Latest KBCA Rankings -- Jan. 19th

It’s Mid-season tournament time and basketball season is in full swing and the action is heating up on the court and the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association has released its latest set of rankings and 18 area teams find themselves in the rankings.

All the area teams ranked last week remained ranked but there was plenty of movement between those teams in the polls.

In Class 1A-Division II the B&B Falcon girls and boys both continue to be ranked this season, as the Lady Falcons remained number one this week and the boys stood fast at number five. Lady Falcons have rolled off eight straight wins, are 9-1 on the season and find themselves back in the TVL tournament semifinals after beating Centralia in a battle in the quarterfinal round and picked up a big home win over Valley Heights right before the tournament. B&B boys loss a tough one to Valley Heights at home before the TVL tournament but beat Frankfort in the opening round before falling to Hanover in the quarterfinals to move to 6-4 on the season.

The Axtell Eagle boys moved up three spots in the Class 1A-Division II poll from number 10 to seven as they had won six in a row until the quarterfinals of the TVL tournament where they fell to Valley Heights the number one seed. Axtell on the season sits at 7-5 on the year currently after opening the season 1-4, they are 6-1 in the last seven.

Class 1A-Division II continues to feature five area teams between the girls and boys rankings all from the Twin Valley League. On the boys side the Valley Heights Mustangs area 9-1 on the season and advancing into the semifinals of the TVL tournament after beating Axtell and stayed put at third in the latest rankings. While Centralia who is 8-2 on the season is also headed to the semifinals of the TVL tournament after beating Troy in the quarterfinals, is right behind the Mustangs in the rankings at number four. The Hanover Wildcats jumped up two spots to number seven this week with an 8-3 record and after a win over B&B in the TVL tournament quarterfinals is in the semifinals this year, too.

On the girls side the Lady Mustangs of Valley Heights remained ranked at number two despite suffering their first loss of the season on the road to B&B, but the Valley Heights responded with a quarterfinal win over Hanover in the TVL tournament to move to 9-1 on the season. The Linn Lady Bulldogs also remained steadfast at their spot in the rankings at number six as they fell to Axtell in the TVL quarterfinals on Monday, moving to 7-3 on the season.

Class 2A all three area teams ranked moved up in the polls this week including one to number on the girl’s side. The Jefferson County North remain unbeaten on the season after taking down Horton last week moving to 8-0 on the season and taking the number one spot in 2A. The Lady Tigers of Washington County also remained unbeaten on the season at 11-0 moving up to number five this week and are headed to the TVL tournament semifinals. On the boys side the Valley Falls Dragons moved up two spots to number eight as the Dragons moved to 9-1 last week with a one-point win over Jackson Heights and a win over KC Christian.

In Class 3A both Sabetha Bluejays teams remain ranked as the boys are 9-0 after beating ACCHS and Royal Valley last week and stayed put at number four, while the girls also picked up wins over ACCHS and Royal Valley to move to 8-1 on the season and jumped up to number nine in the polls. The Nemaha Valley Raider boys picked up double digit wins over Riverside and Holton last week to stay at seventh place in the polls this week with their 8-1 record. The Marysville girls took the biggest tumble in the polls falling from fourth to tenth after suffering their first loss of the season as they area 8-1 on the year.

Class 4A the Santa Fe Trail Charger girls remain unbeaten at 8-0 and continue to sit atop the perch at number one in Class 4A-Division II, beating Hiawatha and Perry Lecompton last week. On the boys side the Holton Wildcats have suffered back-to-back loss to fall to 7-3 on the year but remain ranked at fifth in the polls, while Royal Valley who fell to Holton and Sabetha last week also fell in the polls to number 10 with a 4-6 record.

With the Mid-season tournament in full force this week many area teams will be tested on the court in tough battles and we could see more shake up in the polls next week from area teams.