Category: Podcast

Boys Basketball Podcast (Week of Feb. 8, 2026)
A massive week across Colorado boys basketball as milestone achievements, rivalry battles, and league‑title races took center stage with just two weeks left before the playoffs. Coaching legends Sean Palmer and Jon Rakiecki reached historic win marks, while multiple players—Caleb Fay, Howard Hunter, Keegan Balasteri, Judah Michael—joined the 1,000‑ and 2,000‑point clubs.

On the court, chaos hit the Centennial League as Overland stunned both Grandview and Cherokee Trail, blowing the title race wide open. In 5A, Stanley Lake and Green Mountain set up a championship collision, while Rock Canyon edged Mountain Vista in a top‑four showdown. Across the state, rivalry atmospheres delivered—from Prairie View vs. Brighton to Silver Creek vs. Longmont—showcasing the intensity of February basketball.

Looking ahead, the schedule is loaded with league‑defining matchups, highlighted by Broomfield–Holy Family, Valor–Ralston Valley, Prospect Ridge–Kent Denver, and a historic night expected at Riverdale Ridge as Brie Crittenden closes in on a 40‑year Colorado scoring record.

GIRLS HOOPS (FEB 8, 2026)
Colorado girls basketball is entering a historic stretch with multiple records on the verge of falling. Ariana Akey and Lucy Thompson shined at the Pro Bowl, with Akey earning MVP honors and Thompson widely praised as the top receiver at the event. Kenley Asp continues her all‑time statistical climb, trailing only Abby Weiner in career production. Sienna Williams hit 1,000 points, Courtney Steinkamp dropped 41, and Taylor Alcares set the Fort Collins three‑point record.
The biggest storyline: Bree Crittenden is expected to break Colorado’s all‑time scoring record Saturday at Riverdale Ridge, a mark untouched for more than 40 years. Kyla Hallier is also projected to surpass 2,000 career points this week.
Across the state, rivalry games, league‑title battles, and playoff‑shaping matchups filled the schedule. Upsets included Aurora Central edging Stanley Lake by one. Top teams like Valor, Erie, Windsor, Green Mountain, and Cherokee Trail strengthened their postseason positioning. A massive week ahead features Holy Family vs. Broomfield, Windsor vs. Fort Collins for the Northern crown, and Crittenden’s historic chase.

Colorado high school basketball delivered an electric week packed with rivalry games, milestone moments, and playoff-shaping results. Standout athletes hit historic marks, including Jetwell and Madden Smiley reaching the 1,500-point club, while Dayesun Collier caught fire with six three-pointers in a single game. On the national stage, Ariana Akey (Mountain Vista) and Lucy Thompson (Legend) earned Pro Bowl selections, placing Colorado talent in the national spotlight.
League races tightened across the state as powerhouse programs like Arvada West, Grandview, Rangeview, and Mountain Vista continued asserting dominance, while surprise contenders such as Evergreen and Lewis-Palmer shook up expectations. Packed gyms, last-second finishes, and statement wins defined the week, setting the stage for a pivotal stretch run with rivalry week and league championships looming.

Colorado girls basketball delivered a blockbuster week packed with historic performances, national recognition, major college commitments, and statement wins across every league. Headlining the news, Ariana Akey and Lucy Thompson earned national Pro Bowl selections in flag football—placing Colorado on the national stage with only 32 athletes chosen nationwide.

On the hardwood, milestones piled up: multiple players crossed the 1,000-point mark, school records fell in rebounding and blocks, and Kinley Asp erupted for 48 points, vaulting into Colorado’s all-time scoring top ten. League races tightened as powerhouse programs like Lutheran, Denver East, Broomfield, Valor Christian, and Mead surged toward playoff positioning.

Another jam-packed week across Colorado boys basketball delivered statement wins, record-breaking performances, and major league-race implications. Eric Fiedler stole headlines with a massive 46-point performance, while Marcellus Duncan (38) and Christian Williams (29) continued the trend of explosive individual outings. Madden Smiley etched his name into Windsor history, becoming the program’s all-time leading scorer and closing in on the 1,500-point milestone.

Team storylines dominated just as much. Palisade stunned Fruita Monument, Grandview stacked multiple marquee wins, and Arvada West knocked off Valor for the first time in years—setting up a highly anticipated Jeffco showdown with Ralston Valley. League races tightened across 6A and 5A, particularly in the Granite and Centennial Leagues, while the upcoming slate features several top-10 clashes that could reshape rankings statewide.

Colorado girls basketball delivered a week to remember, highlighted by major upsets, league-shaping wins, and historic individual performances. Fort Collins announced itself as a new power with a dominant win over Windsor, while Arapahoe stunned top-ranked Cherokee Trail. Several league races tightened as Broomfield, Erie, Roosevelt, and Thompson Valley jockeyed for position. Individually, the week was defined by record-breaking scoring performances, including a 50-point outburst by Ralston Valley’s Santana Sabus and a near-historic shooting night from Loveland’s Courtlyn Yaussi. With playoffs just weeks away, momentum across the state is shifting rapidly

Colorado hoops was on fire last week — rivalry showdowns, league shakeups, record-breaking milestones, and stars putting up monster numbers. From the Western Slope to the Front Range, we saw statement wins, top-tier performances, and momentum swinging heading into one of the biggest weeks of the season.

Headliners:

Garrett Owen (Erie) hits the 1,000-point milestone

Trey Gutierrez (Green Mountain) breaks the all-time school assists record

Rangeview continues to look like the most loaded team in the state

Holy Family is rolling and attacking 5A/6A-level competition with confidence

The Granite Peaks League is turning into a three-team war: Holy Family, Horizon, Frederick

The upcoming slate includes multiple playoff-level matchups that will shape rankings fast

Colorado girls basketball didn’t just deliver a strong week — it delivered a historic one.

From record-setting performances to league races tightening across every classification, the state’s hardwood stage was packed with drama, rivalry energy, and playoff-level urgency. As HoopsTracker host Jerry Howard put it, “What a week we have had in Colorado… phenomenal games down to the wire… records broken.”

Colorado girls basketball delivered one of its most electric weeks of the season, and it wasn’t just close games — it was season-shifting results.
The week’s biggest headline came from Riverdale Ridge, where Legend walked into the top team’s gym and walked out with a 61–52 upset, sending shockwaves through the state rankings and proving the Titans are officially built for March.
Legend’s road win wasn’t a fluke either. The Titans showed firepower and poise, sparked by Lucy Thompson’s four threes in the second half, while the team executed a disciplined game plan that neutralized Riverdale’s supporting cast.
And more

Colorado boys hoops delivered a wild week featuring statement wins, rivalry drama, milestone achievements, and major roster news that will impact the rest of the season.
Biggest Headlines
• Horizon shocks Regis in a back-and-forth battle, signaling they belong in the Top 10 conversation.

• ThunderRidge hits a game-winner at Valor (Sean Morton buzzer-beater), one of the biggest finishes of the week. 

• Recruiting/Transfer news:
◦ Chris Coleman (Eaglecrest → Chaparral) commits to Colorado Prep
◦ Jeremiah Hammond returns to Colorado Prep after leaving for Florida 

• Milestones:
◦ Garrett Owen (Erie) commits to Sterling College

◦ Jeremiah Trim (GW) and Drake Walker (Fossil Ridge) hit 1,000 career points 

• Upcoming week loaded with league-defining matchups, including Horizon–Silver Creek and Rangeview–Northfield.

A high‑energy opening week of 2026 Colorado basketball delivered upsets, buzzer‑beaters, and major ranking shake‑ups. Ralston Valley stunned Chaparral in a Final‑Four‑level showdown, storming back from a double‑digit deficit behind clutch shooting from Frank Saute and Kaden Burkita. Across the state, Aspen, Fruita Monument, Chatfield, and Holy Family all grabbed dramatic wins. With massive matchups coming all week—Regis–Horizon, Colorado Springs Christian–TCA, Stanley Lake–Northfield, Prospect Ridge–Windsor Charter, and Chaparral–Denver South—HoopsTracker is locked in for wall‑to‑wall coverage as rankings shift again on Wednesday