All Basketball Colorado and Basketball Colorado Player of the Year

Putting together the second annual All Basketball Colorado Team was not an easy feat.  Some choices were no-brainers but limiting the team to just 12 members and considering all classes means that tough choices had to be made.

2017 Basketball Colorado Player of the Year

Sometimes the Player of the Year award is seen as career achievement recognition, a congratulations for an overall outstanding career but maybe not a single dominating stat busting season. This is simply not the case for the 2017 Basketball Colorado Player of the Year Eaglecrest senior guard Colbey Ross. While Ross has had a remarkable career filled with league championships, Great 8 and Final 4 appearances then capped with a State Championship. However, his senior season was special. It didn’t matter the game Ross owned the floor.  Game after game Ross normally faced the opposition’s best defender or a defense that was designed to contain the talented lead guard and he still managed to take over the game. Time after time the Pepperdine signee made the right play in the biggest moments. Sometimes it was making the pass to a teammate for a score. Other times it was making a crucial play on the defensive end of the floor or grabbing the game-changing rebound. Ross also had the penchant for hitting the big shot, like the game winner versus Smoky Hill or the game-changing three-pointers against Rock Canyon and George Washington at the Coliseum. It didn’t matter the situation Ross came through.  On top of all that he made his teammates better.

6’3 – G – Braxton Bertolette – Sr. – Fossil Ridge

Over Bertolette’s last eight games of his career,  the talented guard averaged 34  points a game and shot 54 % from 3 point land on his way to leading the state in scoring. The unsigned guard night in and night out faced a box and 1 or some other hybrid defense to stop him.

6’5 – G – Justin Engesser – Sr. – Colorado Springs Christian

Engesser had a stellar senior season lead the Colorado Springs Christian Lions back to the 3A Final Four for the four straight year and a 3rd place finish. Along the way Engesser average nearly a double-double with just over 21 points per game, 9.4 rebounds a game, and added in over 6 assists a game for good measure. Engesser was directly responsible for nearly two-thirds of Lions offensive production.

5’11 – G – Tanner Ervin – Sr- Resurrection Christian

Ervin showed again this year that he can flat score the ball. Ervin led Rez Christain deep in the 3A playoffs after jumping up from 2A.  The unsigned senior didn’t simply rely on the 3 pointer either with nifty moves to score in transition.

6’3 – G – Jervay Green – Sr.- George Washington

Green’s offensive skill set had a number of coaches up late at night wondering how to stop one of the best scorers in not only the state but the region. Green could erupt at any time with a game-changing burst of points usually starting with steal and spectacular finish in transition. Big things are ahead for the Western Nebraska signee.

6’4 – G – Kaison Hammonds – Jr. – ThunderRidge

It is not always about scoring. While Hammonds showed that he can be a prolific scorer when called upon to do so that is not what landed him on the All Basketball Colorado Team. It was the way he led and directed one of the most successful teams in the state. He showed that he could make the right play without having to score. Defensively, he showed that he was willing to guard the best.

6’4 – G – Daylen Kountz – Jr. – Denver East

Despite missing 11 games of his junior season is was very easy to see that Kountz was one of the most dynamic players in the state.  His performances against George Washington in the DPL title game and Smoky Hill in the playoffs are the type that will be talked about years later.

6’6 – F – Hunter Maldonado – Sr. – Vista Ridge

Maldonado had a stupendous senior season. The Wyoming signee filled his senior season with sensational scoring games, dunks, and wins. After leading Vista Ridge to the 4A Final Four last year, this year he led the Wolves to the 5A Sweet 16 this season.

6’3 – G- Sam Masten – Jr. – Rock Canyon

Masten’s play this season proved why he is on the short list of best guards in the state. While leaned on to score Masten leadership on both ends of the floor was invaluable for the Jaguars success.  Proof? Orchestrated the defeat of ThunderRidge for Rock Canyons first league title. How about Masten’s play in the Great 8 and Final Four? In the last sequence during the Great 8 game, Masten could have easily held the ball for the last shot instead penetrating and kicking to Rardin, leading to the tying score.  Then Masten made the steal that set up the winning tip. In the semi-finals, Masten went toe-to-toe with Colbey Ross matching big shot after big shot.

6’1 – G – Colbey Ross – Sr. – Eaglecrest

See Above

6’7 – F- D’shawn Schwartz – Sr. – Sand Creek

What do y0u do after scoring 50 points in the first game of the season? Back it up with a monster season.  Schwartz, the University of Colorado signee, nearly averaged a double-double, scoring 25.7 points per game and grabbing 9.8 rebounds a game.  Nearly every game Schwartz was the focus of the opponent on both ends of the floor and he handled it well.

6’6 – F- Jalen Sanders – Sr. – Valor Christian

No one in 4A had a more dominating season than Sanders. He was a stat-stuffing machine leading his Valor Christian team to the 4A title.  The skilled forward took advantage of what the defense gave attack from the wing, post on the block or nail the 3 pointer he was hard to stop.  He was also big on the defensive end of the floor blocking shots, causing turnovers or guarding the other teams best player. While unsigned senior put up huge stats that didn’t matter to him they were a by-product of his desire to win.

6’8 – F- Gage Prim – Sr. – Grandview

Prim, was the best post player in the state this season. He was a force to be reckoned with in the paint. Big, strong and able to finish through contact he usually demanded two defenders or at least help from the backside.  On the defensive end of the floor,  he was a shot deterrent and cleaned the glass.  The unsigned forward is the only played in 5A that averaged a double-double this season.

All 5A and 4A teams will be posted on Sunday.