montrose sitting at 5-1. Ferguson “stat-stuffin” 17 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 steals through the first six games of season. Montrose will need all of that as they face Pagosa Springs who’s putting up 68 points per game early on….Montrose is riding high as #1 in RPI thus far!
Friday 12/20
Evergreen, 5-0 and #4 in RPI Standings, start our weekend off vs. Thompson Valley. Drew Yager’s 16 points per game is a large part of Evergreen’s 70 point pace as they remain unbeaten through their first five. Senior RJ Hale is scorching the bucket for Thompson Valley at 27 points per game this season!
Vance Martinez’s 14 points per game has helped Brighton, #4 in RPI, to a 3-0 start and they face a stiff test in Arvada West who already has 7 games under their belt and 6-1 overall.
A rough 1-4 start to the season for perennial power Lewis-Palmer and it gets no easier as they battle with Mesa Ridge and Bryce Riehl’s 20 points per game. Mesa Ridge is #2 in RPI and its only loss of the season came to 6A Liberty.
Sand Creek, 5-1 and #8 in 5A RPI, has another “stat-stuffin” guard in 6’3 senior Josh Kotto who’s at 12 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assist, 2 steals per game. Sand Creek faces Rampart’s 68 points per game to end the week.
Saturday 12/21
Drew Yager and Evergreen playing back-to-back! If Thompson Valley wasn’t enough of a threat to their perfect early record now they have a local tournament vs. Brear Creek.
Liberty didn’t get any love in the Preseason Coaches Poll, but a “super soph” Cameron Waithe-Cunningham is huge reason the Lancers are 4-1 and holding spot #8 in RPI. Check out this clip of Waithe-Cunningham scoring 34 points which included 26 POINTS IN THE 4th QUARTER!!! The Lancers face 3-2 Falcon in another good one down south…
Broomfield is climbing in the RPI and they can rise higher if they can take down 2-0 Arapahoe (RPI #7 currently) in local tournament play.
Keeping an eye on out of state play: Two of our perennial top teams and coaches in Overland and Fossil Ridge will both be tangling with teams in Arizona on Saturday afternoon! Represent fellas…
Caleb Ferguson and RPI #1 Montrose in weekend action again vs. Glenwood Springs to close out our Top RPI squad coverage for the week!
OK, folks! There it is. A TON of in and out-of-state action this week to get out and support. Our Ball Fever Crew loves this time of year where the RPI allows us to check in on some players and schools who may not be there in March but taking care of business early to get their shine!
Speaking of shine? It’s always 72 & Sunny In The Gym: get out and enjoy! #BallFever