A pair of Front Range schools will pack their bags and head to the Western Slope for two Class 4A boys basketball state playoff openers tonight. Here’s a look at what Glenwood Springs and Rifle have to contend with as they get the playoffs underway.

GLENWOOD SPRINGS — Greg Hire isn’t really paying much mind to Niwot’s style of play heading into tonight’s Class 4A state playoff opener.

The second-year coach figures he’s better off focusing on what his Glenwood Springs boys basketball team is going to do.

“Usually, I just think we prepare ourselves to do what we do and the game will take care of itself,” Hire said. “It’s probably wrong, but I’m not really into finding game tape. If we play solid defense and run our offense, we’ll hopefully beat them.”

Hire’s Demons will try to make it two first-round playoff wins in as many years against Niwot, which put up a 9-14 overall record and 4-10 mark playing in the tough Northern Conference West, which houses two teams ranked in RockyPreps’ top 10 and three teams with 18 or more wins.

Jeff Roueche (14.2 points per game) and Luke Lahman (11.5 ppg) were the Cougars’ leading scorers during the regular season.

The Demons (15-6) have been rolling of late.

After playing the 3A Western Slope League foe Steamboat Springs, the sixth-ranked team in the state, in a tight Feb. 2 loss, Glenwood Springs rolled off five straight victories to close out the regular season.

Point guard Kevin Screen led Glenwood in scoring for the regular season with 13.2 points an outing. He also averaged 4.7 assists. Forward Connor Riley chipped in 11.7 and guard Dakota Stonehouse 9.6.

Hire has seen a couple of players step up their games down the stretch, notably Screen and 6-foot-8 post Donnie Jennert.

“One in particular — Donnie’s come alive,” Hire lauded. “He’s making great decisions with the ball and doing a nice job for us. Kevin Screen is also getting better. We put in a new offense that he’s just loving.”

Big point totals have resulted. The Demons topped 70 in all but a Feb. 16 meeting with Delta in those five wins. They put up 84 in a home win over Rifle on Feb. 15.

And don’t forget that Glenwood will be looking to christen its new gymnasium, which debuted in that Rifle game, with its first playoff win.

Expect a raucous house at the Demons’ new digs.

“It should be really good,” Hire said. “It should be a fun experience for the boys. We had it last year. That was great. We played Alameda and it was a fun game. It’s nice any time you don’t have to travel.”

Last year, Glenwood opened the playoffs with a 71-58 win over Alameda before falling at Longmont in the second round of the state playoffs.

This year, a win for the eighth-seeded Demons would earn them a second-round meeting with No. 4 Lincoln, which drew the top seed in the Guy Gibbs region.

RIFLE — Having once played in it, Rifle boys basketball coach Chris Lowther knows a thing or two about the Northern Conference, in which his Bears’ first-round playoff opponent, Thompson Valley, plays.

“They’ve seen a lot of different good teams as they’ve gone through the year,” the Broomfield grad said of the Eagles, who’ll travel to face Rifle tonight. “The conference they play in is such a big conference. There’s a lot of good teams.”

More specifically, two teams that are ranked in the RockyPreps’ top 10 and three with 18 or more wins. And that’s why Lowther will make sure his 14-8 Bears don’t overlook 7-16 Thompson Valley just because of its losing record.

Lowther’s been absorbing whatever information he can about the Eagles since learning they’d be Rifle’s first-round foe.

“I think the main thing is that they go to the offensive rebounds really hard,” he said. “They’re bigger than we are, which is nothing new. Most teams are. Their best player is a post player. Basically, I think we know they’ll be pretty tested.”

Still, what matters most to Lowther is what the Bears bring to the table.

“Ultimately, it’s about doing what we do well,” he said. “We’re not going to completely change anything as far as what we’re doing, but I’d like to know enough at least to help the kids prepare as much as possible.”

Derek Sebastian is Thompson Valley’s biggest scoring threat. The big man averaged 15 points a night in the regular season.

Scott Rust leads Rifle with an 18.9 points per game average. Brother Tyler is averaging 11.8.

After last year making a trip to Skyline for its playoff opener, Lowther is thrilled to have a home opener.

“It’s the first time that we’ve hosted a playoff game in the six years I’ve been here,” he said. “We’re kind of trying to announce it as much as we can, to make sure everyone is aware of it. We want it to be as big an advantage as possible.”