AURORA | Preview capsules for the matchups involving Aurora teams in the first round of the Class 5A boys state basketball playoffs on Feb. 24, 2016. Full 5A state pairings and schedules, here:
Courtney Oakes is Aurora Sentinel Sports Editor. Reach him at 303-750-7555 or sports@aurorasentinel.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. FB: Aurora Prep Sentinel
Jim Baggot Region: NO. 12 HINKLEY (9-13) at NO. 5 DENVER EAST (15-8), 5 p.m.
Breakdown: Hinkley seeks its first 5A state playoff win in quite some time, as the Thunderbirds haven’t advanced past the opening round in more than a decade. That streak includes a 90-35 opening round loss at Denver East in the 2013-14 postseason…Coach Calvin Kelley’s Thunderbirds enter the postseason with a 3-3 record in their last six games, which includes a 71-56 road loss at Aurora Public Schools rival Aurora Central on Feb. 19 that snapped a two-game losing streak. Hinkley finished in the middle of the pack in the final EMAC standings in the No. 5 spot among 10 teams…While the Thunderbirds’ stats aren’t up to date online, they are led in scoring by senior Solomon Proctor, who averaged 12.7 points per game in the first nine and has scored more than 30 in a game on occasion this season and 20 or more on multiple occasions. Sophomore DeWayne Carter also scored in double figures on several occasions in the early going. Junior Jermohd Ford and senior Malcolm Kates each pull down more than a handful of rebounds per game, followed closely by junior Qwame Williams…Denver East won the 5A state championship in the 2014-15 season and lost to Overland in last season’s Final Four…Coach Rudy Carey’s Angels have been up and down in the regular season, but come into the postseason with five wins in their final six games, including a 15-point win over Denver South in their regular season finale Feb. 20…Denver East features a trio of double-digit scorers in seniors Jack Buckmelter and Daytone Jennings (16.7 ppg) and senior Deron Harrell (14.3 ppg), while Jennings — a transfer from Aurora Central — leads the team in rebounding at 8.9 per game…Winner: The Hinkley-Denver East winner treks to the Western Slope for a 2nd round contest against fourth-seeded Grand Junction (17-6), scheduled for Feb. 27.
Chauncey Billups Region: NO. 10 HERITAGE (6-16) at NO. 7 AURORA CENTRAL (17-6), 7 p.m.
Breakdown: Aurora Central has done a lot of winning in recent seasons, but the 5A playoffs have been posed difficulties in recent years. The Trojans lost to the same Heritage team it will face this season in last year’s first round and has exited the postseason in the opening round for five straight seasons dating back to a Final Four appearance in the 2009-10 season…Coach Ian Calvert’s Aurora Central team comes into the playoffs on a three-game winning streak after a 71-56 win over rival Hinkley in front of a packed house in the regular season finale Feb. 19. The Trojans’ only two losses in their last 11 games came against undefeated and Aurora Public Schools rival Rangeview…Few teams feature a more potent 1-2 offensive punch than Aurora Central has in senior guards Elijah Coleman (6th in 5A with a 19.2 points per game average) and Ladarius Thomas (18.0 ppg) — who both can knock down 3-pointers or slash to the hoop with regularity — while fifth-year senior transfer Kelsey Williams has added 9.4 points per game in the 14 contests he has been eligible to play in. Thomas is a bonafide stat-stuffer as he leads the team in assists (6.4) and steals (3.1), while his average of 6.4 rebounds is only behind senior leaper Usman Koromah (7.1) for the team lead…Heritage topped Aurora Central last season before losing to Eaglecrest in the second round of the 5A playoffs…Coach Jentry Bylveld’s Eagles come into the postseason with three wins in their last four games, including a decisive non-league victory over Mullen on Feb. 20. Heritage finished ninth among 11 teams in the final Continental League standings…Senior Jack Peck — who scored 16 points against Aurora Central last season — is the focal point of the Eagles’ offense, as the 6-foot-3 forward averages 18.3 points per game and also leads the team in rebounding with 5.8 boards per contest. Juniors Walker Andrew (9.3 points, 5.3 rebounds) and John Carlson (7.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.9 assists) give Heritage other dangerous options…Winner: The Aurora Central-Heritage winner advances to the 2nd round and will play at second-seeded Chatfield (21-2) at 6 p.m. Feb. 27. Neither team has played Chatfield this season.
