(First KBCA Rankings of the 2013-14 Basketball Season -- click here) 

The winter sports season has begun and area teams will hit the hardwood this week to begin their basketball seasons and with that the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association has released its first set of rankings for the season.

To start off the basketball season 19 area schools find themselves preseason ranked in their respective classifications.

In Class 1A-Division II it’s the Axtell Eagle boys, B&B Falcons girls and boys and Frankfort girl’s preseason ranked to start the season. The Axtell Eagles of course are coming off best year in school history winning the 1A-DII State championship as the seven seed at the state tournament finishing off the season 19-8 and the Eagles bring back three starters from last year’s team and start the season preseason number one. While the B&B Falcon boys for the second straight year were one win away from making the state tournament losing to the eventual state champion in the sub-state championship, last year finishing 17-6 and return multiple key players to challenge in the TVL and in the postseason and start the season preseason ranked number four.

On the girls side the lady Falcons of B&B fresh off their three-peat as volleyball state champs and a state tournament appearance last year in basketball start this season preseason ranked third in 1A-DII after a 20-4 campaign last year. The lady Wildcats of Frankfort finished the year 13-8 last year and start this season preseason ranked eighth with a pair of key seniors back and plenty of youth on the team.

In Class 1A-Division I the Twin Valley League continues to highlight the rankings with six teams ranked in the boys and girls rankings.

For Centralia and Valley Heights both their girls and boys teams start the season ranked and look to be contenders in the TVL and postseason play. The Panther boys squad is coming off a third place finish at state last year finishing 20-6 on the year and everyone returns this season as Centralia starts the year number on in 1A-DI and are coming off the 2-1A football championship. The lady Panthers had a rough season last year finishing only 7-15, but were competitive many nights this season the team starts preseason ranked tenth and brings back plenty of experience and team chemistry.

The Valley Heights Mustangs start the season ranked fourth and fifth for their girls and boys teams respectively this season both bring back plenty to work with after solid years last year. The lady Mustangs finished 18-15 last year and were on the cusp of a state tournament bid last year falling to the lady Wildcats of Hanover; this season four starters return. It was a 14-8 record last year for the Mustang boys as they finished second in the TVL and this season bring back 80% of their scoring and 70% of their rebounding from last year.

Linn lady Bulldogs also start the season preseason ranked in 1A-DI as they are ranked fifth coming off of a 10-11 season last year and have showed continued improvement under Coach Brittni Oehmke who enters her third year as coach and will have a team stacked with upperclassmen including seven girls with starting experience.

On the boys side Hanover Wildcats join Centralia and Valley Heights in the rankings to start the season as the Wildcats are coming off a 15-7 season and are stacked with athleticism as usual to challenge in a tough TVL and start the season ranked sixth.

In Class 2A the state runner-ups from last year in the lady Chargers of JCN start the season ranked third after a 23-3 record last year and bring back a roster with a handful of seniors and a dynamic player in Jacee Kramer. The lady Tigers of Washington County start the year ranked also, checking in at number eight to start this year after finishing 20-2 last year but again coming up short of the state tourney losing to Republic County again.

Class 3A the Nemaha Valley Raider boys have been a staple at the state tournament for six straight years and capped off their season last year with a third place finish under Coach Jon Thomas finishing with a 24-2 record. This season the Raiders are replacing three key starters and will look for players to step into scoring roles, as they start the season preseason ranked sixth.

On the girls side the lady Bluejays of Sabetha and lady Bulldogs of Marysville both start the season preseason ranked at third and tenth, respectively this season. Sabetha made the state tourney last year and pushed the eventual champion Burlington to the edge in the first round falling by just two points and finishing 17-7 last year; only one starter returns but the lady Bluejays look to reload. For the Bulldogs of Marysville they finished 14-8 last year under Coach Amy Renyer in her first year and she brings back a strong senior class this year and four starters giving Marysville a solid roster to be a team to contend with in 3A.

Class 4A-Division II the Holton Wildcat boys and girls, Santa Fe Trail Charger girls and Jeff West Tiger boys all start the season preseason ranked.

While the lady Wildcats were denied a bid to the state tourney last year they did finish with a strong 21-2 record and continued a strong run on the court that has stretched eight years with only 12 losses. This season plenty of question marks present themselves for the lady Wildcats which could lead to a rebuilding year or just a reloading year; the lady Wildcats start the season preseason ranked fourth. For the Holton boys they finished 17-5 last year but just like the girls have plenty to replace this year with only one starter returning as they start the year ranked sixth.

For the Santa Fe Trail lady Chargers they are looking to build from last year's 17-5 season and the momentum from a 4A-DII state volleyball title this year, but will have to replace 30 points per game this year but have six returning letterwinners and start the year number one in 4A-DII.

The Jeff West Tiger boys are coming off a 7-14 record but bring back three starters and seven letterwinners as the boys learned under Coach Mitch Loomis and this season start the year preseason ranked tenth in 4A-DII.

The year sets up to be one of great competiveness for all the area teams and while 19 start the season ranked those teams and many others look to make noise this basketball season.