Ten Colorado high school boys basketball games to watch for February

So, with the start of the postseason looming the last week of the month, here is a quick look at 10 games to watch across the state's five classifications for the month of February (all games/statistics were through Jan. 29):

Class 5A
• Ralston Valley (Arvada) (15-2) at Columbine (Littleton) (11-3), 7 p.m., Feb. 5
Ralston Valley enters February in the driver's seat in 5A Jeffco, but 10th-ranked Columbine is standing in the way of the Mustangs' push for a league title. The No. 5 Mustangs are coming off a thrilling 60-58 victory over No. 8 Valor Christian (Highlands Ranch) on Wednesday, the team's seventh win in a row. Seniors Caleb Rillos (17.9 points a game) and Caden Gigstad (15.9 points) have paced Ralston Valley this season, with six league contests remaining. … Columbine saw its league hopes take a hit with a 64-45 loss to Valor on Jan. 24, meaning the team needs a victory over Ralston Valley to keep those hopes alive. A tough January wraps up Thursday with a non-league matchup against Doherty (Colorado Springs) before the Rebels turn around face Pomona (Arvada) on Feb. 1. Senior Luke O'Brien has continued to dominate, with O'Brien averaging a double-double at 25.9 points and 11.8 rebounds.
• Fairview (Boulder) (14-3) at Boulder (13-3), 7 p.m., Feb. 17, Coors Event Center
Only two undefeated teams remain in Front Range League play, and they just happen to be city rivals. Should Fairview and Boulder still be unbeaten in league play when they meet midway through the month, the matchup likely will determine the FRL champion. Boulder has already matched last year's win total with seven games remaining in the regular season. The Panthers have won seven in a row since a loss to Ralston Valley, and have a balanced scoring attack. … Fairview had won eight in a row in January going into a Jan. 31 contest against Legacy (Broomfield). Junior Greysen Carter leads the Knights at 18.3 points and 7.9 rebounds a game. … Boulder won last year's rivalry contest.
• Cherry Creek (Greenwood Village) (12-4) at Grandview (Aurora) (12-4), 7 p.m., Feb. 19
With the first half of Centennial League play in the books as of Wednesday night, Cherry Creek and Grandview lead the pack with 6-1 records. The Bruins bounced back from a six-point loss in overtime to Grandview on Jan. 24 with an impressive 76-65 victory over No. 2 Smoky Hill (Aurora) on Wednesday night. Three of Cherry Creek's losses have come in overtime, and the team has won six of seven going into February. … Third-ranked Grandview's only loss in Centennial play came to Smoky Hill on Jan. 8, a 66-63 double-overtime affair. The Wolves have won six in a row since then and open the second half of league play Feb. 1 against Smoky Hill. Senior Caleb McGill (16.3 points) and Lian Ramiro (15.4 points) have led the way offensively.

Class 4A
• Pueblo East (10-6) at Pueblo West (12-4), 7 p.m., Feb. 20
This will actually be the second of two meetings in February between the South Central League rivals, but this one comes in the regular-season finale and could decide the league. Both teams were undefeated in SCL play headed into West's game Thursday against Pueblo Central. Pueblo West dropped back-to-back non-league games in the middle of the month to Pine Creek (Colorado Springs) and Valor Christian, but won its next four. Senior Taylor Harris is averaging 15.4 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.5 assists for the Cyclones. … East has six losses, but played top-ranked Cheyenne Mountain (Colorado Springs) tough in an 85-80 defeat in December, and fell in OT to current No. 4 Northfield (Denver) the next night. Senior Darnell Kindred leads three players scoring in double figures at 17.1 points a game.

Class 3A
• Eaton (12-2) at Resurrection Christian (13-0), 7 p.m., Feb. 4
Resurrection Christian has been flat-out dominant at times this season, and has gotten off to a strong start in the challenging Patriot League. That included an overtime victory over No. 4 Sterling on Jan. 21, which the team followed up by scoring more than 90 points in each of its next two games. Seniors Reece Johnson (18.6 points) and Isaac Jessup (16 points) have led a strong scoring offense. … Eaton is one victory away from tying last season's win total of 13 games. The Reds' only league setback came against Sterling, and Eaton has five players scoring in double figures. Junior Ryan Ure averages a double-double at 12.6 points and 12.2 rebounds.
• Lutheran (Parker) (11-2) at Sterling (11-2), 7 p.m., Feb. 6
Speaking of Sterling, the team has two non-league games against Metro League opponents sprinkled in the midst of its final few Patriot League games. That includes a tilt with No. 2 Lutheran on Feb. 6. The loss to Resurrection Christian snapped an eight-game winning streak, but the Tigers won their next two games. Seniors Axel Henry (17.5 points) and Brock Shalla (15.8 points) lead an offense that has four players scoring in double figures. … Lutheran's two losses came by a combined four points, including a one-point loss to Resurrection Christian. Freshman Baye Fall is averaging 21.1 points and 11.6 rebounds – as a team, the Lions average nearly 34 rebounds a game.
• The Vanguard School (Colorado Springs) (11-0) at Manitou Springs (10-2), 7 p.m., Feb. 18
The Tri-Peaks League still has a pair of unbeaten teams in league play in The Vanguard School and Manitou Springs. The Coursers haven't skipped a beat after finishing as the runner-up in 3A a year ago. Vanguard has won 10 games in a row, and senior Dominique Clifford is averaging 26.8 points and 13.3 rebounds a game. … Manitou Springs is enjoying its best season since 2016-17. The Mustangs won five in a row to start January, with junior Joah Armour leading the scoring at 14.1 points a game. The team limited a high-scoring St. Mary's (Colorado Springs) team to a season-low 50 points Jan. 17.

Class 2A
• Sedgwick County (Julesburg) (11-0) at Yuma (11-1), 7 p.m., Feb. 1
Sedgwick County will see its current undefeated season put to the test to open February against second-ranked Yuma, its third game in three days. The Cougars have bounced back after somewhat of a down season last winter, easily handling opponents with the exception of an overtime victory over Holyoke in December. … Yuma is undefeated against in-state opponents and has won eight games in a row. Sophomore Clay Robinson leads the team with 15 points a game, and senior Chase McCreath isn't far behind at 13.5 points.
• Denver Christian (10-2) at Highland (Ault) (11-1), 7 p.m., Feb. 14
Another big top-10 matchup in 2A pits No. 3 Denver Christian against No. 1 Highland in Mile High League play. Denver Christian has won nine in a row, and sophomore Ben Buhler has been scoring at a high rate at 19.6 points a game. … Highland's only loss was a one-point setback to 3A's Eaton on Dec. 13. The Huskies have won seven in a row since, and scored 107 points in a victory over Heritage Christian (Fort Collins) on Jan. 24. Tate Bessire (29 points), Holden Morgan (27) and Bowen Tolle (22) each topped 20 points in that game, and Bolle added 12 rebounds.

Class 1A
• Sangre de Cristo (10-0) at Kim/Branson (10-2), 7 p.m., Feb. 21
Sangre de Cristo has been rolling through this season, with only one game – a 61-53 victory over Rocky Ford – decided by less than 10 points. The non-league matchup with Kim/Branson in the regular-season finale figures to be its toughest test before district play. Senior Cole Christensen is averaging 23.7 points and 6.1 assists a game for the Thunderbirds. … Kim/Branson is coming off a nine-point loss to Felt (Okla.), and has a tough league finale with sixth-ranked Walsh before meeting Sangre de Cristo. The Mustangs haven't lost to an in-state team this season, and senior Elijah Aragon and sophomore Joe Buhrle have led the team's offense.