AURORA | A profile look at Rangeview junior Ryan Ongala, who is set to play for Team West in the second A-Town All-Star Boys Game set for Saturday, March 18, 2017, at Cherokee Trail High School. The boys game is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. or immediately following the girls game that begins at 3 p.m. (buy tickets in advance: bit.ly/ATOWN2017):
Courtney Oakes is Aurora Sentinel Sports Editor. Reach him at 303-750-7555 or sports@aurorasentinel.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. FB: Aurora Prep Sentinel
Boys A-Town All-Star Game returns after strong debut
RYAN ONGALA
School: Rangeview High School
Year: Junior
Height: 6-foot-6
2016-17 averages: 9.8 points, 6.6 rebounds, 2.4 blocks per game
Season highlights: A season after the Rangeview boys basketball team went undefeated all the way up to a Class 5A state semifinal loss to Eaglecrest, the Raiders faced a challenge. Not only did coach Shawn Palmer have to replace a group of seniors that had raised the bar of the program to great heights, but his squad also suffered a difficult loss before the season tipped off when senior guard Elijah Blake — an A-Town All-Star in 2016 and a University of Denver signee — suffered a torn ACL and had to undergo surgery. While external expectations for Rangeview might have dipped, they didn’t waver internally and Palmer’s team went on to the EMAC championship again and finish with 16 wins. Junior Ryan Ongala provided the needed inside presence for the Raiders to compliment a bevy of outstanding backcourt players and he made significant strides in an expanded role. The 6-foot-6 post scored in double figures 14 times and finished just outside double figures for the season with a scoring average of 9.8 points to go with 6.6 rebounds and 2.4 blocked shots, recording at least one rejection in 21 of 25 games. The All-EMAC first team selection will play on Team West in the second A-Town All-Star Boys Game.
Ongala vs. Aurora teams: vs. Cherokee Trail (8 points, 9 rebounds; 7 points, 9 rebounds); vs. Grandview (6 points, 4 rebounds, 3 blocks); vs. Smoky Hill (18 points, 5 rebounds); vs. Overland (6 points, 9 rebounds, 5 blocks); vs. Vista PEAK Prep (14 points, 10 rebounds, 6 blocks); vs. Aurora Central (12 points, 8 rebounds, 5 blocks); vs. Hinkley (11 points, 12 rebounds, 3 blocks); vs. Gateway (9 points, 3 blocks); vs. Eaglecrest (2 rebounds, 2 blocks)
