5A Second Round Preview: Bobbi Brown-Vandenberg Quadrant
Round One is now in the books for all of Colorado’s teams still battling for the Class 5A state championship. There are 32 teams looking to advance, and 16 teams that are coming off a first-round bye, most of which…
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Continue ReadingRound One is now in the books for all of Colorado’s teams still battling for the Class 5A state championship.
There are 32 teams looking to advance, and 16 teams that are coming off a first-round bye, most of which played at least a scrimmage in order to prepare for their second-round opponents. Lets take a look at the games coming up in the Bobbi Brown-Vandenberg region on Friday night.
No. 2 Cherry Creek (21-2, 13-1 Centennial) vs No. 31 Horizon (12-12, 8-4 Front Range)
Abby WredeThe Cherry Creek Bruins are coming off a first-round bye to prove they are still the top team in 5A. The reigning state champions will have to pass Horizon to start their road back to a potential title defense. The Bruins are led by one of Colorado’s top-notch players, Jana Van Gytenbeek, who is also averaging 18.4 points per game. A crafty player who loves to create for her teammates, Van Gytenbeek can finish among the best of them. Cali Clark is a 6-foot-3 post player averaging 13.0 points per game and snatches 10.7 rebounds per game.
Abby Wrede is averaging 10.5 points per game, shooting 40 percent from behind the arc. Kacee Kyle and Carly Thompson together average 15.6 points and 7 assists per game. On the other end is Horizon, from which you can expect 32 minutes of hard play despite being the lower seed. The Hawks are led by Olivia Waufle, a 5-foot-8 guard who lays it all on the line with her relentless effort and is averaging 13.3 points, 6.9 rebounds per game. Sophomore Audra Vine is the Hawks’ second leading scorer, averaging 11.9 points per game.
Other Cherry Creek players to watch: Charley Gordan, Eliza Hill, Sam Grib.
Other Horizon Players to watch: Ciera Denava, Britta Cardenas.
No.15 Cherokee Trail (14-9, 6-8 Centennial) vs No. 18 Lakewood (13-11, 6-2 Jeffco)
Nadia Trevizo-MedinaCherokee Trail comes in as the higher seed, and the Cougars average 60.1 points per game led by two top-notch players in Dominique Rodriguez and Makayla Hemingway. Together, these two are averaging 29.1 points a night.
Hemingway, one of the top 2020 players in Colorado, can get it going on the offensive end and will be hard to stop once she is hot. Rodriguez is relentless point guard who can score around the rim and from behind the arc.
With Lakewood averaging 52.1 points per game, Friday’s showdown should be an excellent showcase of talent. The Tigers are led by two players that can shoot the ball from anywhere on the floor.
Nadia Trevizo-Medina is the team’s top scorer, averaging 15.3 points while regularly displaying her high basketball IQ as a play-maker.Aaliyah Sabala is also averaging 10.3 points per game, and both players can light it up from behind the arc and will stretch the floor. A young post player who can play inside or outside, Juliette Fillion stands at 6-foot-2, and can get out and run in transition as well as step out and knock down shots.
Cherokee Trail players to watch: Destinee Paulk, Auto Thomas.
Lakewood Players to watch: Logan Watson, Mariah Ramos.
No. 7 Ralston Valley (18-5, 7-1 Jeffco) vs No. 39 Pine Creek (10-14, 6-6 Colorado Springs Metro)
Brooklyn SeymourRalston Valley is averaging 54 points per game with myriad players who can step up when their name is called to contribute to the team’s effort.
Ralston Valley is led by Sydney Bevington, who is a 6-foot-1 guard that can facilitate on the offensive end and create mismatches due to her height at her position. Bevington is averages 16.6 points and 10.1 rebounds per game. Saya Sabus, a 2022 player that is relentless when it comes to putting the ball in the hoop, averages 10.1 points per game.Brooklyn Seymour, a 5-foot-11 forward who can both post up with her physicality inside and get free with her quickness on the perimeter, can also be a threat to Pine Creek.
Averaging 37.9 points a night, Pine Creek leans on Jordyn Gutierrez, who averaged 8.9 points and 5.0 rebounds per game, to keep the Eagles on track. Still just a freshman, Brynae Stewart is the second leading scorer for her team, averaging 7.8 points.
Ralston Valley players to watch: McKenna Nichols, Ellie Schweiker, Rachel Meeks.
Pine Creek Players to watch: Haley Murdock, Lola Kuehn.
No. 10 Fountain- Fort Carson (20-2, 10-2 Colorado Springs Metro) vs No. 23 Columbine (14-10, 5-3 Jeffco)
Adrienne HarnumFountain- Fort Carson is coming off a great regular season with a 20-2 record that earned the Trojans a first-round bye.
Running the points for the Trojans, Torie Bass averages 13.7 points and 4.9 assists, and hit her career high in points in Fountain-Fort Carson’s last game of the regular season, dropping 28 points against Rampart. Bass also does a great job anticipating and forcing turnovers.
Another threat that Columbine will have to stop is Danae Christensen, a 5-foot-11 post player averaging 11.4 points and 10.4 rebounds per game. Playing alongside Christensen in the post is 5-foot-10 Tauja Durham, averaging 7.7 points and 7.0 rebounds per game.
Averaging 49.4 points per game, Columbine is ready to counter with Jessica Bollwahn, a 5-foot-11 sophomore guard that shoots the ball well, and get to the paint with her relentless drives to the basket. Bollwahn scored a season-high with 28 points in the first round against Rocky Mountain.
Quincy Baum averages 9.7 points per game and can post up and knock down, helping spread the opposing defense. Adrienne Harnum, an emerging junior who averages 7.6 points per game, can create turnovers with her quick hands on defense.
Fountain- Fort Carson players to watch: Raekyiah Williams, Carolynn Dail, Aylonna Robinson.
Columbine players to watch: Alexei Trujillo, Ally Distler.