Banning Lewis boys secure 3A’s three seed, Evangel Christian Academy girls earn 1A’s No. 3 spot
The Colorado High School Activities Association released 4A-1A basketball brackets Sunday, and various area schools have clinched postseason berths in their respective classes.
Banning Lewis Prep’s boys and Evangel Christian Academy’s girls secured the highest seeds from the recent bracket release, and both earned the three spot in their playoff.
For 4A, the Great 8, Final Four and title games take place at Denver Coliseum. In 3A, Great Eight, Final Four and championship contests will be played at University of Denver. For 2A, the Great Eight and onward will occur at Colorado State University. In 1A, the final three rounds will happen at University of Northern Colorado.
On the boys’ side, the Stallions finished the regular season 21-2 and will face No. 30 Frontier Academy on Friday. This is the first ever matchup between the schools, and the Wolverines will attempt to stop the Stallions’ prolific scorer, in Matthew Lebron. The Stallions senior averages over 26 per game and is approaching 2,000 career points.
Banning Lewis’ staunch defense will also factor into Friday’s matchup as the Stallions allow just over 40 points per game and have given up 60 or more just two times this year.
For Evangel Christian Academy, its 20-2 finish gave the Eagles back-to-back seasons with 20 wins. The Eagles’ only losses came to No. 2 seed Eads and 2A No. 2 Simla, which finished the year 23-0.
The Eagles feature the 1-2 punch of Reagan Schultz and Mia Castro, who were first and second, respectively, in team scoring. Schultz averages a double-double with 15.9 points per game and 11.9 rebounds. Castro is second in scoring at 15.6 per night, 9.7 steals and 6.9 assists.
Castro leads the state and is sixth in the nation with 9.6 steals per game. Without stats from the Eagles’ final two contests, Castro has 550 career steals, which is third on CHSAA’s all-time list and is 12 shy of tying Megan Derby of Eagle Ridge Academy for second. The Eagles’ junior is 81 steals away from tying first-place Tosjanae Bonds of Far Northeast, who holds the record with 631. Castro’s assists average is first in Colorado and 43rd in the nation.
The Eagles open the 1A playoffs with a tilt against No. 30 South Baca (Campo/Vilas/Pritchett) on Friday.
Below is the playoff schedule for all classes.
Pikes Peak region playoff schedule
Times TBD unless listed
6A
Sweet 16
Boys
Tuesday
No. 21 Liberty at No. 5 Rock Canyon, 7 p.m.
Girls
Wednesday
No. 12 Pine Creek at No. 5 Northfield, 6 p.m.
5A
Sweet 16
Boys
Tuesday
No. 9 Pueblo South at No. 8 Lewis-Palmer, 7 p.m.
No. 28 Palmer Ridge at No. 12 Mesa Ridge
No. 10 Lutheran at No. 7 Rampart, 7 p.m.
Girls
Wednesday
No. 16 Falcon at No. 1 Lutheran
No. 9 Pueblo East at No. 8 Palmer Ridge, 5:30 p.m.
No. 11 Thompson Valley at No. 6 Air Academy
4A (Region’s top eight seeds host through Sweet 16)
First round
Boys
Friday
No. 18 The Classical Academy vs. No. 15 Manitou Springs (at Montezuma-Cortez)
Girls
Friday
No. 12 Manitou Springs vs. No. 11 The Classical Academy (at D’Evelyn)
3A (Region’s top eight seeds host through Sweet 16)
First round
Boys
Friday
No. 20 North Fork vs. No. 13 Colorado Springs Christian (at Yuma)
No. 28 Platte Valley at No. 5 Peyton, 5 p.m.
No. 21 Bayfield vs. No. 12 St. Mary’s (at Peyton) 6:30 p.m.
No. 30 Frontier Academy at No. 3 Banning Lewis Prep
No. 22 Thomas MacLaren vs. No. 11 Vanguard (at Resurrection Christian)
Girls
Friday
No. 24 Strasburg vs. No. 9 Thomas MacLaren (at Roaring Fork)
No. 18 Monte Vista vs. No. 15 St. Mary’s 7 p.m. (at Wiggins)
No. 26 Peyton at No. 7 Resurrection Christian
No. 19 Vanguard vs. No. 14 Cedaredge (at Yuma)
No. 27 Gunnison at No. 6 Colorado Springs Christian, 5 p.m.
2A (Region’s top eight seeds host through Sweet 16)
First round
Girls
Friday
No. 24 James Irwin vs. No. 9 Rangely (at Akron)
No. 21 Gilpin County at No. 12 Calhan, 7 p.m. (at Julesburg High School)
1A (Region’s top eight seeds host through Sweet 16)
First round
Boys
Friday
No. 17 Evangel Christian Academy vs. No. 16 Granada, 3:30 p.m. (at McClave)
No. 19 Pikes Peak Christian vs. No. 14 Wiley, 5 p.m. (at Cheyenne Wells)
Girls
Friday
No. 30 South Baca (Campo/Vilas/Pritchett) at No. 3 Evangel Christian Academy