Top 10 Colorado high school girls basketball games for January

Teams were able to get back on the court Jan. 2, but the biggest games of the month come later down the line as squads try to regain their legs following some time off.

January should provide some pivotal moments of the season, and here are 10 games that will factor into league championships and RPI ratings across the state:

Class 5A
Mountain Vista (Highlands Ranch) at Highlands Ranch – Jan. 17, 7 p.m.
The Highlands Ranch foes are two of the top teams in the Continental League, and their showdown later this month will certainly be crucial in terms of both the league title hunt and RPI implications. The Golden Eagles rely on several players when it comes to winning games. Amiya Robinson is the only player averaging at least 10 points per game, but she's getting support from both Amy Holland (9.6) and Mackenzie Gamble (8.4). The Falcons' three early losses all came against out-of-state opponents. Against Colorado teams, they look every bit like the team that consistently makes a run in the 5A state tournament. Payton Muma is a legitimate scoring threat as shown by her 18 points per game. Taylor Ray is scoring 13 points and averaging almost five rebounds per game.
Grandview (Aurora) at Cherry Creek (Greenwood Village) – Jan. 24, 5:30 p.m.
At first glance a game between two highly ranked district rivals couldn't get any more intense, unless it's their first meeting since they faced off for the 5A state championship last year. Cherry Creek will look to get its third win in a row over Grandview. The first came in their second regular-season meeting last year and the second was when Jana Van Gytenbeek's layup gave the Bruins a 51-49 win in the state championship game. The Stanford commit is picking up right where she left off, as she's averaging 17 points per game for the Bruins. They're also getting points in the paint as Cali Clark is averaging 11 points to go with her 10 rebounds. Lauren Betts is having quite the sophomore campaign for the Wolves. She leads the team in points (14.6) and rebounds (11.5) per game. She also blocks almost five shots per contest.

Class 4A
Sand Creek (Colorado Springs) at Air Academy (US Air Force Academy) – Jan. 15, 7 p.m.
The Pikes Peak Athletic Conference is no stranger to successful basketball programs, and this year suggests these are the two that could threaten to make a deep run in the state tournament when March rolls around. The Kadets have already dropped two games this year, double the amount they did last season. But University of Colorado commit Kylee Blacksten is keeping them competitive by averaging 15 points and six rebounds per game. Sand Creek's lone loss of the season came at the hands of Cherokee Trail (Aurora), which figures to be a top playoff team in 5A. Junior Nikki Derrell leads the Scorpions with 17 points per game, and freshman Tiana Davis has certainly gotten the PPAC's attention with 14 points per game.
Erie at Berthoud – Jan. 14 – 5:30 p.m.
Berthoud and Erie have each looked like top teams as they drive into Tri-Valley League play. Their matchup on Jan. 14 will put one of them in the driver's seat in the league standings. The Spartans haven't pulled many punches this season as they've outscored their opponents by nearly 300 points in just eight games. Emily Cavey's 17 points per game has paced an offense that is putting up 66 points per contest. She adds almost eight rebounds per game, second on the team to Celsey Selland's 10. Erie is putting up similar numbers by scoring more than 66 points per game and allowing their opponents just 33. Genevieve Gudino, Grace Moyers and Anna Hefner are all averaging at least 10 points a game for the Tigers.

Class 3A
Centauri (La Jara) at Pagosa Springs – Jan. 18, 5:30 p.m.
This is the first of two league games that should determine the Intermountain League title. Pagosa has suffered two early-season losses to top 3A teams, suggesting they should be battle-tested heading into league play. The Pirates have a deep scoring attack as Teagan Stretton, Taylor Lewis and Hailey Griego all average around nine points per game. The Falcons came off the winter break undefeated, putting them in the conversation as the top team in 3A with St. Mary's (Colorado Springs) and Lutheran (Parker). Mia Garcia averages 11 points per game and mixes in three assists. Brenna McDaniel helps out on the scoring front with an average of just less than 10 points per game.
The Vanguard School (Colorado Springs) at St. Mary's – Jan. 9, 7 p.m.
An early showdown between two top teams in the Tri-Peaks League figures to set the tone for the remainder of the season. St. Mary's only loss came at home against defending 5A champion Cherry Creek, so it has experience against tough teams. Josephine Howery and Seneca Hackley are showing why the Pirates are the favorite to claim the 3A state title, as the duo averages 20 and 16 points per game, respectively. Vanguard has looked impressive in its first seven games. The Coursers held Pueblo Central to just 13 points and grabbed a tough win against Tri-Peaks foe Manitou Springs at the Faith Christian Tournament. Hailey Blanchard leads the team with 14 points per game, while Cortney Arrasmith has owned the glass by pulling down 10 rebounds per game.

Class 2A
Yuma at Wray – Jan. 17, 5:30 p.m.
In a weird series of events this year, Yuma and Wray have already met twice this season. With the third game accounting for the second league game between the two rivals, it holds far more importance than the first two games. Wray won each of the previous matchups thanks in a big part to Tabby Jones who went for 12 points in the first one and 10 in the second. Sophomore Karly Godsey led Wray in the second game, a 49-31 win for the Eagles. Ema Richardson led Yuma with 15 points in the most recent loss, but it was Reagan Nolin being held below her season average of 12 points per game that had an impact. If both players can up their offensive production this time, Yuma could regain a slight edge in District 2 play.
Holyoke vs. Limon – Jan. 18, 3:30 p.m.
With each team planning on making a deep playoff run in 2020, Holyoke and Limon will head to Northeastern Junior College for one of the state's biggest games of the month. Both currently sit inside the top 10 for RPI and will likely need a win in this game to put themselves in a position for a high seed heading into districts. Each side will lean on a standout sophomore as Holyoke's Kristin Vieselmeyer averages a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds per game, and Limon's Trista Marx nearly matches it with 11 points and just less than nine rebounds. The Badgers like to get most of their points from close range. They've attempted just 23 3-pointers all season, making just five of them. Holyoke's Sarah Razo has attempted more treys (31) and made more (eight) than Limon's entire team.

Class 1A
McClave at Springfield – Jan. 25, 4 p.m.
A big non-league 1A showdown late in the month could have major implications when it comes to RPI. Both Springfield and McClave sit in the top 15 of the RPI ratings heading into the week of Jan. 6. At 5-1 on the season, the Longhorns have been consistent in getting wins without scoring a lot of points. Julia Mondragon leads the team with 12 points per game, but the Longhorns have scored just 49 per game as a team. Kylie Parks and Alexis Crane each contribute about seven points per game, meaning half the offense for Springfield comes from three players. McClave came into the season hoping to take the Hi-Plains League crown, but an early loss to Kit Carson showed the Cardinals still have some work to do. Sophomore Anna Beckett has shown her ability to compete at the varsity level by averaging 13 points and four steals per game. Senior Katie Roesch adds 10 points per game to the McClave scoring effort.
South Baca at Wiley - Jan. 18, 3 p.m.
Both South Baca and Wiley are off to hot starts, making their showdown a big one across 1A. Alissa Hebberd has been dominant for South Baca, as she is averaging 16 points and 10 rebounds per game. Mix in her six steals a game and she has become a big factor in the Pirates establishing themselves as a top 1A team. Delaney Eskew has been a big help as well with 16 points and almost five assists per game. After dropping the season opener, South Baca has won four straight and is undefeated against Colorado opponents. Macy Rowan is a big reason the Panthers are 4-2 heading into the meat of the season. Her 14 points per game are tops for the team and her 6.2 rebounds are right up there with team leaders. Taira Weber is supplementing the scoring effort with just less than 10 points per game. The game between the Patriots and Panthers will be a pivotal Arkansas Valley matchup.