Iowa City West atop 1st Gazette boys' basketball poll

CEDAR RAPIDS — The first one is always the most difficult. Keep that in mind when viewing the first Gazette boys' basketball poll of the season.

It was an easy decision to put Iowa City West atop the Class 4A rankings. The Trojans, last year's state tournament runner-up, tipped off their season with an impressive 72-42 win this past Friday night over Marian Catholic of Chicago Heights, Ill.

West has all-state players in guards Connor McCaffery and Devontae Lane. Sophomore Patrick McCaffery is a much-improved player who had 18 points against Marian Catholic.

Behind West is Mississippi Valley Conference mate Cedar Falls (1-1). The Tigers opened with a blowout victory over Crestwood but lost to Twin Cities traditonal power Hopkins (Minn.), 85-77, despite an eye-popping 41-point outburst from tremendous junior guard A.J. Green.

North Scott comes in third in the initial 4A poll, followed by Des Moines Hoover and Dubuque Senior.

Waverly-Shell Rock is Class 3A's top team. The Go-Hawks crushed defending state champion Cedar Rapids Xavier this past Saturday, 76-54, behind a 24-point, 15-rebound effort from center Austin Phyfe, a Northern Iowa signee.

Glenwood and Pella are second and third in 3A, Xavier fourth and West Delaware fifth.

Defending champ Western Christian is top-ranked in 2A. The Wolf Pack have a new head coach in Bill Harmsen, who replaced Jim Eekhoff, who retired after winning his record eighth state championship last season.

Immediately behind Western Christian is Carroll Kuemper, Des Moines Christian, Camanche and Northeast.

In 1A, the top team is Gladbrook-Reinbeck. Boyden-Hull is No. 2, followed by the area triumvirate of Montezuma, North Linn and Lone Tree.

The Gazette's poll, compiled by Jeff Johnson, will appear weekly.

Class 4A

1. Iowa City West (1-0)

2. Cedar Falls (1-1)

3. North Scott (2-0)

4. Des Moines Hoover (2-1)

5. Dubuque Senior (2-0)

6. West Des Moines Dowling (2-0)

7. Sioux City East (1-0)

8. Mason City (3-0)

9. Waukee (1-1)

10. Ankeny Centennial (1-1)

Class 3A

1. Waverly-Shell Rock (2-0)

2. Glenwood (2-0)

3. Pella (2-0)

4. Cedar Rapids Xavier (1-1)

5. West Delaware (2-0)

6. Mount Pleasant (1-1)

7. Atlantic (2-0)

8. Sioux City Heelan (0-0)

9. Greene County (3-0)

10. Oskaloosa (3-0)

Class 2A

1. Western Christian (2-0)

2. Carroll Kuemper (2-0)

3. Des Moines Christian (2-0)

4. Camanche (2-0)

5. Northeast (3-0)

6. South Hamilton (2-0)

7. West Lyon (3-0)

8. Pella Christian (1-1)

9. Osage (3-0)

10. Clear Lake (2-0)

Class 1A

1. Gladbrook-Reinbeck (1-0)

2. Boyden-Hull (1-0)

3. Montezuma (2-0)

4. North Linn (2-0)

5. Lone Tree (3-0)

6. Fort Dodge St. Edmond (2-0)

7. Ar-We-Va (3-0)

8. Boyer Valley (2-0)

9. Lynnville-Sully (3-0)

10. Nodaway Valley (2-0)

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