Push to reach Boulder starts this week in Colorado boys basketball

Nineteen days.

Just less than three weeks from now, nearly four months of work will culminate in the prep boys basketball season. With the Class 5A and 4A playoffs tipping off play this week, 48 squads in 5A and 32 4A teams are vying to still be playing March 12 at Coors Events Center in Boulder.

So who will be standing come that day? It's too early to say, but there are some contenders ready to rise above the rest. The heavyweights of the Centennial and Continental Leagues landed five of the top eight seeds in 5A, while Rangeview (Aurora) – the only undefeated in 5A – has scored a classification-high 1,727 points this season.

In 4A, Lewis-Palmer (Monument), Longmont, Pueblo West and Valor Christian (Highlands Ranch) grabbed top seeds. Jeffco and the South Central League each have two representatives in the top eight.

That said, there are always a handful of lower-seeded teams which are primed to make a run of its own. Lewis-Palmer was a No. 4 seed last winter before making it to the state semifinals, and Denver East was a No. 6 seed in 5A but also reached the semis.

Here is a look at each of the four regions in 5A and 4A, along with a team in each who could make some noise over the next few weeks:

Class 5A
Jim Baggot Region
No. 1 Seed: Eaglecrest (Centennial) (21-2)
Potential Bracket-Buster: Denver East (15-8)
Pedigree and recent history are working in the Angels' favor, but fifth-seeded Denver East also has plenty of talent. Seniors Jack Buckmelter and Daytone Jennings each average 16.7 points a game, and senior Deron Harrell isn't far behind at 14.3 points. East won five of its final six games, and was a No. 6 seed a year ago but made a run into the state semifinals.

Bill Weimar Region
No. 1 Seed: Rangeview (23-0)
Potential Bracket-Buster: Fossil Ridge (Fort Collins) (16-7)
Matt Johannsen's Sabercats have a bevy of scoring threats, led by junior Braxton Bertolette (23.6 ppg), who can connect from long-range with the best of them. Seniors Jackson Everhart (15.6) and Garrett Schmidt (10.8) aren't to be overlooked, and the team had won five in a row before falling to Boulder in the regular-season finale.

Ray C. Ball Region
No. 1 Seed: Overland (Aurora) (20-3)
Potential Bracket-Buster: Far Northeast Warriors (Denver) (17-6)
Finishing tied for second in the challenging Denver Prep League shows that the fifth-seeded Warriors are capable of playing with anyone. The team allowed the fewest points of any DPL squad, and seven players average at least seven points a game. Senior Sekou Cisse leads the way at 14.6 points per game.

Chauncey Billups Region
No. 1 Seed: ThunderRidge (Highlands Ranch) (20-3)
Potential Bracket-Buster: Rampart (Colorado Springs) (15-7)
The Rams won their final five league games, then closed the regular season with a one-point loss to No. 3 seed Legend (Parker). Along the way the squad beat 4A top seed Pueblo West as well. The team rebounds well (32.7 boards a game) and junior Jackson Ehrlin (14.1 ppg, 8.4 rebounds) has been consistent down the stretch.

Class 4A
Richard Tate Region
No. 1 Seed: Longmont (22-1)
Potential Bracket-Buster: Sand Creek (Colorado Springs) (15-8)
The fourth-seeded Scorpions snapped a three-game losing streak by winning their final six games. It's tough to overlook Sand Creek because of junior D'Shawn Schwartz and senior Jordan Phillips, who average 39 points a game between them. Schwartz had three double-doubles in the final six games.

Mark Randall Region
No. 1 Seed: Valor Christian (21-2)
Potential Bracket-Buster: Holy Family (Broomfield) (16-7)
A top seed a year ago, the fourth-seeded Tigers have had to do without the services of Chris Helbig this season but won 16 games. Holy Family shared the Tri-Valley League title with Mead (Longmont) and Windsor, and a balanced lineup that features three players hovering around 10 points a game makes it difficult to focus on stopping one individual.

Maceo Brodnax Region
No. 1 Seed: Pueblo West (20-3)
Potential Bracket-Buster: Mountain View (Loveland) (15-8)
Talk about entering the playoffs with momentum: The Mountain Lions won nine of their final 10 games, with the only loss coming to Longmont. Two of those victories came against 4A playoff qualifiers. Senior Jose Orrantia averages nearly 18 points a game and senior Dennis Landry averages 12 while leading the team in rebounds, assists and 3-pointers.

Guy Gibbs Region
No. 1 Seed: Lewis-Palmer (22-1)
Potential Bracket-Buster: Pueblo Central (13-10)
One player may drive the Wildcats offensively, but when that individual averages 33 points a game like Michael Ranson does, it doesn't pay to overlook them. Pueblo Central has played nine of the 32 teams in the 4A playoffs, including three of the four top seeds. In three of those four games (they played Pueblo West twice) the Wildcats lost by a combined eight points.