With the regular season nearing its end, Player of the Year candidates are playing the game at a high level.
With the end of the boys basketball regular season in sight, it's not hard to see why some teams are in positions of success. Despite the shortened schedules and unorthodox safety guidelines put into place, there has been outstanding play on the court at every level in Colorado.
With teams doing their best to reach the playoffs, quick looks at standout performances can start to paint a picture when it comes to postseason awards. Here is a look through all five classifications at some of the basketball players garnering attention for Player of the Year honors.
Class 5AGreysen Carter, Fairview (Boulder): For the past two seasons, the Knights have looked every bit the part of a team that could contend for the 5A title. Carter has been a big part of that this season, as he's averaged 22.7 points and 8.5 rebounds
Greysen Carter, Fairview
File photo by Derek Regensburger
per game. He has recorded double-doubles in four of his last five games, all of which have been Fairview wins.
Julian Hammond III, Cherry Creek (Greenwood Village): After helping the Bruins to another state football title, Hammond is turning to his post-high school sport of choice, hoping he can double up championship performances this year. The University of Colorado recruit is averaging 21.1 points per game, to go with 4.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists. He scored a season-high 31 points in a Jan. 29 win over Mullen, a game in which he shot 50 percent from 3-point ranger.
Jordan McKay, Liberty (Colorado Springs): Averaging a double-double at 21.3 points and 11.1 rebounds per game, McKay is helping the Lancers get into the Pikes Peak Athletic Conference mix this year. He's dishing out some assists and helping out defensively with a few steals and blocked shots each game, but his ability to score and pull down rebounds has made Liberty a team to pay attention to in 2021.
Class 4ATarrance Austin, Pueblo South: If Tarrance Austin's value to the Colts' roster wasn't obvious, it was made more clear when they lost to Pueblo Central in mid-February. In three of his last four games, he scored 25 points and is averaging 23.7 on the season. When adding in 5.6 rebounds and 4.1 assists, he has become a big reason why the Colts are still in the mix
Alex Hurr, Mountain View
File photo by Derek Regensburger
for the South Central League.
Khafre Garrett-Mills, Aurora Central: Garrett-Mills has been held to less than 20 points only once this year as the Trojans have built a 8-1 mark in the regular season. He had one of the better shooting performances in the entire state in a Feb. 11 win against Thornton, in which he shot 63 percent from the field and scored 29 points, his season high.
Alex Hurr, Mountain View (Loveland): On any given day, Hurr has the opportunity to put together a well-rounded performance on the court. He averages 23.7 points, 7.9 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game. Some of his best efforts have come when the Mountain Lions have needed them the most. He scored 30 points in a one-point win over Riverdale Ridge (Thornton) and recorded his first of three double-doubles this year in a two-point win over Thompson Valley (Loveland) (21 points, 10 rebounds).
Class 3ABaye Fall, Lutheran (Parker): The Lutheran big man is a prized prospect who is sure to garner a lot of attention for the next two years. His scoring numbers were modest the first two games of the season, but since then he has yet to be held under 23 points per game. He averages nine rebounds and 2.7 blocks, to provide a stat line fitting for a 3A player standing close to 7-foot tall.
Sam Howery, St. Mary's (Colorado Springs): St. Mary's plays the game at one of two paces: fast or really fast. Howery has been one of the main benefactors of the Pirates' up-tempo game, as he averages 23.5 points and 10.5 rebounds per game. His two triple-doubles this year came in Tri-Peaks League wins over James Irwin (Colorado Springs) and Salida.
Uziel Tomita, DSST: College View (Denver): The state's second-leading scorer. regardless of classification, Tomita has been able to rack up points almost at-will this season. He averages 29.9 points per game and has cracked the 30-point mark in five of his eight games, including scoring a season-high 37 in a 63-60 win over Ridge View Academy on Feb. 5. He's shooting 56 percent from the field this season.
Class 2ABen Buhler, Denver Christian: The Thunder have suffered only one loss this year – a 70-53 defeat to 3A's Colorado Academy. Through the course of the season Buhler has kept a steady hand to keep the wins coming. His 18.1 points per game aren't the most of any 2A player, but when combined with 4.6 rebounds and 2.4 steals, he has cemented himself as one of the top all-around players in the classification this year.
Tucker Mills, Lyons: In just his sophomore year, Mills has been able to distinguish himself as a premiere player in 2A. He's averaging 22.5 points per game as the Lions have built a 4-2 record this season. He scored a season-high 25 points in a win over Shining Mountain (Boulder), a game where he also pulled down seven rebounds, also a season best for the young guard.
Trey Summers, Union Colony (Greeley): The only player in the state averaging 30 points per game, Summers has been the heart of the Timberwolves' offense this year. He has added nearly 11 rebounds per game to his stat line and only has one game this season that he didn't record a double-double. He recorded a season-high in both points (35) and rebounds (14) in a Feb. 6 win over Loveland Classical.
Class 1ALogan Owen, Belleview Christian (Westminster): The Bruins have looked like the team to beat, and Owen is a big part of the reason why. He typically finishes a game as his team's leading scorer and accounts for 19.3 points, 8.8 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game. In 11 games, he as scored in single digits just once.
Wesley Ryan, De Beque: The Dragons are once again in a position to make a run at a 1A title, and Ryan is a big reason why. He's averaging 25.6 points per game to go with nearly eight rounds and three assists. His field-goal percentage hovers around 50 percent and he has recorded two double-doubles on the season. Any team looking to win a state championship has a better shot with a player like Ryan on the roster.
Tyler Wytulka, Nucla: The Mustangs have had their struggles this season, but Wytulka has done his best to keep them competitive in each game. He's averaging a double-double at 22.9 points and 11.8 rebounds. He pulled down a staggering 21 rebounds in a Jan. 30 loss to De Beque and has scored 31 points twice this season.
