There are fewer than two weeks left in the high school basketball season, so it’s time to look at the local teams’ postseason prospects.
Last season, the Durango High School girls basketball team was the star of the local basketball scene, playing two home games and making it to the 5A quarterfinals.
There isn’t a team that sticks out like that this season. There are teams that should make the playoffs, but it would take an impressive finish for any of these teams to host a playoff game.
Even if there aren’t any home games for Durango, Bayfield, or Ignacio’s basketball teams, they all have a shot to make a run if they get in the postseason. Here’s a look at all six of those schools’ basketball teams’ postseason prospects, with less than six games remaining for each team.
Boys: The Durango boys basketball team has had a tough season so far. The Demons lost a lot of key contributors from last year’s 5A Sweet 16 team, and it’s shown.
At 4-14 overall and 0-7 in the 6A/5A Southwestern League, Durango has a super young team with zero seniors, six juniors, six sophomore and two freshman. Therefore, the record isn’t surprising since a lot of these 14 players didn’t have varsity experience this season. Durango’s offense has struggled as the young group has struggled to find its roles and not turn the ball over, but the defense has been solid with the squad’s versatility and athleticism.
Despite Durango’s poor record, the Demons still have a shot at getting to the postseason. Forty teams get into the Colorado 5A state playoffs, and the Demons are ranked 43rd out of 61 teams in the CHSAA (Colorado High School Activities Association) Selection & Seeding Index.
The Demons have three games remaining in the regular season, with a home game against Fruita Monument on Friday, a home game against Grand Junction on Saturday and a road game against Montrose on Feb. 20.
Durango will need to win at least one game and have some help from other teams around them to get into the play-in first round games, which pits teams ranked 32-40 between each other. The Demons have already played the three teams left on the schedule, losing all three by an average of 23.3 points. Montrose seems to be Durango’s best opportunity after losing 43-39 at home on Jan. 24.
Losers of eight consecutive games, the Demons have a chance to build some momentum going into next season, which seems like a prime opportunity to improve with the Demons potentially returning their entire rotation.
Girls: The Durango girls basketball team lost a lot of production from last season’s squad, and it showed with the Demons’ 0-4 start in December.
However, the Demons have responded, with players like junior Jaelyn Alston, Ryne Neiman, Aysia Mathews and Josie Phare stepping up into new roles. Durango is 10-5 since then, with its defense leading the way, as the Demons had one of their best wins of the season against Palisade on Saturday.
After that win, the Demons are 10-9 overall, 3-4 in the 6A/5A Southwestern League. Durango is ranked 21st in the CHSAA Selection & Seeding Index. If Durango stays at that spot, it would avoid the play-in games (teams ranked in 32-40), but it wouldn’t host a second-round game.
Durango would likely need to win out to get up to 16th, which would be the final seed to host a second-round playoff. If it wins two out of three, Durango would need a ton of help.
The Demons have three games remaining in the regular season, with a home game against Fruita Monument on Friday, a home game against Grand Junction on Saturday and a road game against Montrose on Feb. 20. Durango lost at home to Montrose, 43-27 on Jan. 24, at Fruita Monument, 55-27, on Jan. 30, and at Grand Junction, 50-44, on Jan. 31.
Durango’s best chance for a win is against Grand Junction. Montrose is undefeated and Fruita Monument is ranked 21st in 6A. Even if the Demons don’t host a playoff game or win any of these final three games, Durango has a chance to be competitive in the playoffs with its strong defense.
Boys: The Bayfield boys basketball team had a quality 2024-2025 season and is on course for another one this season.
Bayfield is 11-7 overall and 4-4 in the 4A/3A Intermountain League. The Wolverines are led by the junior trio of Hayes Malone, Drew Jepson and Cameron Queen, with senior Kingston Martinez as another quality scorer and the team’s top distributor.
The Wolverines had a stretch in the middle of the season where they won five out of six games, but they’ve lost three of their last four games. After this, Bayfield is ranked 21st in the 3A CHSAA Selection & Seeding Index.
With five games remaining, Bayfield won’t have the chance to host in regionals, since the top eight seeds host regionals before it turns into the state tournament after two rounds.
The Wolverines have a lot of good opportunities to improve their seeding, playing Ignacio, Monte Vista and Telluride again after beating them earlier in the season. Bayfield also plays Montezuma-Cortez, the top-ranked 4A squad, again after losing 53-19 earlier in the season, and Pagosa Springs, after losing 57-55 on Jan. 30.
Missing the postseason is out of the question, but Bayfield has a great shot of entering the postseason with good momentum. Bayfield’s junior trio will gain valuable experience to make sure the program does even better in their senior seasons.
Girls: The Bayfield girls’ playoff prospects are very grim, but the Wolverines’ young squad still has the chance to finish the season on a better note.
It’s been a tough last month for the Wolverines as they are on an 11-game losing streak. At 3-15 overall and 0-8 in the 4A/3A Intermountain League, the Wolverines are 42nd in the 3A CHSAA Selection & Seeding Index, with the top 32 teams making the playoffs.
Bayfield would really have to flip the switch and win all of its remaining five games, plus some help from other teams. That looks unlikely with games against Monte Vista, Montezuma-Cortez and Pagosa Springs, which the Wolverines lost to by an average of 53.6 points.
However, the girls can end the season on a positive note by snapping their losing streak against Ignacio or Telluride. The Bobcats’ last win was against Telluride on Jan. 10.
Boys: The Bobcat boys have a huge two weeks ahead of them since they are on the bubble of making the 3A postseason.
Ignacio is 8-9 overall and 1-6 in the 4A/3A Intermountain League. The Bobcats are ranked 36th in the 3A CHSAA Selection & Seeding Index, outside of the top 32 needed to get into regionals, after Ignacio has lost five of its last six games.
The Bobcats have five games remaining in the regular season to get inside the top 32. They play Bayfield, which they already lost to earlier in the season; Centauri, a road loss earlier in the season; Montezuma-Cortez, a blowout loss earlier in the season; Alamosa, a close road loss on Jan. 30; and Monte Vista, a home win on Jan. 31.
Ignacio will need at least a winning record in these final five games to have a shot at the postseason. The Bobcats do have a star player in senior Trace Crane, who could lead the team to the postseason in a memorable final act.
Girls: Like the Bayfield girls, the Ignacio girls have struggled and are ranked right ahead of Bayfield in the CHSAA Selection & Seeding Index at 41st.
The Bobcats are 3-14 overall, 1-6 in the 4A/3A Intermountain League and have lost their last five games. The prognosis is nearly identical to the Bayfield girls: The Bobcats need to win out and get some help to have a chance. That mission starts with a game against Bayfield on Thursday. The Wolverines were the last team Ignacio beat with the Bobcats’ 50-36 victory on Jan. 22.
Three of Ignacio’s top-four scorers are not seniors, so it’s a good opportunity for the Bobcats to build momentum heading into the offseason. It’s also a chance to send out top-scorer Alyssa Atencio out in style.
bkelly@durangoherald.com
