CruceS fueled by uber-athletic lineup
At midseason of the Class 5A boys basketball season, no obvious title frontrunner has emerged. There is, however, one teamthat’sprovenithasthetalent and grit to win a ring — albeit in a different sport.
Cherry Creek’s starting five, plus the team’s sixth man, are all Division I athletes-to-be — and all six played football for the Bruins, who have won back-to-back bigschool titles.
Seniors Julian Hammond III (guard/quarterback), Chase Penry (forward/wideout), Arden Walker (center/defensive line) and Myles Purchase (guard/cornerback) are all committed. Hammond’s set to play hoops at CU and Penry will play football there; Walker is pledged to Missouri football and Purchase to Iowa State football. Sophomore guard Christian Hammond, Julian’s younger brother, also plays football and is a D-I basketball prospect. Throw in sixth man Blake Purchase, Myles’ younger brother who already has a football offer from CU as a linebacker, and the result just might be the most athletic lineup in all of Colorado basketball.
“Obviously these guys have been to the state championship game in football the last couple years, so it’s huge for their confidence and their belief in what they can do together on the court,” Cherry Creek coach Kent Dertinger said. “They’re confident athletes and proven winners, so we take advantage of that and their experience and their leadership.”
Cherry Creek has ample motivation this year after getting upset in the 5A round of 32 last year — a four-point loss to No. 29-seeded Regis Jesuit on the Bruins’ home floor.
“That still sits in our craw a littlebit,andIwouldsaysincethat game, we’ve been focused on this year,'” Dertinger said. “We definitely haven’t forgotten what feels like when their crowd came out and rushed the floor.”
Julian Hammond is pacing the undefeated Bruins at 21 points per game, while Myles Purchase and Christian Hammond are also averaging double-digit scoring. Blake Purchase, meanwhile, leads the team in rebounding with 6.3 per game.
With that elite cast, Cherry Creek has eyes on the program’s second state title and first since 1995. But Dertinger emphasized the Bruins’ “microfocus” as they aim to improve in multiple facets over the second half of the Centennial League slate.
“We have to defend a little bit better, and be willing to trust that if we give it up (on the fast-break), we’ll get it back,” Dertinger said.
“We’re a tough team to handle in transition, but once we get settled into our half-court (offense), we havetoworkonsharingit.We’rea very unselfish team, but we have to work on getting the ball sideto-side a little bit more.”
Beyond the No. 1 Bruins, Class 5A has an array of teams high up in the latest CHSAANow poll capable of a title run. Here’s a look at two of those contenders, plus notes on a few others. All stats are as of Thursday.
EAuGEvsEw rE oADs
The No. 2 Raiders finished a sparkling 26-0 last season but were denied the chance to finish 2020 off with a ring when the state basketball tournament was canceled due to the pandemic, stranding Rangeview in the Final 4.
This year, minus the graduated Speller twins who were Rangeview’s main catalysts, the newlook Raiders are 9-0 heading into the weekend. Senior guard Cade Palmer, son of coach Shawn Palmer, is one of two returnees from the 2020 team (along with Jayden Foster) and is pacing the Raiders at 16 points per game. Senior forward Damajio Merritt and junior guard Elijah Thomas are also averaging double-digit scoring.
“It’s really a fresh group this year, and it’s a different kind of motivation than wanting to make up for (not getting to finish the 2020 season), because this group wants to be their own team and prove their own worth,” Shawn Palmer said. “I still think about (not getting to finish), and Cade and I talk about it occasionally and wish we would’ve gotten the chance to play. But we don’t really talk about that at all as a team. We focus on what’s in front of us, and what this group wants to do.”
FRuuDErEsDGE’s potEuCy
No. 3 ThunderRidge is high on everyone’s watch lists this year, although the Grizzlies have been slow out of the blocks due to COVID-19 issues within the program.
ThunderRidge won its season opener against Fairview before a positive test by a JV player sidelined the varsity team and caused it to miss three games while in quarantine. The Grizzlies also had another game canceled due to an opponent’s quarantine. So, while 25th-year coach Joe Ortiz knows he’s got a talented roster,
ThunderRidge’s early-season speed bumps have made it difficult for the team to establish offensive rhythm.
“We were doing Google Meets every day for two weeks during the quarantine, trying to make it productive, but heck, it’s tough,” Ortiz said. “The unknown of this season has already proven to be the biggest challenge.”
Despite those unknowns, the Grizzlies’ depth should have them playing deep into the state tournament after losing in the round of 32 last year.
ThunderRidge’s starting five is headlined by 6-foot-9 junior center Zach Keller (offers from Boise St., Utah, TCU), who was limited as a sophomore due to hip surgery.
Surrounding Keller are 6-6 senior forward Nolan Marold, junior guard Jackson Brennan and senior guards Garrett Arnold and Jason Simental. Junior forward Joey Bilello, another tree at 6-8, is the sixth man and one of four Grizzles averaging double-digit scoring.
dorE tEAts to wAtCR
No. 4 Regis Jesuit returns its top four scorers from last year
and is headed by legendary coach Ken Shaw. Seniors Blakeley Stoughton and Michael Wolf are both averaging 17 points per game. … Palmer said No. 5 Chaparral “is having a really good year, with really a new team” under coach Nate Rohnert, with juniors Luke Williams and Joel Speckman leading the way in scoring. … No. 6 Mountain Vista ispacedbysenior Ben Bowen (19.1 points per game) and took ThunderRidge to double OT in a loss. … Up north, No. 7 Fossil Ridge will likely run the table in the Front Range League behind the tandem of junior Brock Mishak and senior Tyce Baldwin. … Don’t count out the Denver Prep League powerhouses, No. 8 Denver East (four scorers averaging double-digits) and No. 10 George Washington (who recently beat ThunderRidge), as well as coach Danny Fisher and No. 9 Overland out of the Centennial League. … And No. 11 Valor Christian, who was also left standing in the 2020 Final 4, is paced by the senior duo of Amondo Miller and AJ Kula.