Several Pikes Peak region teams head to Denver for the final weekend of the basketball season.

While 5A boys and girls enter semifinals, 3A teams hope to advance from the Great 8 to Saturday’s championship game.

Below are notables for each team entering their respective matchups.

BOYS

5A

Semifinals

At Denver Coliseum

No. 4 Mesa Ridge (24-2) vs. No. 1 Northfield (24-2)

4 p.m.

The Grizzlies will compete for their second consecutive title-game berths and enter the Final Four on a 20-game winning streak.

Mesa Ridge has not lost since dropping back-to-back games against Pueblo South and Pine Creek in December.

The Grizzlies’ Big 3 of Tanner Widic, Tevin and Bryce Riehl continue to pave the path to success for Mesa Ridge and remain an imposing force to their opposition.

Tevin, Bryce and Widic average 47.1 of the Grizzlies’ 67.8 points this season and spearhead Mesa Ridge’s defense, which has allowed 48.8 points per contest.

3A

Quarterfinals

At University of Denver

No. 3 Vanguard (23-1) vs. No. 6 Highland (20-4)

10:15 a.m.

After a first-round loss last season, the Coursers stormed out of the gates this year and haven’t relented.

Cameron Rowney leads the Coursers at 19.2 points per game and has scored in double figures in every contest.

The “one” in Vanguard’s 23-1 could meet the Coursers in the Final Four on Friday. Should Vanguard beat Highland and, if Banning Lewis earns a victory against Bishop Machebeuf in the other area Great 8 game, the Coursers will have a rematch with the Stallions.

Since their loss to Banning Lewis, the Coursers have built a 14-game winning streak and have won 13 of 14 games by at least 10 points.

No. 10 Banning Lewis (20-4) vs. No. 2 Bishop Machebeuf (22-1)

1:15 p.m.

Banning Lewis began playing basketball during the 2019-20 season with no postseason wins from its inception through last year.

This season, the Stallions have collected a pair of double-digit playoff victories and hope to continue their historical run against the Buffaloes, who have a 22-game win streak.

The Stallions started the season 1-2 with a pair of blowout losses but have a 19-2 record since Dec. 5.

Trey Oden leads the Stallions with 15.2 points per contest and will be Banning Lewis’ key cog to advance to the Final Four.

Of Banning Lewis’ four losses, Oden played in three of those contests. In each, the junior failed to reach double figures scoring.

In 14 of 16 of the Stallions’ victories, Oden hit double digits.

GIRLS

5A

Semifinals

At Denver Coliseum

No. 1 Air Academy (25-1) vs. No. 4 Northfield (23-3)

11 a.m.

The Kadets received a scare in last week’s quarterfinals matchup against Frederick but emerged to clinch a spot in the Final Four.

Air Academy looks to earn its first spot in the title game since 2012 when the Kadets earned their first girls basketball championship in school history.

The Kadets currently have a 19-game winning streak and, with a Final Four victory, could tie their second longest streak in school history, which they set in 2012.

Caitlin Kramer, Lydia Flowers and Tatyonna Brown power the Kadets’ offense and combine for 49.4 points per game.

For Kramer, she’s at 1,938 career points and needs 62 to reach 2,000.

3A

Quarterfinals

At University of Denver

No. 2 Colorado Springs Christian School (24-0) vs. No. 7 Highland (18-6)

8:45 a.m.

The Lions continue to show the field who rules the roost as CSCS destroys every team in its path.

Colorado Springs Christian School has 25 consecutive victories by double figures and has a 30-game winning streak dating back to last season.

As the Lions approach back-to-back titles, they also near school history. Should the Lions win their final three games, they’d have 33 in a r ow and tie the mark set from 1993-94.

Grace Minihane leads CSCS’s offense with 26.6 points per game, which is fifth in the state, and leads the team in steals at 5.5 per contest. Kinley Asp is second on the team in scoring and steals at 15.1 per game and 4.6, respectively.

Meanwhile, the Lions’ defense remains a force and have allowed 40 points just once this season – a 54-40 win against Pueblo West in December.

No. 1 Peyton (22-0) vs. No. 9 Strasburg (18-6)

11:45 a.m.

Peyton has 22 consecutive wins entering its Great 8 matchup against Strasburg and boasts a pair of 1,000-point scorers.

Of the Panthers’ 73 points per game, AJ Mannering (33.9) and Abbie Nickell (19.9) account for 53.8 points and are lethal on both ends of the court.

Against Yuma on Jan. 26, Nickell finished 0 of 5 from the field but 17 of 19 at the line for 17 points. The Panthers senior has also reached double figures in all but one contest this year.

Mannering’s scoring average puts the Air Force commit at ninth in the nation and her 8.5 steals per game (187 total) is 16th in the nation and top in Colorado.

In the Panthers’ last 10 games, Mannering has not scored fewer than 31 points.

No. 6 St. Mary’s (20-4) vs. No. 3 Grand Valley (24-0)

4 p.m.

The Pirates survived a feisty Ignacio team last weekend to earn their 20th win of the season – the ninth time in 10 seasons St. Mary’s reached 20 victories.

The lone time in the past decade St. Mary’s did not reach 20 wins was 2020-21 when the Pirates finished 13-3 during the COVID-shortened season.

The Pirates’ game against the Cardinals serves as a rematch between the two schools, who met in the 2022 quarterfinals.

Grand Valley survived a late rally from the Pirates and eliminated St. Mary’s from the tournament.

Now, the Pirates hope to upset the Cardinals and advance to the Final Four in back-to-back seasons.

MARCUS HILL, The Gazette

Caitlin Kramer shoots past Gabby Jima as Air Academy takes on Frederick in 5A quarterfinals Friday at The Denver Coliseum. The Kadets beat the Golden Eagles 45-39.

LIZ COPAN, Special to Gazette

Mesa Ridge’s Bryce Riehl drives against Palmer on Feb. 16.

Carson Field, The GazetteCarsonFieldcarson.field@gazette.com
https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/c524ef3d384945349bed78d70eb2d2cd?s=100&d=mm&r=g