SBLive Iowa Top 25 high school boys basketball rankings (Feb. 13)

This week’s Iowa prep boys basketball rankings

By Chris Short | Photo by Daniel Jacobi  

If there was any doubt Cedar Rapids Kennedy deserved our No. 1 ranking, the Cougars erased some of it with an impressive 64-50 victory Saturday over No. 4 West Des Moines Valley, closing the game with a 15-1 run.

The top nine teams in our all-class Top 25 remain the same. Gladbrook-Reinbeck, Iowa City West and Des Moines Roosevelt drop out, while three Class 3A teams enter – Newton, Waverly-Shell Rock and Marion. 

1. Cedar Rapids Kennedy (19-0)

The Cougars showed they are worthy their No. 1 ranking with a perfect 3-0 week with victories over Iowa City’s West and High and No. 4 West Des Moines Valley. Kennedy led by 14 in the third quarter, but the Tigers stormed back to take a one-point lead. Tied at 49-all, Kennedy’s experience overcame Valley’s youth in crunch time with a 10-0 run in the final four minutes and the Cougars won going away.

2. Waukee (19-2)

The Warriors overcame an early deficit to knock off Valley 73-66 in their only game of the [CS1] . McDonald’s All-American Omaha Biliew poured in 31 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, and Vance Peiffer scored 24 and snared 13 boards.

3. Waukee Northwest (18-2)

The Wolves beat Dowling by 20 and Ankeny Centennial by 26. Pryce Sandfort fired in 31 points and pulled down 10 rebounds, and Cade Kelderman had 26 against Dowling. Then the future Iowa Hawkeye hit for 28 points and 11 boards Friday against Centennial.

4. West Des Moines Valley (15-5)

The youthful Tigers, who start four sophomores, knew it was going to be a tough week, facing the top two teams in the rankings. They lost both, but battled but Waukee and Kennedy deep into the fourth quarter. Valley overcame a 14-point deficit to actually lead No. 1 Kennedy without super soph Curtis Sintson Jr. in the fourth quarter, but the Cougars experience proved too much as they broke open a tie game with a 10-0 run in the final four minutes. Valley did get a double-digit win Friday over Ankeny.

5. Indianola (18-2)

The Indians beat both Pella teams as Drew Kingery had 20 points and 11 rebounds in a 79-68 win over the Dutch and added 18 points and nine boards in a 55-52 triumph over the Eagles.

6. Bondurant-Farrar (19-0)

The unbeaten Bluejays earned a hard-fought 59-45 victory over 15-5 North Polk behind Colby Collison’s 28 points. Collison poured in 38 points in a 95-64 blowout over Knoxville.

7. Dubuque Senior (16-3)

The Rams stay at No. 7 after blowing out Madison (Wis.) East by 31 and beating a good Cedar Falls bunch by 16.

8. Norwalk (15-3)

The Warriors have ripped off 11 straight victories, including beatdowns of 28 points over Grinnell and 20 over Newton.

9. Grand View Christian (20-0)

The 1A Thunder continue to impress, beating 3A Charles City by 13 and No. 25 Aplington-Parkersburg by 9 – both on the road. They are 5-0 vs. 4A teams, 4-0 vs. 3A and 6-0 vs. 2A. It would be interesting to see how GVC would fare in an all-class state tournament.

10. Sioux City East (19-2)

The Black Raiders are back on track, blowing out LeMars by 21 and Spencer by 30. They move up three spots back into the top 10.

11. North Linn (21-0) Need Cascade result

The unbeaten Lynx average margin of victory is 48.4. They were impressive in a 60-46 win over 20-1 Dunkerton – handing the Raiders their only loss Feb. 2.

12. Cedar Falls (13-5)

The Tigers won 10 of 11 before falling to No. 7 Dubuque Senior 59-43 Friday.

13. Pleasant Valley (14-5)

Winners of five straight, the Spartans posted double-digit wins over Davenport Central and Central DeWitt.

14. Ames (15-6)

The Little Cyclones had a 3-0 week, thumping Marshalltown and Mason City before earning a 61-56 win over Dowling.

15. Cedar Rapids Xavier Catholic (14-5)

The 3A Saints rolled to victories over Cedar Rapids teams – Prairie and Jefferson. They face No. 1 Kennedy on Tuesday.

16. Ankeny Centennial (14-6)

The Jaguars’ modest five-game win streak ended to No.3 Waukee Northwest 74-58, dropping them three positions.

17. Central Lyon (18-1)

The 2A Lions finished the season with wins by 14 over Sioux Center, 46 over George-Little Rock and 38 over Rock Valley.

18. MOC Floyd Valley (19-2)

The 3A Dutchmen finished the regular season with eight straight victories. Their only losses this season are to Central Lyon, which is ranked one spot ahead of them.

19. Roland Story (21-1)

The 2A Norsemen finished the regular season winning nine straight after falling to unbeaten Grandview Christian, which is No. 9 in our all-class rankings.

20. North Scott (15-4)

The Lancers earned double-digit victories over Muscatine and Clinton.

21. Clear Lake (18-1)

Up four spots, the 3A Lions, had a 3-0 week, highlighted by avenging their only loss of the season with an impressive 69-52 win over 15-4 Humboldt and a 64-46 thrashing of a good 16-2 Webster City squad that just missed making our rankings.

22. Newton (14-5)

The Cardinals enter the rankings for the first time. They are battle-tested, losing twice to No. 5 Indianola and No. 8 Norwalk. Otherwise, they have been nearly perfect with only one loss to a solid 4A Marshalltown squad in the season opener.

23. Waverly-Shell Rock (15-4)

The Go-Hawks have won 13 of 14 since losing to Marion on Dec. 19, stumbling only to a solid Charles City team. They ride a six-game win streak heading into the season finale vs. Mount Vernon.

24. Marion (16-4)

The 3A Wolves have won 10 of 11, falling only to Mount Vernon. Their only other losses this season are to No. 1 Kennedy, No. 6 unbeaten Bondurant-Farrar and 4A Iowa City High.

25. Aplington-Parkersburg (19-2)

The 2A Falcons fall eight spots after losing at home by nine to No. 9 Grandview Christian.

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