The 2016-17 all-state boys basketball teams are presented by CHSAANow.com, ColoradoPreps.com and MaxPreps.

These teams were created following a lengthy process which included nominations from leagues, and then a week-long vote of coaches.

A specific player of the year vote was held in each class, as was a vote for coach of the year.

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Class 5A

Player of the year: Colbey Ross, Eaglecrest

Coach of the year: John Olander, Eaglecrest

First Team
Name	School	Year	Pos.
Jervay Green	George Washington	Senior
Kaison Hammonds	ThunderRidge	Junior
Sam Masten	Rock Canyon	Junior	G
Colbey Ross	Eaglecrest	Senior	G
Corey Seng	ThunderRidge	Senior

Second Team
Name	School	Year	Pos.
Braxton Bertolette	Fossil Ridge	Senior	PG/SG
Calvin Fugett, Jr.	George Washington	Senior
Daylen Kountz	Denver East	Junior
Hunter Maldonado	Vista Ridge	Senior	F
Gage Prim	Grandview	Senior	C

Honorable mention: William Becker, Smoky Hill, Junior; Jake Belknapp, Mountain Vista, Senior; Aaris Bonds, Far Northeast Warriors, Senior; Brevin Brimble, Doherty, Senior; Ronnie Degray III, Chaparral, Sophomore; LeChaun Duhart, Grandview, Senior; Jackson Ehrlin, Rampart, Senior; Blake Fields, Legend, Senior; Kenny Foster, Smoky Hill, Sophomore; Jaizec Lottie, Cherokee Trail, Senior; Kyle Lukasiewicz, Arapahoe, Senior; Joe Miks, Chatfield, Senior; Iseri Palacio, Fort Collins, Senior; Kolton Peterson, Lakewood, Senior; Jacob Pfaffinger, Fort Collins, Senior; Colin Rardin, Rock Canyon, Senior; Titus Reed, Chatfield, Senior; Jacob Storey, Lakewood, Senior.

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Class 4A

Player of the year: Jalen Sanders, Valor Christian

Coach of the year: Troy Pachner, Valor Christian

First Team
Name	School	Year	Pos.
Jalen Sanders	Valor Christian	Senior	F
D’Shawn Schwartz	Sand Creek	Senior	PG/SG/SF
David Simental	Pueblo West	Senior	G
Adam Thistlewood	Golden	Junior	PG/SF
Michael Ward	Mead	Senior	SG/PG

Second Team
Name	School	Year	Pos.
Billy Cook	Lewis-Palmer	Senior	PG/SG
Michael Dillon	Evergreen	Senior	F
CJ Jennings	Sierra	Senior	PG/G
Kayle Knuckles	Valor Christian	Senior	F
Deshiloh Stanley	Pueblo South	Senior	PG/SG

Honorable mention: Tanner Baird, Holy Family, Sophomore; Adam Barber, Niwot, Senior; Angelo Battistelli, Lewis-Palmer, Senior; Travis Cowan, Wheat Ridge, Senior; Charles Dinegar, D’Evelyn, Junior; Trent Dykema, Silver Creek, Junior; Marquise Johnson, Vista PEAK Prep, Senior; Te’Rae Johnson, Vista PEAK Prep, Junior; Tate Kembel, Fort Morgan, Senior; Oscar Maldonado, Northridge, Senior; Dan McLean, Palisade, Senior; Dylan Mileto, Mesa Ridge, Senior; Ravel Moody, Thomas Jefferson, Senior; CJ Olson, D’Evelyn, Senior; Chase Rogers, Evergreen, Junior; Sam Schlegel, Silver Creek, Senior; Reginald Vaughan, Pueblo Centennial, Senior; Jake Wilson, Pueblo County, Senior; Marcus Winston, Pueblo East, Junior; Steven Wyman, Durango, Senior.

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Class 3A

Player of the year: Justin Engesser, Colorado Springs Christian

Coach of the year: Mike Holloway, Sterling

First Team
Name	School	Year	Pos.
Justin Engesser	Colorado Springs Christian	Senior
Tanner Ervin	Resurrection Christian	Senior	G
Michael Glen	Basalt	Senior
Benjamin Hawkins	Faith Christian	Junior
Bodie Hume	Sterling	Junior

Second Team
Name	School	Year	Pos.
Ryan Brubacher	Alamosa	Senior	G
Conner Martin	Strasburg	Senior	G
Blake Pullen	DSST: Stapleton	Senior	PF/W
Lucas Rodholm	Manitou Springs	Senior
Robert Williams	Sheridan	Senior	PG/SG

Honorable mention: Samuel Bafukila, Lotus School, Senior; Jaedon Bowles, Manual, Sophomore; Beau Byers, Delta, Senior; Cade Carroll, Buena Vista, Junior; James Doyle, Kent Denver, Sophomore; Jordan Ehlert, Middle Park, Senior; Seth Fuqua, The Vanguard, Sophomore; Hunter Gerber, Coal Ridge, Senior; Kyler Hensel, Bishop Machebeuf, Senior; Brandon Herrera, Coal Ridge, Junior; Zach Hidalgo, Frontier Academy, Junior; Wade Kellogg, Sterling, Senior; Reece Mettler, Weld Central, Senior; Izak Natividad, University, Senior; Jon Nuschy, La Junta, Sophomore; Stanley Owusu, DSST: Green Valley Ranch, Junior; Aldo Pinela, Roaring Fork, Senior; Alex Rodriquez, The Academy, Senior; Will Willis, Lutheran, Senior; Zach Wismer, Colorado Springs Christian, Senior.

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Class 2A

Player of the year: Chad Mikelson, Sedgwick County

Coach of the year: Scott Dille, Holyoke

First Team
Name	School	Year	Pos.
Austin Herman	Holyoke	Senior	F
Chad Mikelson	Sedgwick County	Senior
Dagan Rienks	Paonia	Senior
Cole Rouse	Highland	Senior	PG
Alex Strauss	Holyoke	Senior	G

Second Team
Name	School	Year	Pos.
Reese Anderson	Highland	Senior	PF
Levi Basler	Akron	Senior	C
Gunnar Kroeger	Holyoke	Senior	G
Michael Nein	Sedgwick County	Senior
Carlos Parra	Del Norte	Junior	F

Honorable mention: Zack Allen, Hotchkiss, Senior; Kade Brantingham, Norwood, Senior; Conner Brown, Cripple Creek-Victor, Senior; Bradley Carnes-Clabey, Crowley County, Junior; Jett County, Burlington, Senior; Gage Gellerman, Peyton, Senior; Jordan Herder, Akron, Senior; Tre Lewis, Merino, Senior; Marcus Mazerall, Simla, Senior; Casey McDaniel, Sanford, Senior; Sebastian Moritz, Vail Christian, Junior; Samuel Perkett, Evangelical Christian, Senior; Alexander Proctor, Fowler, Senior; Leo Prosser, Calhan, Senior; Xavier Ramirez, Dolores Huerta Prep, Senior; Colby Simpson, Paonia, Senior; Jeff Stevenson, Del Norte, Senior; Jorge Venzor, Center, Senior.

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Class 1A

Player of the year: Yaniel Vidal, Holly

Coach of the year: Dusty Heck, Holly

First Team
Name	School	Year	Pos.
Sigi Avalos	Holly	Senior
Jaxon Crawford	Kit Carson	Senior	F
Peyton Halde	Cheyenne Wells	Senior
Kendall Pelton	Cheyenne Wells	Senior
Yaniel Vidal	Holly	Senior

Second Team
Name	School	Year	Pos.
Isaac Borchers	Creede/Lake City	Junior	G/F
Christian Dellamaestra	Wiley	Senior	C/F
Brad Johnson	Kit Carson	Senior	G
Jaxon King	Fleming	Senior	G
Landon McCaffrey	Flagler	Senior

Honorable mention: Joey Archuleta, Primero, Junior; Ritchie Archuleta, Centennial, Senior; Ilan Gibson, Rocky Mountain Lutheran, Senior; Cullen Glosson, Otis, Sophomore; Ty Hunt, Otis, Sophomore; Ravi Inmon, Ouray, Senior; Cameron Jauregui, Longmont Christian, Senior; Cameron Klann, Flagler, Senior; Derek Lucero, Sierra Grande, Senior; Thomas Manuel, Walsh, Junior; Landon Morehead, Kiowa, Senior; Caden Parker, Eads, Senior; Arthur Rodriguez, Sierra Grande, Junior; Wesley Shade, Rocky Mountain Lutheran, Senior; Noah Stein, Front Range Baptist, Senior; Darian Wagner, Arickaree/Woodlin, Senior; Dylan Wilkins, Weldon Valley, Senior.

Fleming boys basketball took a few punches, but refused to get knocked out.

The defending Class 1A state champions were playing in their fifth consecutive state tournament, even reaching the last two finals (beat Shining Mountain in 2016, lost to Holly in 2015), but a relatively young group experienced growing pains that are commonplace for youthful teams. They lost six games in a row during the regular season.

And, after reaching the tournament as the No. 6 seed with a tough draw against No. 3 Front Range Baptist, the Wildcats fell behind 11-2 to start the contest and 19-9 early in the second quarter. Then, little by little, they clawed their way back and only trailed 22-19 at halftime.

Acting as a prize fighter with experience and toughness, not to mention star power in senior guard Jaxon King (1A player of the year as junior), Fleming pulled out a gutsy 45-42 comeback over the Falcons to reach the Final 4 again. The boys joined the girls in earning their way to the semifinals in the final games of the evening.

“I think this year was the first year we’ve had both (the boys and girls) teams at the state tournament since 1983, so that was huge,” King said. “We have a lot of momentum for tomorrow. We just have to keep it rolling, both the boys and the girls.”

For the boys, defense and team play was the calling card. Finally taking their first lead of the game with 2:20 left in third, a 29-28 margin thanks to back-to-back buckets by freshman guard Brandon Williams, Fleming rode enough momentum to pull through late.

Senior Alex Vandenbark nailed a three to push the lead to 41-38 with just over two minutes left and the Wildcats made the necessary stops to seal a semifinals bid. Noah Johnson made a layup with 1.1 seconds left to cut the deficit to 45-42 and Front Range got the ball back after an out-of-bounds by Fleming. But King swatted the Falcons’ game-tying three-point attempt.

King said he wasn’t surprised the ‘Cats fell behind early. After all, an added level of pressure is at play for a team looking to defend their title.

“Being the defending state champ, there’s a big target on your back,” he noted. Everyone wants to beat the defending champ. We have a few starters that haven’t seen any varsity time in the state tournament before. We were expecting them to come out with a few nerves. I wasn’t too worried.”

The young talent did come through eventually, led by Williams, but the veterans also stepped up when needed.

“Through that adversity, the thing that helps us is I have Jaxon King, Alex Vandenbark and Matthew Tanner, just really good leaders,” coach Tom Hessler said. “They’ve been through the wars. They know what it feels like to come here and what it takes to win.”

Another magical run continues for Fleming (16-9) on Friday against Cheyenne Wells at 8:30 p.m. with a third consecutive finals appearance on the line. Front Range Baptist (20-4) will face Creede/Lake City at 1:15 in consolations.

Sophomore center Deric Woods was among the players who stood out for Front Range Baptist.

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(1) Holly 63, (8) Ouray 24

Holly had an excellent performance to kick off their quest for a second state title in three years with a 39-point victory. Senior guard Yaniel Vidal (20.9 points per game) led the Wildcats with 19 points. Backcourt mate Chandler Rushton chipped in 14.

One season after getting knocked out 63-59 by Shining Mountain in the semifinals, the Wildcats choked the life out of Ouray in outscoring the Trojans 53-16 in the final three frames. Holly nipped Fleming 33-32 in the state finals two seasons ago.

The Wildcats (23-0), featuring a tangent of athletic guards, will take on Kit Carson in the Final 4 on Friday at 5:30 p.m.

Brendon Olin led Ouray with 11 points. The Trojans face Longmont Christian at 10:15 a.m. in the consolation bracket Friday.

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(4)Kit Carson 52, (5) Longmont Christian 47

The Wildcats rode a pair of high-scoring performances by seniors Brad Johnson (23 points) and Jaxon Crawford (22) to a Great 8 triumph.

Kit (18-5) controlled the contest most of the way with quarter leads of 18-10, 30-22 and 41-32. They lost to Shining Mountain in the Great 8 a season ago.

6-foot-6 freshman Dominic Puchino is a budding talent at center and racked up 21 points for Longmont Christian in the loss. The setback dropped the Warriors’ record to 20-5.

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(2) Cheyenne Wells 59, (8) Creede/Lake City 34

The Tigers ripped their way through the Miners, sealing a semifinals bid. They now have a 21-2 record.

Seniors Peyton Halde (16 points) and Kendall Pelton (14) were the primary scorers for Cheyenne Wells, a team that lost in the Final 4 in 2014. Pelton (16.4 points per game) has been a dynamic player for a Tigers team that has only lost to Holly and Kit Carson.

The Miners were led by Isaac Borchers’ 13 points. They will face Front Range Baptist in consolations at 1:15 p.m. on Friday.