Latest KBCA Rankings (Jan. 18th) - click here

The basketball frenzy has picked up in the State of Kansas as the mid-season tournament portion of the season is upon us and the action continues to heat up on the hardwood. The Kansas Basketball Coaches Association released its latest rankings and this week 15 area teams are ranked, with all 14 teams ranked last week remaining in the rankings and a new team into the rankings for the first time this year. 

Class 1A between Division I and II continues to be highlighted by the Twin Valley League in the rankings. In Class 1A-DII the Axtell lady Eagles continue to remain ranked tenth in the polls as they have for the past few weeks. The Eagles are 9-2 on the season after beating Blue Valley-Randolph last week and have won seven in a row headed into the TVL Tournament. 

Two girl’s teams and three boy’s teams remain in the Class 1A-DI rankings all from the TVL. The Centralia girls are 7-1 on the season after a win over Frankfort last week and continue to be ranked third in the polls a spot they have been at most of the season and like Axtell earned a first round bye in the TVL Tournament. The Hanover lady Wildcats moved up one spot this week to seventh in the rankings with a 7-2 record, picking up their most recent win in the first round of the TVL Tournament on Saturday against Onaga, moving the Wildcats into the quarterfinals. On the boys side of the rankings in 1A-DI a trio of TVL teams continue to be ranked in the Top four as Hanover remains number one, Doniphan West stays put at third in the polls and Centralia checks in again at fourth in the rankings. Hanover sits at 7-2 on the season after beating Wetmore in the opening round of the TVL tournament back on Saturday and the Wildcats have been ranked number one all year. Doniphan West remains unbeaten on the season at 7-0 and won over Wetmore last week and set them up for a first round bye in the TVL Tournament. While, Centralia is 7-1 on the year with their lone loss to Doniphan West in double overtime; the Panthers topped Frankfort last week and earned a first round bye in the TVL Tournament. 

Both the Washington County boys and girls continue to be ranked in Class 2A, along with a pair of Northeast Kansas League teams in the Valley Falls girls and Jackson Heights boys who are both unbeaten. The Tiger boys sit at 9-0 on the season after beating Linn last week and check in again at third in the polls and are the number one seed in the TVL Tournament having a first round bye. The lady Tigers also are the one seed in the TVL Tournament with a first round bye like the boys as they are 8-1 on the season and are up one spot to seventh in the 2A polls after beating Linn last week. Valley Falls girls continue to blast past opponents beating McLouth and Horton last week to move to 9-0 and are yet again ranked second in the 2A polls. While the Jackson Heights boys are 8-0 on the season and ranked eighth again this week after beating Horton and Jefferson County North. 

Class 3A is the classification that features a new area team to the rankings as the Royal Valley boys crack the Top 10 at tenth with an 8-1 record on the season after wins against Perry Lecompton and Holton last week. Three other Big Seven League teams are also in the 3A rankings have they have been most of the season. The Sabetha boys and girls each come in at second this week in the polls for the boys that's up one spot and both teams are 9-0 on the year after wins over Perry Lecompton and Nemaha Central last week. Nemaha Central lady Thunder despite suffering their first loss of the season coming to Sabetha bounced back to beat ACCHS and are 8-1 on the season and remain ranked fifth in the 3A polls. 

The Holton lady Wildcats remain in the rankings out of the Big Seven League as they come in at ninth again this week in Class 4A-DII. The Wildcats are 6-3 on the season after topping Royal Valley and Hiawatha last week. 

The basketball action continues to heat up this week as mid-season tournaments start up and are sure to bring great action for the area ranked teams and all others.