Iowa high school boys’ basketball rankings: Cedar Rapids Xavier back on top in Gazette poll

CEDAR RAPIDS — They have three losses this season, but none to anyone outside of Class 4A. So after a topsy turvy week around the state, the Cedar Rapids Xavier Saints are back at No. 1.

Xavier moved from fourth to the top spot in Class 3A in this week's Gazette boys' basketball rankings. The top three teams in the class last week (Glenwood, Oskaloosa and Sioux City Heelan) all took a loss, allowing Xavier's ascension.

The Saints are 8-3, with their losses coming to Class 4A opponents Waterloo West, Cedar Rapids Prairie and Cedar Rapids Kennedy. Xavier is 3-0 against 3A teams.

Oskaloosa (12-1) remained second in the class after losing to Dubuque Wahlert (Xavier's Mississippi Valley Conference mate) in overtime Saturday. Glenwood (11-1), Heelan and Mount Pleasant round out a strong top five.

The top spots in Class 4A, 2A and 1A are unchanged.

Iowa City West (10-0) is your No. 1 in 4A, the only unbeaten team remaining in the class. Four teams ranked last week lost, meaning there's a big shakeup, with Johnston (10-1) checking in at No. 2, followed by Des Moines Hoover (10-1), Sioux City East (9-1) and Des Moines North (10-2).

MVC schools Dubuque Hempstead and Dubuque Senior both drop out of the top 10, replaced by Cedar Falls (8-3).

Western Christian (11-0) is still atop a strong 2A, followed by Cascade, Van Meter, East Marshall and Aplington-Parkersburg.

There remains six undefeated team in the class.

Grand View Christian (12-0) notched a 75-62 win Friday night over No. 5 Lynnville-Sully to cement its status at the head of Class 1A. Lynnville (10-2) remains fifth.

North Linn (15-0), which has more victories than anyone in the state at this point, is a strong No. 2, followed by Remsen St. Mary's (12-0) and Algona Garrigan (11-1).

Here are this week's entire rankings, with last week's in parentheses:

CLASS 4A

1. Iowa City West 10-0 (1)

2. Johnston 10-1 (4)

3. Des Moines Hoover 10-1 (5)

4. Sioux City East 9-1 (6)

5. Des Moines North 10-2 (2)

6. Waukee 9-2 (3)

7. North Scott 10-1 (8)

8. Pleasant Valley 10-1 (9)

9. West Des Moines Dowling 8-3 (NR)

10. Cedar Falls 8-3 (NR)

CLASS 3A

1. Cedar Rapids Xavier 8-3 (4)

2. Oskaloosa 12-1 (2)

3. Glenwood 11-1 (1)

4. Sioux City Heelan 8-2 (3)

5. Mount Pleasant 11-2 (6)

6. Norwalk 10-1 (5)

7. Charles City 11-1 (7)

8. Harlan 9-2 (8)

9. Spirit Lake 9-3 (10)

10. Winterset 9-2 (9)

CLASS 2A

1. Western Christian 11-0 (1)

2. Cascade 13-0 (2)

3. Van Meter 12-0 (3)

4. East Marshall 11-0 (4)

5. Aplington-Parkersburg 12-0 (6)

6. South Hamilton 13-0 (7)

7. Sioux Center 10-1 (5)

8. Sheldon 12-1 (9)

9. Treynor 10-0 (NR)

10. Northeast 12-1 (NR)

CLASS 1A

1. Grand View Christian 12-0 (1)

2. North Linn 15-0 (2)

3. Remsen St. Mary's 12-0 (3)

4. Algona Garrigan 11-1 (4)

5. Lynnville-Sully 10-2 (5)

6. Dunkerton 10-0 (8)

7. George-Little Rock 9-4 (NR)

8. Don Bosco 8-2 (7)

9. Bedford 11-1 (NR)

10. Wapsie Valley 9-3 (10)

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