The Colorado Boys State Basketball Tournament (CHSAA) is back for another year. CHSSA is having its 46th tournament dating back to 1976. As the season came to a close we have the official end of season rankings. 64 teams from all across Colorado enter the bracket but only one will reign victorious. The 2021 state champions are coming back in a hope to win back to back championships, as Thunderridge finishes in the top seed. Fossil Ridge from Fort Collins finishes the season 23-1 suffering their only loss to Thunderridge and ends in the two seed. To round out the top three we have Chaparral from Parker and they end the season 19-4 and gave Thunderridge one of their two losses. To finish up the top five we have Denver East from Denver in the four seed, and Douglas County from Castle Rock in the five seed. With a great basketball season behind us, the playoffs start now and the regular season means nothing from here on out.

The ThunderRidge Grizzlies ended the season with a 21-2 which clinched them the number one seed for the tournament. Thanks to our high seed, the Grizzlies also obtained a first round bye. This set them up to play the winner of Heritage vs. Pine Creek in the round of 32. Heritage ended up winning that game, setting up ThunderRidge’s first playoff matchup.

Heritage came into the Grizzly Den on fire and took an early 13-2 lead in the first quarter. The first quarter ended with Heritage holding a 19-12 lead over the Grizzlies. Despite being down big after the first quarter, the Grizzlies held Heritage to only two points in the second quarter which helped propel them to a 54-48 victory. This victory set up the Grizzlies next matchup against Air Academy.

Air Academy came into the game shooting and ended the first quarter with a six point lead. Although Air Academy grabbed the early lead, the Grizzlies were able to comeback and end the game on top as they came out with a 55-46 victory. ThunderRidge’s next matchup was against division rivals Rock Canyon, who the Grizzlies were able to handle earlier in the season. The results of this game were no different from the last, the Grizzlies ran through the Jaguars and won by an astonishing 27 points with a final score of 78-51.

The red-hot ThunderRidge Grizzlies played against the Denver East Angels in the final four. The final four game between the Grizzlies and the Angels was a nail-biter, but a late tip in by Zach Keller class of 2022 put the Grizzlies ahead in the final seconds which led to a 55-54 Grizzly victory sending them to the state championship game against Fossil Ridge.

ThunderRidge was the only team to hand Fossil Ridge a loss the whole regular season, and they had a chance to do it again in the state championship. Fossil Ridge came out the gate on fire and took an immediate 13 point lead, but the ThunderRidge Grizzlies never gave up and their phenomenal defense accompanied by their explosive offense helped them comeback and come away with a 58-49 victory to clinch their second consecutive state championship.

The Grizzlies showed great team chemistry and grit which they combined with their large amount of talent to dominate the entire state and take home the championship for back-to-back years.