Chase for Colorado boys basketball player of year is wide open

It speaks volumes that one year ago, four of the state's five classifications in boys basketball had a junior honored as Player of the Year.

De'Ron Davis of Overland (Aurora) (Class 5A), Longmont's Justinian Jessup (4A), Justin Bassey of Colorado Academy (Denver) (3A) and Sanford's Miles Caldon (2A) all enjoyed impressive seasons in leading their respective teams to either a state championship or a runner-up finish.

With only a few weeks remaining in the 2015-16 season, the race for POY heats up as teams make a final push toward the postseason. Nothing can be decided for sure until the month of March is in the books, along with the state championships, but it's worth looking at the individuals who have been dominant thus far.

Here is a glance at five potential Player of the Year candidates in each classification (of note: players from teams that have not submitted statistics to MaxPreps were not able to be considered for the purposes of this story):



Class 5A

Braxton Bertolette, Jr., Fossil Ridge (Fort Collins) – A year ago, Bertolette averaged just less than 13 points a game for the Sabercats. Through 17 games this season, the 6-foot-2 junior has more than doubled that production. Bertolette averages 25.1 points a game, and has failed to reach the 20-point mark in only five contests. What may be more impressive is that he is a remarkable 80-of-85 from the free-throw line.

Dalven Brushier, Sr., Doherty (Colorado Springs) – Brushier continues to emerge as one of 5A's top players. The 6-3 senior has helped guide the Spartans to a 15-2 record thus far, scoring at a clip of just shy of 19 points a game, along with 5.4 rebounds and 3.4 assists. He had a season-high 31 points in a three-point loss at Regis Jesuit (Aurora).

De'Ron Davis, Sr., Overland – The defending state champions are powered once again by the 6-foot-10 Davis, who has committed to the University of Indiana. Davis is averaging 14.3 points, 8.9 rebounds and 4.1 blocks a game, has six double-doubles and blocked nine shots in a loss to Regis Jesuit earlier in the year.

Colbey Ross, Jr., Eaglecrest (Centennial) – Ross has been a force for the undefeated Raptors, averaging nearly 21 points a game to go along with nearly five rebounds and four assists. On Jan. 25 he turned in a sterling 38-point effort in a victory over Denver East, shooting 10-of-16 from the field and going 13-of-16 from the free-throw line.

David Thornton, Sr., Cherokee Trail (Aurora) – Thornton has been a beast for the Cougars, averaging 19.4 points and 8.9 rebounds. He's put together five double-doubles and come up big in a number of games against ranked teams. Back in early December he went for 36 and 34 points in back-to-back victories against George Washington (Denver) and Denver East.



Class 4A

Justinian Jessup, Sr., Longmont – Last year's 4A MVP, Jessup hasn't missed a beat his senior season. Jessup has averaged just less than 20 points and five rebounds a game, along with 3.8 assists and 3.5 steals. The wing has a pair of double-doubles and two games with six steals.

Michael Ranson, Sr., Pueblo Central – The state's leading scorer regardless of classification, Ranson has put on a scoring clinic night in and night out. After losing teammate Kobi Betts to an injury before the season, Ranson stepped up and averages 34.4 points a game. He's topped 40 points six times and 50 points twice, including a 59-point showing in a victory against Falcon in December.

Jalen Sanders, Jr., Valor Christian (Highlands Ranch) – Sanders has averaged three points more a game as a junior for the Eagles, who are off to a 15-1 start. The 6-5 post drops in 16.8 points a game and adds more than seven rebounds a night. He's also quick to dish the ball of to teammates and averages nearly five assists as well. Since an off night in the team's only loss of the season Jan. 8, Sanders has scored at least 21 points four times during the team's current seven-game winning streak.

Jonathan Scott, Sr., Lewis-Palmer (Monument) – The 6-4 senior has been a big factor in the Rangers' 15-game winning streak. Scott averages 17.8 points a game and 4.7 rebounds, close to the numbers he had as a junior when he was first-team all-state during the team's run to the 4A state semifinals.

David Simental, Jr., Pueblo West – Like Ranson, Simental has shown the ability to score at will this season. The Cyclones are off to a 15-2 start that includes only one in-state loss to this point. The junior averages 25.8 points in the high-scoring offense, with five games topping the 30-point mark and a big 43-point game back on Dec. 4. He's also an 85-percent shooter from the free-throw line, going 93-of-110.



Class 3A

Justin Bassey, Sr., Colorado Academy – Bassey was the 3A Player of the Year as a junior, helping lead the Mustangs to the 3A title game for the second year in a row. The senior is back it again, averaging 24.6 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.6 assists. Bassey has three double-doubles and scored at least 20 points in five of the team's past six games.

Gabe Hegarty, Sr., Faith Christian (Arvada) – It comes as no surprise that the Eagles are again among the most talented squads in 3A, currently riding an eight-game winning streak. Hegarty averages 18.1 points and 8.5 rebounds a game, shooting 61 percent and going for six double-doubles this season.

Samuel Howard, Sr., Colorado Springs Christian – Howard was a catalyst in driving the Lions to the 3A championship a year ago. This winter, despite not even leading the team in scoring – that honor belongs to Justin Engesser – Howard is still averaging 16.2 points and 9.8 rebounds. The 6-7 post shoots more than 60 percent from the floor and has hauled in 16 rebounds twice this season.

Jadyn Michael, Sr., Denver School of Science & Tech: Green Valley Ranch – Michael and teammate Ellis Jones have lifted the Raptors to new heights this winter. DSST-GVR is the only undefeated team in 3A, and Michael has averaged just shy of 20 points a game and 5.1 rebounds. Playing less minutes in some of the team's more dominant showings has hurt some of that scoring average. Michael is also shooting 66 percent from the floor and 84 percent from the free-throw line.

John Parker, Sr., Grand Valley (Parachute) – The 6-3 Parker has come into his own this season after the graduation of first-team all-state pick Sam Parker. The guard averages 22.2 points and an impressive 9.4 rebounds, along with four assists and three steals a game. He has a 20-rebound performance in a loss to Coal Ridge (New Castle), and the other night went for 28 points, seven assists and eight steals in a victory against Olathe.



Class 2A

Tanner Ervin, Jr., Resurrection Christian (Loveland) – Scoring is nothing new to the Cougars junior, but he's elevated that ability this winter. Ervin is averaging 25.8 points a game to go with 4.8 assists, and has scored at least 30 points six times. In the team's last three games, Ervin has averaged 32 points while shooting 67 percent.

Luke Fick, Sr., Resurrection Christian – Fick was a first-team all-state pick a year ago. The 6-3 guard picked up where he left off, averaging a double-double of 17.3 points and 10.7 rebounds a game. At one point this season he had eight double-doubles in nine games, and just missed the ninth by a single rebound.

Wyatt Hayes, Sr., Ignacio – Another first-team all-state selection as a junior, Hayes has the Bobcats going strong. The team's only losses came to 4A Durango and 3A Bayfield. Hayes averages 15.3 points a game but is solid across the board with 8.7 rebounds, 7.2 assists and 4.4 steals as well. He had a triple-double against Mancos on Jan. 15 with 14 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists.

Connor Hale, Sr., Rye – The Thunderbolts have enjoyed a strong season, and Hale has played a big role in that success. The senior averages 20.9 points, 6.9 rebounds and 3.8 assists, and has been played especially well since January. Hale has been sent to the free-throw line 124 times, making 74 percent of those attempts.

Morgan Murray, Sr., Ellicott (Calhan) – Murray's consistency has been something to admire for the Thunderhawks. The senior averages 20.3 points a game and adds more than five assists and steals a night as well. He had at least four each of the latter two in the team's first nine games. In a victory over 3A's No. 7 Manitou Springs in December, Murray was 9-of-9 from the field for 24 points.



Class 1A

Christian Dellamaestra, Jr., Wiley – Dellamaestra and teammate Caden Eastin have the third-ranked Panthers playing well. Dellamaestra averages 14.7 points and 9.2 rebounds a game. In a one-point loss to top-ranked Holly in December, the junior had 26 points and 10 rebounds, and he went for 27 and 11 in a victory against No. 4 South Baca on Jan. 16.

Mario Dracon, Sr., Otis – The junior has been a double-double machine for the Bulldogs, averaging 19.2 points and 13.6 rebounds. Dracon has 10 double-doubles and put together perhaps his best game of the season Jan. 23 against Arickaree/Woodlin. In that contest he had 27 points, 22 rebounds, eight assists, four steals and four blocks.

Gray Hill, Sr., Shining Mountain (Boulder) – Hill has averaged a double-double for the No. 7 Lions with 16.2 points and 11.1 rebounds a game. That includes eight double-doubles, including a three-game stretch where he went for 17, 10 and 17 rebounds in late January.

Antun Maricevic, Sr., Longmont Christian – Despite having statistics reported from only his first five games, the product of Croatia has been dominating opponents this season. Maricevic had a pair of games where he topped 40 points in December and also averaged 18.4 rebounds in that stretch as well.

Arthur Rodriguez, So., Sierra Grande (Blanca) – Rodriguez has proved to have a deft touch for his age, averaging 19.2 points, 6.4 rebounds and five assists. His last three games he shot 91 percent, going 30-of-33 from the floor, and on the season is 37-of-41 from the free-throw line. Twice he's hauled in 12 rebounds in a game, and also had a 10-steal effort.