PREPS: Rock Canyon’s boys basketball team figures to get an early, substantial test against Overland.
The following is a look at the top boys and girls basketball games this week in Class 5A and Class 4A, plus insight into a nationally renowned wrestling tournament. (All rankings and records are up-to-date as of Monday.)
Boys hoops
Rock Canyon (3-0) at Overland (0-1), 7 p.m. Thursday: The visiting Jaguars lived up to their No. 1 billing so far by winning the Mountain Vista/Rock Canyon Tipoff Tournament by way of three double-digit victories. But the senior guard duo of Sam Masten and Tyson Gilbert, who are combining for an average of more than 40 points per game, face another stiff early-season test in a No. 7 Blazers squad headed by sophomore Hezekiah Swanson and seniors Goy Wang and Tucson Redding. Stream this game live via Post Preps Radio. D’Evelyn (1-2) at Mead (1-2), 6:30 p.m. Wednesday: Both teams have played stacked schedules out of the gate, including a loss apiece to No. 1 Lewis-Palmer. So the nonconference meeting between the visiting Jaguars and the No. 10 Mavericks will act as a momentum shift for one team to get back on track, and the scoring battle between D’Evelyn senior Charles Dinegar and Mead junior Jax Wilke is likely to decide the outcome of the game.
Girls hoops
Legacy (1-0) at Lakewood (2-2), 4 p.m. Thursday: With half of Lakewood’s star 6-foot-5 twin tandem sidelined for the season due to a knee injury — Kira Emsbo tore her ACL during the club season — it will be up to Camilla Emsbo to shoulder the load inside this winter while seniors Jessica Woodhead, Hannah Renstrom and Sassy Coleman provide additional experience from last year’s title game. The host Tigers need to leverage all of those weapons against a dangerous Lightning team headlined by sophomore sensation Halle Mackiewicz. Hornet Holiday Tournament, Thursday-Saturday, Pueblo Central High School: Pueblo Central’s 22nd annual tournament showcases some of the best 4A programs the state has to offer, including a Steel City title contender in No. 2 Pueblo West, as well as No. 8 Air Academy. Class 5A sleeper Loveland will also be there, as first-year coach Tim Hedgespeth and the Indians are led by junior point guard Lexi Eberhardt and senior shooting guard Shelby Buhler. The tournament concludes with Saturday’s 4 p.m. championship.
Wrestling
Walsh Jesuit Ironman Wrestling Tournament, Friday and Saturday, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio: The 24th edition of what is widely considered the best regular-season high school wrestling tournament in the nation features plenty of Colorado talent. Ponderosa heavyweight Cohl Schultz and Grand Junction 145-pound state champion Josiah Rider are favorites to win their respective classes following runnerup performances last season. In all, six state schools are represented with Air Academy, Castle View, Pomona and Pueblo County also sending grapplers to the Midwest. Stream the action live via Flo Wrestling.