5A First Round Preview: Alice Barron Quadrant

With the announcement of the 5A and 4A state tournament brackets on Sunday morning, it officially became playoff time for Colorado’s two largest classifications. To continue our corner-to-corner tournament preview, here is a look at what to expect from each game in the 5A Alice Barron quadrant. <em>First-round byes: No. 3 Regis Jesuit, No. 14 Broomfield, No. 6 Highlands Ranch and No. 11 Denver South</em>. <strong>No. 30 Liberty (14-9, 7-5 CS Metro) vs. No. 35 Greeley West (11-12, 5-7 Front Range)</strong> The Lancers start with senior guard <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/lydia-marshall/"><a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/lydia-marshall/">Lydia Marshall</a></a> who leads the team in scoring with 12.6 points per game and hauls in 7.1 boards a game despite being in the backcourt. She swipes 2.8 steals per game to standout on the defensive end as well. Jacy Rohr is next in line in scoring with 7.8 points a night, but Liberty will go as far as Marshall and her 2.7 assists will take it. For Greeley West, the scoring comes more by committee with junior <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/juanita-aragon/"><a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/juanita-aragon/">Juanita Aragon</a></a> leading the way with 10 per game. Sophomore Lyndsie Roberts can change the game for the Spartans as well with 9.1 points per game and 47 made 3-pointers on the season. Guard play is big in the postseason and both sides will have solid representation. <em>Other Liberty players to watch: Taylor Gossage, Ashley Zeglis, Abby Cryderman. </em> <em>Other Greeley West players to watch: Victoria Ruiz, Nevaeh Sepeda, Bri Zamora. </em> <strong>No. 19 Mountain Vista (14-9, 7-3 Continental) vs. No. 46 Prairie View (10-13, 6-4 East Metro)</strong> The Golden Eagles might be the gold standard when it comes to playing team basketball with nine different players seeing action in 20 or more games with no player averaging points in the double figures, yet scoring an average of 51 a game. Senior <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/amy-holland/"><a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/amy-holland/">Amy Holland</a></a> chips in 9 points per game while also leading the team in rebounds with 6.7 a contest. Senior MacKenzie Gamble leads the team in scoring with 9.8 while four other Golden Eagles average at least 5 points per game. Meanwhile the Thunderhawks bring in their own version of team basketball, led by seniors Lilianna Ortega and Micah Jewett, who average 9.2 and 8.9 points per game. Jewett also averages 2.4 steals per game as Prairie View grabs 14.4 a game as a team. Both squads will be senior led and play team ball. <em>Other Mountain Vista players to watch: <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/amya-robinson/"><a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/amya-robinson/">Amiya Robinson</a></a>, Berit Brookfield, Sara Vafaie.</em> <em>Other Prairie View players to watch: Madelyn Schmidt, Dakota Abeyta, Courtney Auld.</em> <strong>No. 27 Chatfield (12-11, 4-4 Jeffco) at No. 38 Legacy (10-13, 5-7 Front Range)</strong> Chatfield sophomore <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/grace-talbot/"><a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/grace-talbot/">Grace Talbot</a></a> has been outstanding with 19.6 points per game and 62 made 3-pointers, the fifth most in Class 5A. She also grabs 3.9 boards, 2.7 assists and 3.2 steals per game to leave her mark all over the court. Talea Kuennen is next in line with 7 points per game, but a hot shooting night from Talbot could wrap this up for Chatfield. However, Legacy responds with a stud of its own in senior forward <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/halle-mackiewicz/"><a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/halle-mackiewicz/">Halle Mackiewicz</a></a>. She averages 18.8 points per game and hauls in 8.8 rebounds a game to lead the Lightning in both categories. This matchup could come down to who has the better night between Talbot beyond the arc and Mackiewicz in the paint. <em>Other Chatfield players to watch: Keyana Sande, Isabelle DiNapoli, Avery Rohlman.</em> <em>Other Legacy players to watch: Ariana Ahadi, <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/katie-paredes/"><a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/katie-paredes/">Katie Paredes</a></a>, Jay Wikoff.</em> <strong>No. 22 Fairview (14-9, 9-3 Front Range) vs. No. 43 Castle View (9-14, 2-8 Continental)</strong> Senior <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/isabelle-munson/"><a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/isabelle-munson/">Isabelle Munson</a></a> from Fairview could be one of the most dangerous players in the field with her 22.1 points per game, the second most in Class 5A. She's made 45 3-pointers on the year and can get it done inside the arc as well. Plus she brings in 5.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 3.6 steals a game. Sophomore Kailey Paige is next on the scoring list with 11.3 points per game as the Knights average over 57 a game. Castle View will have to try and control the pace, starting with 6-foot junior, leading scorer Leaya McKinney and her 8.1 points per game. She grabs 5.8 rebounds per game and has 6-foot-2 junior Alexa Barkeen pulling down 6.2 boards to try and limit possessions for the Knights and play the way the Sabercats want to. <em>Other Fairview players to watch: Makena Englund, Adaya Richmond.</em> <em>Other Castle View players to watch: <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/ella-cooley/"><a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/ella-cooley/">Ella Cooley</a></a>, <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/rielley-mcneill/"><a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/rielley-mcneill/">Rielley McNeill</a></a>, Abby Nagel</em>.