2017-18 Basketball Colorado 4A Top10 Preseason Rankings
The race for the 4A title this year appears to be wide open as ever. Familiar names dot the 4A Top10 but a couple of these teams may not hit their stride until after Christmas.
1. Golden
Powered by Basketball Colorado Player of the Year candidate and Drake signee 6’7 senior Adam Thistlewood the Demons are poised for another run to the Coliseum. Golden returns all but one player off of last year’s team and they have gotten better. Make no mistake though Thistlewood makes the Demons go. However, the Demons have to get reliable and consistent play from their role players to get back to the Coliseum.
2. Lewis-Palmer
We have learned our lesson. The Rangers are a perennial power in 4A. This year the pride and tradition of LP basketball has been entrusted to juniors Joel Scott, Noah Baca, and Matthew Ragsdale. Scott was the leading scorer off last year’s state runner ups. While Baca saw valuable time in all 28 games last season. Ragsdale didn’t see a lot of time last season but showed over the summer that he will be valuable scorer for the Rangers.
3. Pueblo South
It will take a little timee for the Colts to get that basketball legs under them. A good number of the basketball players are currently in the 4A state football playoffs and could be in the finals next week. Senior forwards Jeremy Cody (CU track signee) and Marcell Barbee are tough above the rim players. They will be a tough dynamic duo for teams to deal with. Not to mention the Colts return seven players off last year’s Final Four team.
4. Falcon
Seniors Noah Martinez and Brendan LaRose make up one of the best combinations in the state. Martinez is a prolific pass and LaRose is a perfect pick and pop four man. LaRose a Fort Lewis signee, is an above the rim finisher with a nice outside stroke. Reece Warren will provide a nice scoring threat as well. If the Falcons play under control and as a cohesive unit they will be hard to beat.
5. Pueblo West
It might take a few games for the Cyclones to get back to looking like the Cyclones we have come to expect. Like South, the Cyclones are also in the 4A football semifinals and have a legit shot at the finals. The Cyclones return all but two players of last year’s Great 8 team. They are loaded with fast guard like seniors Peirre Taylor and Nieyeme Smyer-Williams. Athletic forwards like Hunter Louther and Jacob Wilkinson will get the work done on the wings. Senior, 6’10 Zeb Jacquart is one of the more under rated centers in the state. This team has it all to get back to the Great 8 if not the Coliseum.
6. Holy Family
Life, Taxes, and the Holy Family Tiger Boys Basketball team. Since the 11-12 season the Tigers have won at least 20 games five times. The other two were 17 and 16 wins respectively. This year the Tigers return leading scorers juniors Tanner Baird and Kyle Helbig. Baird is a hardnosed guard that can score and Helbig is a great all around athlete that can play multiple spots on the floor. It will definitely be hard to replace last years senior class, but the Tigers are ready to prove they are going to be one of the best teams in 4A.
7. Widefield
The Galdiators have a been waiting on this 2018 class for a long time. Tre Pierre and Tj Davis are finally seniors and expectations are high. Pierre is a do it all forward and Davis is take over guard with athletic ability. But it will be the rest of the senior heavy team that will determine how far they go.
8. Silver Creek
The Raptors are ready to prove that they are a premier 4A program. Senior guard Trent Dykema will be the one leading the way. The Mines signee will get help from senior guard Christian Warner. Warner is an emerging strong and smart guard. What will push the Raptors this year will be their defense.
9. Mesa Ridge
The Grizzlies have a lot of experience coming back even though most of their top scorers graduated last year. Mesa Ridge does return one of the state’s best scorers in senior Devin Nelson. Nelson the Air Force Academy commit will shoulder the brunt of the scoring responsibility.
10. Longmont
The Trojans are led by senior guard Luke Johnson. Johnson has skill as a set up man or a scorer and will need to keep the experienced but youthful Trojans under control. Longmont will not being overly tall this year but that will fit their style of play just fine.
