AURORA | Nearly half of the remaining eight teams in the Class 5A boys state basketball tournament hail from the city, as Aurora squads finished 3-1 in Wednesday night’s Sweet 16 round.
Top seeds Eaglecrest, Overland and Regis Jesuit all defending their home floors successfully and earned bids in the 5A Great 8, set for Saturday at the Denver Coliseum.
Times for the four quarterfinal matchups — Eaglecrest vs. Legend, Overland vs. Mountain Vista and Regis Jesuit vs. Denver East, plus Chaparral vs. ThunderRidge — were set Thursday by the Colorado High School Activities Association.
The Raptors and Legend tip off at 1 p.m. Saturday, followed by Overland and Mountain Vista at 2:30 p.m. The nightcap at 5:30 p.m. features Regis Jesuit and Denver East.
To reach the Great 8, the Raiders topped fifth-seeded Boulder 46-39, the Raptors got past fourth-seeded Fossil Ridge 56-49 and the Trailblazers steamrolled fourth-seeded Grand Junction 71-36.
Aurora’s fourth team playing in the Sweet 16, second-seeded Rangeview, nearly clawed all the way out of a significant hole, but ended up on the short end of an 84-75 loss to sixth-seeded Denver East, the defending 5A state champions.
Courtney Oakes is Sports Editor of the Aurora Sentinel. Reach him at 303-750-7555 or sports@aurorasentinel.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. FB: Aurora Prep Sentinel
2015 CLASS 5A BOYS STATE BASKETBALL PLAYOFFS
Ray C. Ball Region
Sweet 16 (March 4)
NO. 1 EAGLECREST 56, No. 4 Fossil Ridge 49
No. 2 Legend 63, No. 3 George Washington 59 (2OT)
Great 8 (March 7 at Denver Coliseum, time TBA)
No. 2 Legend vs. NO. 1 EAGLECREST
CHAUNCEY BILLUPS REGION
Sweet 16 (March 4)
No. 1 ThunderRidge 59, No. 4 Rampart 21
No. 3 Chaparral 60, No. 2 Dakota Ridge 47
Great 8 (March 7 at Denver Coliseum, time TBA)
No. 3 Chaparral vs. No. 1 ThunderRidge
JIM BAGGOT REGION
Sweet 16 (March 4)
NO. 1 REGIS JESUIT 46, No. 5 Boulder 39
No. 6 Denver East 84, NO. 2 RANGEVIEW 75
Great 8 (March 7 at Denver Coliseum, time TBA)
No. 6 Denver East vs. NO. 1 REGIS JESUIT
BILL WEIMAR REGION
Sweet 16 (March 4)
NO. 1 OVERLAND 71, No. 4 Grand Junction 36
No. 2 Mountain Vista 60, No. 6 Montbello 57
Great 8 (March 7 at Denver Coliseum, time TBA)
No. 2 Mountain Vista vs. NO. 1 OVERLAND
