Season Preview: Continental League
With the 2019-20 girls basketball season closer than you might think, let’s take a look back/forward at how things shook out and what to look forward to in each of Colorado’s conferences. Here’s a snapshot of the Continental League. …
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Continue ReadingWith the 2019-20 girls basketball season closer than you might think, let’s take a look back/forward at how things shook out and what to look forward to in each of Colorado’s conferences. Here’s a snapshot of the Continental League.
How it all shook out in ’18-19
The Continental League was loaded as usual last season and the 2018-19 regular season featured another exciting battle for the league crown. In the end, it was Highlands Ranch that ran the table for a perfect 10-0 conference record, defeating runner-up and ’17-18 league champ Regis Jesuit, 65-49, in the Falcons’ closest game of the league schedule. They didn’t have many close games.
Fran Belibi
Which playoff team advanced the farthest?
An impressive 10 of the 11 teams in the Continental League – Highlands Ranch, Regis Jesuit, Mountain Vista, Chaparral, Ponderosa (4A), ThunderRidge, Legend, Douglas County, Castle View and Rock Canyon – reached the state tournament last winter. Many of them advanced but none farther that Highlands Ranch and Regis Jesuit, both of which reached the 5A Final Four.
In the Final Four, dunking sensation Fran Belibi and Regis Jesuit lost 48-38 to Grandview. Highlands Ranch, led by Kasey Neubert and Jamie Bain, fell 53-52 to eventual champion Cherry Creek. Both teams are confident in their chances of making their ways back to the semifinals.
Kacy Horton
A few returning players to watch
Payton Muma, 2021, 5-8, G, Highlands Ranch
The Falcons graduated a ton of talent with last year’s senior class but they have a number of strong players ready to step up and fill the void like Taylor Ray (2022), Kacy Horton (2020), Ayesha Leeper (2020), Sarah Mitchell (2020) and Alex Pirog (2022), to name a few. Then there’s Muma, one of the most sought-after recruits in Colorado who should lead the team after averaging 8.1 points, 5.2 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 2.7 steals per game as a sophomore in ’18-19.
Liberty Line, 2021, 5-6, G, Ponderosa
The league’s top returning scorer from last season, Line averaged 16 points per game as a sophomore. That’s saying something in this conference and she also averaged 5.6 rebounds and 2.5 steals for the Mustangs, who return several other solid players like Katherine Higgins (2020, 11.3 ppg) and Carolyn Ho (2020, 5.0 ppg).
Jada Moore
Avery Vansickle, 2021, 5-9, G, Regis Jesuit
Belibi has moved on to Stanford University but the Raiders have plenty of talent returning in Kansas State commit Jada Moore, Samantha Jones (2021) and Vansickle. As a sophomore last season, she averaged 13.3 points, 3.6 assists, 3.0 rebounds and 1.8 steals per game, and shot 40 percent (72 for 179) from behind the 3-point arc.
Heidi Haze, 2020, 5-6, G, ThunderRidge
Haze had a solid junior season last winter, throughout which she averaged 11.7 points, 1.2 assists, 2.8 rebounds and 2 steals per game. She was 13th in Colorado in made 3-pointers last season, shooting 34 percent (62 for 180) from long range.
Avery Bang
Teja Tsangarakis, 2021, 5-6, G, Chaparral
One of several strong returners including junior Tia Slade, and sophomores Payton Bang and Avery Bang, Tsangarakis looked good running the point as a sophomore last winter. She averaged 3.3 assists per game to go with her 5.2 points and 1.8 steals, and will look to compliment a strong frontcourt this winter.
Halle Hamilton, 2020, 5-9, G, Rock Canyon
Hamilton led the Jaguars in scoring with 11.5 points per game last season and figures to be featured prominently in what they do this winter. She also averaged four rebounds a night and shot 24 percent from 3-point range.
Taylor Griffin, 2020, 5-8, G, Douglas County
Douglas County went 5-16 last winter but Griffin stood out as one of the bright spots on the team. She led the Huskies with 10.3 points per game and also came up with 4.4 rebounds and 2.2 steals per game.
Amy Holland, 2020, 5-10, F, Mountain Vista
Holland leads a solid returning core for the Golden Eagles, including Washburn University-bound senior Mackenzie Gamble, as well as juniors Berit Brookfield, Amiya Robinson and Sara Vafaie. Holland was close to averaging a double-double last season, with 10.2 points and 8.3 rebounds, and is one reason the Mountain Vista girls enter this season confident after posting a 17-8 campaign last winter.
A quick, early look to ’19-20
Both of the league’s Final Four teams in Highlands Ranch and Regis Jesuit graduated several talented players after last school year but have enough returning stars and up-and-coming players to avoid a significant drop off. Look for those two clubs to duke it out for the Continental title once again, with the slight edge going to Highlands Ranch because of the Falcons’ depth. Still, this is one of the deeper leagues in the state and teams like Chaparral and Mountain Vista look ready to take a step forward so maybe Ranch and Regis will get some closer games in ’19-20.