The final week of the DESL is upon us. Over the last three weeks of June, 24 high school boys basketball teams from along the I-25 corridor have met at Denver East and Manual High Schools to compete for summer supremacy. There are two nights of the regular season left, Monday and Wednesday with the tournament beginning on Thursday.
Here is a preview of this week’s final regular season games
Monday 25th @ Manual
6:00 Fairview vs Lincoln- could be interesting if college recruits Austin Sparks and Gabe Vasquez match up. It also could be another good match up between guards with Lincoln’s Michael Sparks and Fairview’s Brent Wrapp being two of the better guards in the state going at it. Lincoln though has not been at full strength this summer. With full varsity squads Lincoln by 5, with out Fairview by 10
6:00 East JV vs Manual – The jv has been getting better and Manual lost a bunch of seniors from last years team. Going with East JV by 5
7:00 Montbello vs Kent Denver – This could be Kents game to win. Montbello has been jekyll and hyde in this summer league. If Montbello guards come focused and Karmoko Cisse dominates the paint, Montbello by 10.
7:00 JFK vs Bear Creek – neighborhoods going at it. JFK by 8
8:00 Bear Creek vs Fairview – Fairview by 15
8:00 Legacy vs Cherokee Trail – Legacy plays hard the whole game and Trail can lose focus. If Solomon Yon, Jay Nelson and Roderick Bernstein show up to play, Cherokee Trail by 12.
Monday @ East
6:00 Sierra vs Aurora Central – AC plays better with D1 recurit Carlton Hurst but can play tough with out him. Sierra could cause some problems for Aurora Central inside with two players 6’5 and taller. Central by 6
6:00 Jeff Academy vs East varsity – JA’s big guy can draw out the taller East defenders but that wont be enough as East has a load of highly touted basketball players. East by 15
7:00 Rangeview vs Rock Canyon – Rangeview is fun to watch with Cu recruit Jeremiah Paige leading the way for the Raiders. I like the style that Rangeview plays but Rock Canyon can slow teams down. Rangeview by 8
7:00 Adams City vs DSST – I have not seen Adams city play yet but losing Tristan Terodde wont help but DSST has looked young at times . DSST by 3
8:00 Rock Canyon vs Sierra – It will be the second game of the night for both teams, RC by 2
8:00 George Washington vs Cherry Creek – Both teams are well matched in this one, but CC takes it by 4
Wednesday @ Manual 27th
6:00 JFK vs Montbello – JFK’s Reggie Hammons is one of the better guards in the DPL and so id Montbello’s Kedrick Stewart which should make it a fun game to watch. Alex Coleman usually take care of the paint for JFK, while Karmoko Cisse controls it for Montbello which make this a good match up. This one will be close, but if Montbello’s A.J. Hayes is making his three point shots, Bello takes it by 4
6:00 Cherokee Trail vs Thomas Jefferson – This will be a good game with Red Shield teammates going at it. Jay Nelson and former RS teammate Bernstein vs the Andres bros. Should be a good intense game, Trail by 6
7:00 Legacy vs Manual – Legacy by 5
7:00 TJ vs Thunder Ridge- Tj will be worn down from the first game advantage TR. But TR hasn’t faced a team that matches up with them size wise yet. TR by 6
8:00 TR vs Lincoln- Lincoln will have a slight advantage getting TR in the second game but TR has had a host of bodies on the bench. If lincons full varisty is there then Lincoln by 5 if not TR by 5
8:00 Kent Denver vs East JV – KD by 6
Wednesday @ East
6:00 Rangeview vs Adams City – Rangeview by 20
6:00 Cherry Creek vs Denver South – South has been playing well this summer. They play hard and gave East fits last Monday. South by 4
7:00 George Washington vs Jefferson Academy – If JA plays there style it will GW fits. JA by 2
7:00 Denver South vs Highlands Ranch- South wont go quietly but HR by 8
8:00 Highlands Ranch vs Aurora Central – Could be a preview of a playoff game. City team vs burbs. If Carlton wants to carry his team to the win he very well could. AC by 2
8:00 East Varsity vs DSST – East varsity by 20+ if the “varsity” plays other wise East by
The tournament starts Thursday to decided the champion. I will post the bracket as soon as it is released.