GRAND JUNCTION — The challenge is tough. Yet both the Grand Junction boys and Central girls basketball teams are well prepared as they ready themselves for Class 5A, Sweet 16 state playoff showdowns.

Tonight, the Tigers (21-2) square off with Regis (18-7) for the right to advance to Friday’s 5A boys semifinals against either Palmer of Aurora Central at the Denver Coliseum.

That game, along with Thursday’s Central girls quarterfinal contest, will be played in Golden at Colorado School of Mines’ Lockridge Arena.

Both contests will be broadcast by radio station KTTM (1340 AM) at 7:15 p.m. each evening.

One thing the Tigers and Regis have in common is familiarity with each other’s personnel. On Dec. 22, Grand Junction dropped a narrow 69-65 decision to the Raiders in Denver.

Since that loss, the Tigers have won 13 straight games, including last weekend’s 64-60 overtime playoff thriller to Smoky Hill.

Regis features three 6-foot-6-inch players on its roster. Sophomore Bud Thomas is the most talented of the trio, averaging team highs in points (19.7) and rebounds (7.2) per game.

Steve Wylie, another 6-6 player, had a strong game in the December contest with 11 points. Regis also has a third option to go to offensively in 5-8 junior guard R.J. Demps, who pumped in 16 in the earlier game with the Tigers.

Grand Junction counters with a balanced offensive attack.

Senior Calvin Rock is the team’s highest scorer, averaging 11.4 points per game which includes a 35 3-point field goals.

Junior post Geoff Baldwin, who scored 18 in the Smoky Hill game, averages 10.8 points a contest and is among the team’s best rebounders. Everett Robinson, also a junior, comes in with a nine-point-per-game average.

Senior Doug Brady gives the Tigers additional punch from the outside. In 23 games, Brady has made 28 3-point shots.

The common thread in Thursday’s Central-Highlands Ranch game is the majority of
each team’s offense comes from two players.

Central’s top scorer, Amy Kame, returned to action Saturday for their second-round playoff game with Grandview after setting out the Warriors’ last three regular season contests.

The sophomore scored 13 points in Central’s 63-57 victory over the Wolves. Kame, according to the latest team statistics, averages 19.4 points a game.

Senior guard Alaina Brennan is the team’s playmaker along with being the Warriors second offensive option with 13.1 points per game.

Highlands Ranch (21-3) is ranked No. 1 among 5A girls by Colorado Preps and No. 5 in the most recent USA Today, West Region high school girls basketball poll and No. 11 in the Girls National Super 25.

The Falcons are in the midst of a 14-game winning streak after facing a slate of extremely tough national opponents, which included California powerhouse Long Beach Poly (currently ranked No. 3 in USA Today), Las Vegas Bishop Gorman (No. 6, USA Today, West Region) and Beaverton, Ore., Southridge High (No. 7, West Region).

Against Colorado opponents, Highlands Ranch is a perfect 17-0 this year. In their last three games, including a second-round playoff 99-56 thumping of Loveland, the Falcons have scored no less than 86 points.

Alyssa Fressel, a 5-10, senior, is the team leader with a 17.1-points-per-game average followed closely by junior Meagan Fulps, who scores just under 16 points a game.

The winner of Thursday’s game faces either Denver East or Horizon Saturday at the Denver Coliseum.

Reach Phil Sandoval at psandoval@gjfreepress.com.