The high school basketball season has just begun in Southern Colorado and the team with the biggest target on its back is the defending 5A State Champion, Mesa Ridge.
The Grizzlies are off to a 2-0 start and the bar is set pretty high after last season's perfect 28-0 record that culminated in the school's first-ever state title in boy's basketball.
Mesa Ridge has three returning starters from last years squad, including its two top-scorers, Tevin and Bryce Riehl. The Riehl brothers love sharing the court and are ready to run it back this season.
"It's truly a blessing," Tevin said. "Not a lot of people get to experience that, so I embrace it."
Head Coach Joel Babbitt said the biggest challenge this year will be getting the younger backup players up to speed. Despite the roster looking a little different this year, the expectation and end goal for the season is the same.
"We talk about winning championships," Babbitt said. "Whether it's a tournament, whether it's a league championship or a state championship, that's what we're always working towards."
