Iowa High School Athletic Association releases inaugural boys’ basketball rankings

CEDAR RAPIDS - Not sure many saw this coming.

The Iowa High School Athletic Association’s inaugural boys’ basketball rankings dropped Monday, and the number one team in Class 3A is Cedar Rapids Xavier.

The Saints are 6-0 this season and coming off a big 51-50 road victory this past Friday night at Cedar Falls. They were just 11-12 last season, though they play in the predominantly 4A Mississippi Valley Conference.

Xavier has four players who average double figures in scoring, led by senior forward Aidan Yamilkoski at 19 points per game. He’s a three-year starter.

Bondurant-Farrar (6-0), North Polk (4-0), Humboldt (3-0) and MOC/Floyd Valley (4-1) round out the top five in 3A.

The other number ones are Waukee Northwest in Class 4A, Central Lyon in 2A and Grand View Christian in 1A.

Northwest (6-0), which features Iowa recruit Pryce Sandfort, got a winning shot in the final seconds to outlast Waukee (6-1) recently, 67-65. Waukee, led by Iowa State recruit Omaha Billiew, checks in third in 4A.

The second-ranked team is Cedar Rapids Kennedy (5-0). The Cougars have beaten their first five opponents by an average of 39.6 points per game.

Ankeny Centennial (5-1) is fourth in 4A, its lone loss by three points to Waukee. West Des Moines Valley is fifth, Dubuque Senior eighth, Cedar Falls ninth and Iowa City West 10th.

Central Lyon (5-0) is top ranked in Class 2A. The Lions were state runners-up in the class last season.

Aplington-Parkersburg, Roland-Story, West Burlington and Western Christian round out the top five. MFL MarMac (7-0) checks in 10th.

Grand View Christian (6-0) is the number one team in Class 1A. The Thunder have beaten three 4A teams in Des Moines East, Des Moines North and Des Moines Roosevelt.

North Linn (7-0) is second in 1A. The Lynx beat Grand View Christian in last season’s state championship game, and have overcome important graduation losses, with four players averaging between 13.9 and 17.7 points per game.

North Linn edged a very good Alburnett team on the road last week, 58-56. Bellevue, Gladbrook-Reinbeck and WACO round out the top five in 1A.

This is the first season the IHSAA is sponsoring rankings, which will be used a guide for postseason bracketing. They are compiled with the aid of the IHSAA and voting committees of two former coaches and a media member per class.

The Gazette’s Jeff Johnson is on the Class 4A committee. KGYM radio’s Scott Unash, also of CR-M Live Sports, takes part on the 3A committee.

The next rankings will be in early January.

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CLASS 4A

CLASS 3A

CLASS 2A

CLASS 1A

Comments: (319)-398-8258, jeff.johnson@thegazette.com