Iowa City West back on top in boys’ hoops poll

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Iowa City West tops the first Gazette boys' basketball poll of the season in Class 4A. The Trojans are three-time defending state champs and won their first two games of 2014-15 last week.

An 83-66 victory over Hopkins (Minn.) in the Eastbay Tip-Off Classic in the Twin Cities was particularly noteworthy, though Hopkins - ranked fourth in Minnesota's Class 4A - was missing injured star junior forward Amir Coffey, a major college recruit. Speaking of recruits, West sophomore Connor McCaffery - who has committed to play for his dad, Fran, at the University of Iowa - had 14 points and six assists in the game.

He had 26 points in West's season-opening win at Mount Vernon. David DiLeo missed the opener with an injury but came back to score 25 points against Hopkins.

West lost 2014 Mr. Basketball Wyatt Lohaus to graduation, among others, and has just one senior on its varsity roster (DiLeo). But others like McCaffery, sophomore guard Devontae Lane and junior forward Tanner Lohaus, played a lot last season.

'There are guys on this team who have entirely new roles,” West Coach Steve Bergman said. 'They all have to score for us to be any good. That's Connor, Devontae, Tanner, they all have to score. Because the guys we lost, one guy ain't going to make that up. It's going to be a group effort.”

North Scott is ranked second in 4A, followed by Ankeny Centennial, Waukee and West Des Moines Dowling. Western Dubuque (2-0) checks in at No. 10.

Despite losing twice last week, defending champion Dubuque Wahlert is the top-ranked team in Class 3A. The Golden Eagles (1-2) dropped close games to North Scott and Dowling.

Waverly-Shell Rock knocked off Cedar Rapids Xavier last Saturday, and the pair are 2-3 in 3A. DeWitt Central (2-0) is ninth and Mount Vernon (2-1) 10th.

Defending champ Western Christian (1-0) claims the top spot in Class 2A, followed by Iowa City Regina (1-0), Dyersville Beckman (3-0), New Hampton (1-0) and Cascade (2-0), in that order. Beckman plays Western Dubuque in what should be a whale of game Tuesday night at Epworth.

The top-ranked team in Class 1A is Central Lyon, which blasted defending champ West Lyon last week. Mapble Valley/Anthon-Oto is No. 2.

Here are the entire rankings. This is the second year The Gazette has done its own ratings since the paper/website no longer uses The Associated Press:

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CLASS 4A

1. Iowa City West 2-0

2. North Scott 2-0

3. Ankeny Centennial 2-0

4. Waukee 1-1

5. West Des Moines Dowling 2-0

6. West Des Moines Valley 1-0

7. Des Moines Hoover 3-0

8. Sioux City North 1-1

9. Pleasant Valley 2-0

10. Western Dubuque 2-0

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CLASS 3A

1. Dubuque Wahlert 1-2

2. Waverly-Shell Rock 2-0

3. Cedar Rapids Xavier 1-1

4. MOC/Floyd Valley 2-0

5. Spirit Lake 2-0

6. Chariton 2-0

7. Bondurant-Farrar 2-0

8. Webster City 2-0

9. DeWitt Central 2-0

10. Mount Vernon 2-1

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CLASS 2A

1. Western Christian 1-0

2. Iowa City Regina 1-0

3. Dyersville Beckman 3-0

4. New Hampton 1-0

5. Cascade 2-0

6. IKM-Manning 2-0

7. West Fork 1-0

8. Treynor 1-1

9. Rock Valley 2-0

10. Sioux Center 0-1

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CLASS 1A

1. Central Lyon 2-0

2. Maple Valley/Anthon-Oto 3-0

3. Gladbrook-Reinbeck 1-0

4. Danville 2-0

5. LeMars Gehlen 3-0

6. Boyden-Hull 0-1

7. Nodaway Valley 2-0

8. West Hancock 3-0

9. Graettinger-Terril/Ruthven-Ayrshhire 1-0

10. Janesville 2-0

l Comments: (319) 398-8259; jeff.johnson@thegazette.com