ThunderRidge is No. 1 in the 5A girls basketball preseason poll. (Kai Casey/CHSAANow.com)
Bill Bradley is a legendary girls basketball coach. Now in his first season at Monarch, Bradley guided ThunderRidge to two state championships in 2004 and 2005.
During his ten seasons with the program, the Grizzlies reached the Great 8 eight times. One of his players, Abby Waner, who played at Duke, is considered one of the elite players in Colorado history. Another, Emily Fox, was drafted into the WNBA. By all measures, ThunderRidge was one of the best programs in the Centennial State under Bradley from 2003-13.
So when a coach of that caliber departs, how does a program respond?
“I think the image of the program kind of changed and the girls had to prove that this program is still very strong and I think we really showed that last year,” Taylor Rusk, a returning first-team all-state pick in 5A, said.
Paula Krueger took the reins and led ThunderRidge to a 42-10 record over two seasons and a state runner-up finish to Broomfield last season. And now, after Krueger accepted an assistant coaching position at Northern State University in Aberdeen, S.D., the Grizzlies have their third head coach in four years as Matt Asik takes over.
As they proved under Krueger, ThunderRidge girls hoops lives on and thrives.
“I was honored to get this job,” Asik said. “We always have a tradition and end goal of winning a state championship. That’s our tradition and that’s our culture. That’s what we teach from our feeder kids up. These younger kids want to be Grizzlies.
“It’s a family that’s been building for years and years and years. Credit to all these different coaches that have been here that have maintained this tradition.”
Asik, an assistant under both Bradley and Krueger, has the pleasure of inheriting a very talented group during his first go-round as the head man.
“We have eight seniors, which is unique,” Asik said. “We have a lot of experience. We’re really deep at all the positions, especially with that senior leadership. We have talent at every position.”
At the forefront of that senior class is Rusk, a 5-foot-11 Wyoming signee who plays guard, wing, and forward. She averaged 14 points, 7 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 2.5 steals per game as a junior. Rusk will be a four-year starter this winter.
(Kai Casey/CHSAANow.com)
“Taylor can do everything,” Asik said. “She’s on par with some of the great kids that have come through ThunderRidge. She really shoots the three well, she can finish and she can rebound. If we need her to play point guard, she can play point guard. She can play all five positions. She’s really a versatile player.”
Rusk isn’t the only returning starter. Alyssia Martinez, Madison Ward and Jaz’myne Snipes, all seniors, are all back. Rusk, Martinez, a Black Hills State signee, and Ward are the stalwarts in the backcourt, while Snipes is an imposing forward and Regis University signee.
“We have a lot of the same team,” Rusk said. “We’re obviously a little ticked off with how last season ended, but I think it’ll make us play harder. Obviously our goal at the end is to win the state championship. We know what it takes to get there. Now we just have to know what it takes to pull through.”
For ThunderRidge, the preseason No. 1-ranked team, to accomplish their ultimate goal this season, they’ll have to navigate a talented 5A field that includes Michaela Onyenwere, another first-team all-state pick, and Grandview, three Division I signees (Blaire Braxton, Symone Starks, Bri Stiers) from Highlands Ranch, defending champion Broomfield and Lakewood.
Asik is confident in his Grizzlies, but he knows the talent around the state, as well.
“There’s probably seven, eight, or nine teams that could win it,” Asik said. “It’s going to be a good tournament.”
In 4A, Sand Creek is the preseason No. 1 team. The Scorpions finished as the runner-up to Valor Christian, the No. 2 team going in, last year, but they return their top five scorers. Oliana Squires (Montana State) and Liah Davis (New Mexico) are Division I signees.
Pagosa Springs, the No. 3 team in the opening 3A poll, claimed the state title over Sterling, the No. 2 ranked team, last year. Manitou Springs is No. 1 going in after a Final Four run.
As for 2A, the Yuma Indians, the state runner-up the past three seasons, is the No. 1 team in the initial rankings. Yuma returns nearly their entire team. Akron, winners of three of the past four titles, is No. 3 after graduating 2A player of the year Jordan Baer.
In 1A, the defending champion Idalia Wolves are the preseason No. 1 team. Reagan Shaffer (first-team) and Susana Herarra (second-team) return for Idalia with all-state credentials.
Girls Basketball preview
- Regular season begins: December 1, 2015
- Regular season ends: March 20, 2016
- Championships: March 10-12, various locations
- Preseason rankings
Class 5A
- Preseason No. 1: ThunderRidge
- Defending Champion: Broomfield
- Returning All-State Players: Brenna Chase, Sr., Broomfield (1st team); Michaela Onyenwere, Jr., Grandview (1st); Taylor Rusk, Sr., ThunderRidge (1st); Symone Starks, Sr., Highlands Ranch (2nd); Kennede Brown, Jr., Grandview (3rd); Nicea Eliely, Sr., Rampart (3rd); Tatum Rembao, Jr., Loveland (3rd)
Class 4A
- Preseason No. 1: Sand Creek
- Defending Champion: Valor Christian
- Returning All-State Players: Kylee Shook, Sr., Mesa Ridge (1st team); Oliana Squires, Sr., Sand Creek (1st); Katie Chavez, Sr., Holy Family (2nd); Liah Davis, Sr., Sand Creek (2nd); Madison McCoy, Sr., Valor Christian (2nd); Sydney Wetterstrom, Sr., Longmont (2nd); Christa Brown, Jr., Palisade (3rd); Jailen Minich, Sr., Pueblo East (3rd)
Class 3A
- Preseason No. 1: Manitou Springs
- Defending Champion: Pagosa Springs
- Returning All-State Players: Jenna Knudson, Sr., Sterling (1st team); Shelby Megyeri, Jr., Manitou Springs (1st); Kylie Chavez, Jr., Sterling (2nd team); Taylor Hammer-Lee, Sr., Pagosa Springs (2nd); Jonni Smith, Sr., Bishop Machebeuf (2nd); Maya Love, Sr., Kent Denver (3rd); Hailey Miklos, Jr., Liberty Common (3rd); McKenzi Petricko, Sr., Manitou Springs (3rd); Bailey Schumacher, Sr., Eaton (3rd)
Class 2A
- Preseason No. 1: Yuma
- Defending Champion: Akron
- Returning All-State Players: Logan Hixon, Sr., Yuma (1st team); AJ Miller, Sr., Akron (1st); Peighton Roth, Sr., Yuma (3rd)
Class 1A
- Preseason No. 1: Idalia
- Defending Champion: Idalia
- Returning All-State Players: Karleigh Cooley, Sr., Sangre de Cristo (1st team); Micayla Isenbart, Soph., Kit Carson (1st); Reagan Shaffer, Sr., Idalia (1st); Darian Hale, Sr., Briggsdale (2nd); Susana Herarra, Sr., Idalia (2nd); Shaelynn Wood, Sr., South Baca (2nd)