The top 10 Colorado high school boys basketball games to close the regular season

All five classifications have contests within the next month that will have ripple effects across the entire state. While there are certainly more than listed below, here are the top 10 we've identified as games that fans should be paying attention to as the regular season comes to an end.

Class 5A
Chaparral (Parker) at ThunderRidge (Highlands Ranch), Feb. 8, 7 p.m.
If there is one game to keep an eye on through the remainder of the 5A regular season, it would be this Continental League showdown. Chaparral desperately needs a win to keep hopes alive for a regular-season league title and that motivation could push this talented team over the top. But the task is easier said than done as the Grizzlies look ready to claim a second state championship.

ThunderRidge truly plays as a team as four different players average double-digit scoring numbers. Zach Keller paces the team with 16.5 points per game to go with a team-high 7.1 rebounds. Jackson Brennan averages 15.5 points, and Joey Bilello adds 12.4. Sophomore Andrew Crawford has emerged as one of the top young forwards in the league by averaging 10.5 points, 6.9 rebounds and 4.1 assists.

Chaparral's lone league loss came to Douglas County (Castle Rock) but the Wolverines have shown to be a formidable foe this season. They have hung with the likes of Denver East, keeping their championship ambitions alive. Joel Speckman II leads the team with 16.2 points and 9.9 rebounds per game. Luke Williams adds 14.9 points and has a team-high 3.4 assists per game. His versatility makes Chaparral a better team and one that won't be easy to beat in the postseason.

Fossil Ridge (Fort Collins) at Horizon (Thornton), Feb. 8, 6:30 p.m.
The battle for the Front Range League title could come to a head as these two hot programs are on a collision course. The Sabercats have been a very pleasant surprise in the 5A ranks and so have the Hawks. Neither have suffered a league loss, and this will be one of the most impactful games this season.

Brock Mishak scores 22.4 points per game and has proven to be an unselfish player as he leads the team with 3.6 assists. He nearly went for a triple-double in a Jan. 18 win against Monarch (Louisville) as he scored 13 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and had seven assists. Nick Randall has also been a standout for the team, scoring 17.6 points and grabbing a team-high 8.3 rebounds per game.

The Hawks rely on a three-man rotation of scoring as Coby Jimenez, Esmond Griffin and Kyle Northrup all average double-digit scoring numbers. Jimenez leads the team in the three big statistical categories as he scores 16.1 points, grabs 8.3 rebounds and dishes out 4.7 assists per game. He does all that while shooting 55% from the floor.

Class 4A
Mead (Longmont) at Holy Family (Broomfield), Feb. 4, 7 p.m.
Coming off a big win against Windsor, defending 4A champion Mead is looking to finish the regular season with a strong run. The Mavericks have beaten some top-notch teams this season but have also suffered a few disappointing losses. The same could be said for the Tigers as they have beaten the likes of Centaurus (Lafayette) and also fallen to Lewis-Palmer (Monument) in an overtime thriller.

Mead has gotten expected production out of its stars, as Elijah Knudsen leads the team with 19.3 points per game. That includes shooting 45% from 3-point range, which will make for a deadly weapon for the Mavericks come playoff time. Big man James Shiers is averaging 14.9 points and 8.8 rebounds, while Nick Basson adds 12.8 points per game.

Jackson Ward has quietly been one of the most efficient players in the state. He averages 13.1 points and 8.6 rebounds, which has been crucial to helping the Tigers win four of their past five games. Sophomore Gabe Tafoya is coming into his own as he averages 10.5 points.

Pueblo South at Pueblo Central, Feb. 15, 8 p.m.
The first meeting between these two powerhouses ended with a bit of a surprising result. It wasn't necessarily surprising that South won, but it was by how much that took people off guard. That might not be the case in Round 2 as the Wildcats will have something to prove as the regular season nears its end.

The Colts had a solid offensive showing in that first game as Tarrance Austin and Ray J Aragon each scored 16 points, while Jace Bellah and Maurice Austin each had 14. The Austin brothers share the scoring the load for South on the season as they each average 23.2 points. Aragon is the only other player to average double figures as he accounts for 15 points per game.

The Wildcats will need a better performance from Kadyn Betts in the rematch. He was held to just 12 points, well below his season average of 22.6. He averages a double-double per game with 12 rebounds and he also blocks an average of 3.4 shots. If he can play at his peak, there is little chance the Wildcats will again fall by a large margin.

Class 3A
Sterling at Resurrection Christian (Loveland), Feb. 4, 7 p.m.
Sterling has yet to lose to a Colorado opponent but will have two big tests to close the regular season. Probably the tougher of the two is a road game at Resurrection Christian later this week. The Cougars are on a hot streak of their own, having won nine straight games.

Jackson Keil has been a big reason that the Tigers are perceived as the top team in the state. He averages 20.1 points and 7.2 rebounds, both of which are team bests. Ryder McConnell complements him nicely with 14.1 points and 6.6 rebounds per game, but he also has a team-high 3.3 assists per game.

Resurrection Christian freshman Ty Yoder is proving he belongs on a big stage as he leads the team in scoring at 14.4 points per game to go with a team-high 5.2 assists per game. Ryan Ward chips in 12.2 points, and sophomore Marcus Phillips grabs 7.7 boards per game. If this young Rez team doesn't get a win here, it will certainly provide a great learning experience for its roster.

Colorado Academy (Denver) at Kent Denver (Cherry Hills Village), Feb. 9, 7 p.m.
Colorado Academy has shaken off its season-opening loss to St. Mary's (Colorado Springs) and has been playing some of its best basketball in recent weeks. This game is a must-win for Kent Denver if it has any hopes of playing its way to a Metro League regular-season championship. It's obviously a huge game when it comes to seeding for the district tournament.

The Mustangs play an efficient style of basketball on both ends of the court. Elliott Cravitz scores 18 points and gets 2.1 steals per game, both of which are team-highs. Ahbil Woldeyohannes and Cooper Quatrochi also average at least 11 points per game each and make the Mustangs an all-around scoring threat.

The Sun Devils played a fast-paced, aggressive brand of basketball that has three players averaging at least 18 points per game. Ethan Levin leads the team with 25.9, Duke Benson has 19.1 (to go with a team-high 18.1 rebounds) and Jay Royal scores 18. If the tempo of the game slows down or the Sun Devils have an off-shooting day, they have been beatable. If they can play their game, this could a fun one to watch.

Class 2A
Yuma at Holyoke, Feb. 4, 4 p.m.
This game is an opportunity for Holyoke to show that the 75-50 loss to Yuma earlier in the season wasn't a true representation of the gap between the two teams. The Dragons are winners of three of their past four games, falling only to Limon on Jan. 22. After falling to Eaton in double-overtime on Dec. 18, Yuma has won eight straight games.

The Indians have a diverse scoring attack with four players averaging double figures. Clay Robinson leads them with 18.8 points per game and is also the team's leading rebounder at 6.8 per game. Javier Gamboa, Jesus Ross and Javier Duran are all averaging at least 10 points.

The Dragons counter Yuma with two top scorers. Ethan Johnson scores 17 points per game, and Wyatt Sprague adds 15.6. Those two make up for about 58% of the Dragons' offensive output. Miles Sprague contributes in other areas as he grabs a team-high 5.8 rebounds per game and also swipes two steals.

Limon at Fowler, Feb. 12, 1 p.m.
Fowler has battled to be regarded as a top-10 team this season, and a late non-league game against Limon could help solidify its standing. Limon has been on a roll, going 7-2 since getting back from the winter break, and are trying to advance to their second state title game in a row.

The Rockwell boys are setting the pace for Limon offensively. Brady Rockwell leads the team with 12.4 points per game while Jordan Rockwell has 10.9. Treyton Marx is the team's leading rebounder at 6.6 per game. The Badgers have been a methodical team as they score fewer than 43 points per game.

Fowler has come out of the winter break on a six-game winning streak and remains undefeated in league play. The Grizzlies maintain about the same pace on offense as Limon, scoring 42.5 points per game. Bradley Roe leads the team with 11.8 and is the only player on the team to score double figures.

Class 1A
Evangelical Christian (Colorado Springs) at Denver Waldorf, Feb. 12, 5 p.m.
This will be a good non-league test for each team heading into the postseason. Evangelical Christian has lost one game, and Denver Waldorf has dropped just two. Both teams figure to make a deep playoff run and this game will show how they will measure up heading into the postseason.

Michael Mann nearly averages a double-double for the Eagles, scoring 14.1 points and pulling down 8.3 rebounds. Michael Kim has shown himself to be one of the best defenders in the Black Forest League, totaling 3.3 steals per game.

Dylan Quinn leads a high-powered Spartans offense with 19.1 points per game. Will McHenry does average a double-double, scoring 18.3 points and grabbing 12.3 rebounds per game. Overall, the Spartans have four players averaging double-digit scoring figures and can be one of the most effective scoring teams in 1A.

Granada at McClave (McClave, Colo.), Feb. 18, 5 p.m.
Granada came away with a three-point win in their first showdown, but that came at home. To close out the regular season, the Bobcats will be on the road to see a Cardinals team that has won six of their past seven games.

Granada freshman Maddox Coleman has established himself as one of the best all-around players in 1A. He averages 14.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.9 steals. John Hainer is the team's leading rebounder at 7.3 rebounds per game and also adds 13.3 points.

The Cardinals have a solid scoring duo of Aiden Martinez (15.7 PPG) and Eduardo Verdu (14.9 PPG). Martinez is also the team's leading rebounder and leads the team in steals. The duo combined for 32 points in McClave's loss to Granada earlier in the season.