2017-18 Preseason KBCA Basketball Rankings - click here

The high school basketball season is set to tip-off next week and with the season quickly approaching the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association has released their Preseason rankings for the 2017-18 season. To open the season 14 area girls and boys basketball teams will start the year ranked in their respective classifications. 

Class 1A-Division I houses the most area teams in the Preseason rankings with six between the girls and boys polls. In the girls rankings the defending State champions the Hanover Wildcats are set to open the year ranked #1 after finishing 24-2 claiming their first State title and finishing second in the Twin Valley League. The TVL champs and third place finisher at State last year the Centralia lady Panthers will open the year ranked #2 coming off a 24-2 year last season. Valley Falls moves down to 1A-DI this year and the lady Dragons who were co-Northeast Kansas League champs last year and finished 21-5 and fourth place at State in 2A and are set to start the year ranked #7 in 1A-DI. Washington County also moves down to 1A-DI and the lady Tigers are set to up the year ranked #10 after an 18-5 season last year in which they finished third in the TVL. 

In the boys 1A-DI rankings the #1 spot in the rankings belongs to the defending State champs in the Hanover Wildcats who won the TVL and 1A-DI State title last year and finished 24-2. One other TVL team is set to open the boys’ basketball season in the 1A-DI rankings and that is the Doniphan West Mustangs who come in preseason ranked #3 after finishing 14-10 last year and making the Sub-State championship game. 

Class 2A has a pair of girls teams set to open the hoops season in the Top 10 rankings. The Jefferson County North Chargers enter the year ranked #5 coming off a 20-3 season in which they were co-Northeast Kansas League champions and lost in the Sub-State title game. Valley Heights Mustangs out of the TVL are also set to start the year ranked coming in at #8 after an 11-10 record last year. 

Nemaha Central Thunder lead the way for area teams in the Class 3A preseason basketball polls as the Thunder girls are ranked #2 and the boys #4 to open the year. The lady Thunder finished last year 21-5, tying for second in the Big Seven and placed fourth at State, while the boys went 18-4 last year and won the Big Seven League. One other area team is also set to open the season ranked in 3A that is the Perry Lecompton Kaw boys who check in ranked #7 to open the year coming off a 12-10 season last year. 

A trio of area teams will open the season ranked in Class 4A-Division II. Last year's 3A boys State champs the Marysville Bulldogs move up to 4A-DII this year and come in preseason ranked #3 after finishing 22-4 last year and winning the 3A State title. In the girls Top 10 the State runner-up from last year the Jeff West Tigers are preseason #2 coming off a 20-5 record and Big Seven League title also. While the Holton lady Wildcats are preseason ranked #8 coming off a 17-5 season in which they finished third in the Big Seven and lost to Jeff West in the Sub-State championship. 

The basketball season is set to tipoff for area teams on Thursday, November 30th and Friday, December 1st. Make sure to tune into coverage of area games every Tuesday and Friday throughout the season on 103.9 KNZA, 92.1 KMZA and KAIR 93.7 FM along with the Holton and Sabetha Channels.