The Fossil Ridge boys basketball team will be in for an early test against the battle-tested Chaparral Wolverines at home on February 22 at 6 p.m.

While Chaparral enters the tournament as a thirty seed, they have picked it up late in the season. After starting 7-10, the Wolverines have won four of their last six games to end the regular season. This included home wins against #13 ThunderRidge and #10 Highlands Ranch, and a close road loss to #2 Rock Canyon. But similarly to Chaparral, Fossil Ridge and head coach Matt Johannsen feels that they are playing their best basketball of the season.

“You want to play your best basketball at the end, not in the middle,” Johannsen says. “I think we’re turning that corner and trending in the right direction.”

These two teams met twice last year in a pair of instant classics. The Sabercats won both meetings, including a 65-56 comeback victory during last year’s Final Four in the Denver Coliseum. Forward Nick Randall was an absolute force during the two meetings last year, with a combined 54 points and 27 rebounds. Now as the Sabercats’ number one option, he knows he has to lead the way for his team in the postseason.

“I’m the [top] role this year,” Randall says. “You can’t be selfish, if you get doubled you have to pass it out, find the open guy.”

On the defensive end, Fossil has to contend with junior breakout guard Gavin Carter. Carter averages a team-leading 21.7 points with an efficient 46% field goal percentage. Sabercats defensive presence Ty Brown will be drawing the assignment most of the night, but Brown understands his role and will give maximum effort on the defensive. Brown will also need to contribute offensively, using his three-pointer as a deadly threat to stretch the defense and rack up open points. But the three ball hasn’t been falling for Brown lately, shooting only 6-33 from beyond the arc in his last seven games.

“Just have to get in the gym and see what I need to work on,” Brown says. “Is it my follow through, my thumb flicking on my left hand…just making sure I know what’s wrong and how to fix it.”

As the games have now entered do or die, every team is desperate to stay alive. Fossil fell just short of a state title last season, and aren’t ready to give up on that dream yet.