Centennial, Lake City Tied At Top In A-1 Poll
The most unlikely upset of the year led to a tie atop the season’s final Associated Press Idaho boys high school basketball poll.
Defending A-1 state champion and top-ranked Centennial dropped a 73-71 decision at Mountain Home (4-17) during the final week of the regular season.
The Tigers went on to give the Caldwell High School seniors their first victory after 86 losses in the first round of the District 3 tournament Monday night.
And while the loss did not cost the Patriots (17-3) the top spot in the voting by the state’s sportswriters and broadcasters, it did drop Centennial into a first-place tie with Lake City (16-4).
The Timberwolves got by Lewiston 48-44 to remain ahead of hard-charging Blackfoot (17-4) by just three points. The Broncos knocked off then-No. 4 Highland of Pocatello and former No. 1 Hillcrest of Idaho Falls last week to remain third. Rigby picked up three victories last week to move up to fourth, while Highland slipped to fifth.
The A-2 rankings also saw some movement, although top-ranked Bishop Kelly completed an unbeaten regular season to remain the unanimous No. 1 pick.
Bear Lake split a pair of games last week, beating Marsh Valley and losing to unranked Shelley 60-58. The Bears remained No. 2, however, after last week’s matchup between third-ranked Kellogg and fourth-ranked Moscow. Moscow knocked off the Miners 72-56 moving into the third spot and dropping Kellogg to fourth. Caldwell’s Vallivue remains No. 5 with a victory over Middleton and a 58-50 loss to Bishop Kelly.
A-3 leader Teton also ended the regular season with an unblemished record. Once-beaten Malad continues to hold the No. 2 spot after defeating Grace and Preston. Lapwai lost to unranked Potlatch 69-63 to fall to fourth place, allowing Aberdeen to reclaim the third spot with a 35-point demolition of Firth. Potlatch used its victory to move into fifth and Declo dropped out of the rankings after a loss to Kimberly.
Nampa Christian ended the regular season atop the A-4 rankings, completing a 19-1 campaign with a 62-53 victory over Homedale. Oakley remains second and Shoshone third after a double-overtime victory over fifth-ranked Carey.
Lakeside of Plummer remains fourth after crushing Clark Fork. And Carey’s near upset of Shoshone allowed the Panthers to move out of a fifth-place tie with Notus, which fell out of the poll despite a 77-76 victory over Wilder.
xxxx IDAHO PREP POLL Here is how the state’s sportwriters and broadcasters voted in the season’s final Associated Press Idaho boys high school basketball poll. First-place votes are in parentheses and records are for games through Monday, Feb. 12.
A-1 Team W L Pts. 1, Centennial (6) 17 3 45 Tie, Lake City (4) 16 4 45 3, Blackfoot (1) 17 4 42 4, Rigby 16 6 18 5, Highland 15 6 15 Others receiving votes: none.
A-2 Team W L Pts. 1, Bishop Kelly (11) 20 0 55 2, Bear Lake 16 3 36 3, Moscow 14 3 35 4, Kellogg 14 3 27 5, Vallivue 15 5 8 Others receiving votes: Jerome, Shelley.
A-3 Team W L Pts. 1, Teton (10) 22 0 50 2, Malad 20 1 41 3, Aberdeen 15 3 32 4, Lapwai (1) 15 3 21 5, Potlatch 16 4 9 Others receiving votes: Declo, Grangeville, Kimberly.
A-4 Team W L Pts. 1, Nampa Christian (9) 19 1 52 2, Oakley 18 2 42 3, Shoshone (2) 17 3 33 4, Lakeside 14 3 20 5, Carey 15 4 5 Others receiving votes: Notus, Murtaugh, Troy, Deary.