While none of the local boys hoopers paved a path to first-team or second-team selections on CHSAA’s all-state list, 14 made the case for honorable mention across each of the top five classifications.
Monarch senior Van Nellessen, the Daily Camera player of the year, took charge among the 6A selections out of Boulder, Louisville and Broomfield, just as Mead senior Dominic McLawrence did for 5A in the Longmont region, where he was awarded the Times-Call player of the year.
In Colorado’s largest classification, Nellessen (12.8 points per game, 7.7 rebounds per game) led a cast of Coyotes that went all the way to the second round of the state tournament. Legacy senior Joey Delescinskis (15.2 PPG) and Broomfield senior Shyya Martinez (eight PPG, 6.5 assists per game) afforded their teams the same courtesy.
Fairview junior Spencer Brown (19.7 PPG) helped the Knights squeak into the postseason as the No. 31 seed before the team met a quick exit.
Mead led the 5A effort with two selections, thanks to McLawrence (13.5 PPG, 7.7 RPG) and junior Matthew Angelo (15.7 PPG), who propelled the Mavericks to the quarterfinals. Silver Creek senior Gabe Selby (14 PPG, 6.5 RPG), a force in his own right, paced the Raptors to a second-round appearance.
Longmont senior Cole Corner, who missed most of the season with an injury, provided the Trojans a significant spark in the 11 games he played, averaging 15.6 PPG. The Trojans ended their postseason run in the second round as Frederick, led by senior JJ Strojinc (16.5 PPG), bowed out in round one.
JJ Strojinc of @FrederickBoysBB (absurdly) hit 13 3s tonight en route to 53 points against Northridge@BoCoPreps @BrentWNew pic.twitter.com/SO88ACcnoy
— Alissa Noe (@crazysportgirl1) January 31, 2024
Holy Family, which fell in the 4A second round, enjoyed the only local selections from the classification with seniors Joseph Portillo Jr. (11.7 PPG) and Gabe Tafoya (14.6 PPG). Prospect Ridge junior Liam Schilling (15.9 PPG) helped the Miners earn a first-round bid to the 3A tournament as Lyons junior Caleb Christiansen (19.5 PPG) and Nederland senior Rick Fortunato (10.8 PPG) rounded out the area selections in 3A and 2A, respectively.
![While Monarch and Centaurus each got its second straight win under a new coach, top-ranked teams Broomfield (4A) and Holy Family (3A) began their seasons with an emphatic victory of their own. […]](https://www.bocopreps.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/DCC-L-RileyMontemayor_MJ28062-1.jpg?w=467 "While Monarch and Centaurus each got its second straight win under a new coach, top-ranked teams Broomfield (4A) and Holy Family (3A) began their seasons with an emphatic victory of their own. […]")
