Weekly Honor Roll: Jan 5-11, 2026

The second half of the high school basketball season kicked off with marquee match-ups, exciting games, and standout performances. Each week, I will highlight exceptional efforts from a talented group of players. These are the outstanding performances for the week of January 5th-11th.     <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Shout-outs</h2>   Rock Canyon's Emerson McDonald delivered a heart-stopping game-winner against Rangeview. She nailed a corner three while tumbling out of bounds as the final buzzer sounded. Wow!   Cherokee Trail's [player_tooltip player_id='1058771' first='Milania' last='Gutierrez']'s floater with less than 2 minutes left in the game against Erie on Friday night. The play was monumental in securing the victory for the shorthanded Cougars.   Valor Christian's [player_tooltip player_id='1415521' first='Elise' last='Herbek']'s steal and free throws in the waning seconds of the game. Those clutch plays helped propel the Eagles to a victory over Grandview.   Northglenn's Amelia-Rose Fisher's clutch free throw with 3.1 seconds remaining sealed the victory for the Norsemen over Boulder as they improve to 6-1 on the season.   Overland's [player_tooltip player_id='736186' first='Michaela' last='Halton']'s two free throws with 0.7 seconds remaining lifted the Trailblazers to a 43-41 win over Kent Denver. She looked calm and collected while knocking down those shots.     <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Player Of The Week</h2>    Jones delivered masterful performances this week, leading Valor Christian to a 2-1 record with wins over Grandview and Cherry Creek. She averaged 29.3 pts/gm on 57% shooting from the field and 48% from beyond the arc. Jones' efficiency was on full display this week as she continues to show why she is one of Colorado's top players. Jones delivered the season's top performance so far against Cherry Creek, scoring 41 points on 16-of-23 shooting. She made nine three-pointers, tying her career high, and contributed two blocks and two steals with strong defensive play. Overall, her leadership has been instrumental to Valor's success, and her scoring ability makes them a state title contender.      <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Outstanding Individual Game Performances</h2>    Dennis was the driving force for Northfield in their victory over the previously unbeaten Standley Lake. She recorded a double-double with 24 points and 10 rebounds. Dennis was a monster on the offensive glass, providing the Nighthawks with multiple second-chance opportunities. Defensively, she registered two steals and a huge block in the third quarter. Dennis made key plays to stifle any comeback attempts by Standley Lake in the fourth quarter.     Thompson was the biggest x-factor for Legend in their game against Riverdale Ridge on Monday. Her amazing three-point shooting performance helped the Titans pull off an upset win. She drained four three-pointers, including two during Legend's 16-5 run at the start of the fourth quarter. Thompson also chipped in three rebounds and helped Legend handle Riverdale's full-court pressure. She delivered a great all-around performance.     Pearson has been on a roll lately, and Tuesday's game against Kent Denver was another outstanding performance. Pearson dropped 23 points on efficient shooting. She made three three-pointers and attacked the basket effectively with floaters and other finishes. Pearson added nine rebounds to go along with three steals. Her aggressiveness set the tone for the Rams, who jumped out to a 20-2 lead and maintained control throughout the game.     Avramovic was unstoppable in the paint for East against Arapahoe on Saturday afternoon. East did a great job of breaking the Warriors' full-court press and found Avramovic for easy layups. She scored from the short corner, and on putbacks. She showed some excellent footwork, knocking down a couple of hook shots. Her length also made it difficult for Arapahoe to score inside, as she challenged their shots. Avramovic was a key part of East's win, handing Arapahoe their first loss of the season.     Loomis, highlighted earlier this season as a sophomore standout, continued her breakout year with a 30-point game on Saturday. Against Brighton, she led Niwot to a 46-43 win with her leadership and scoring. Loomis shot 10 of 15 from the field, including 6 of 9 from three. She was perfect from the free-throw line. Niwot needed every one of those points for the victory as they improved to 7-3 this season.     Bosshardt led the Palisade Bulldogs to a decisive win over Coal Ridge on Tuesday night with an 18-point performance. She was aggressive early, making mid-range jumpers and finishing layups. She also added a three-pointer in the second quarter. Bosshardt recorded five steals, including a key steal and layup in the third quarter that blew the game open and secured the victory.     Burke had a monster game and was aggressive from the get-go against Riverdale Ridge. She attacked the basket on drives and finished through contact. Burke helped break Riverdale's press and was a solid contributor on defense. Her energy set the tone early, and her scoring helped Legend get off to a quick start. She even stepped out and drained a corner three-pointer in the first quarter. Great performance by the sophomore wing.

The second half of the high school basketball season kicked off with marquee match-ups, exciting games, and standout performances. Each week, I will highlight exceptional efforts from a talented group of players. These are the outstanding performances for the week of January 5th-11th.