Plenty of Change in New WyoPreps Boys Basketball Rankings
There are several changes in the second WyoPreps.com Coaches and Media Boys Basketball Rankings, including a pair of new No. 1 ranked teams.
There are seven new teams in the poll. The only class that doesn’t feature a new team is 3A.
In 4A, the Cheyenne Central Indians take over the top spot. They received 10 first-place votes in this week’s balloting. Central is off to a 3-0 start and headed to tournament play in Colorado this weekend. Cheyenne East also moves up one spot to No. 2. The voting closed before the Thunderbirds lost at Kelly Walsh on Tuesday night. East garnered four votes for No. 1 and just out-pointed the Sheridan Broncs, who fall to third. Sheridan got six first-place votes, but they drop from the preseason No. 1 spot. Two new teams debut at fourth and fifth in Class 4A. The Thunder Basin Bolts received a majority of the fourth-place tallies and find themselves at No. 4. They are followed by the Laramie Plainsmen at No. 5. Both of those teams got off to a 3-0 start in tournament action last weekend.
The Lander Tigers are a unanimous choice for No. 1 in Class 3A. They earned all 15 first-place votes and stay atop the poll. After the Tigers, there’s some shifting of teams, but no new teams. Buffalo moved up one to No. 2 when the poll closed before they lost at Worland Tuesday night. Powell drops one spot to third, while Wheatland edges up to fourth, while the Warriors fell to No. 5. With Worland’s blowout victory over Buffalo, there’s sure to be more movement next week.
The second newly No. 1-ranked team is in Class 2A. The Rocky Mountain Grizzlies move to the top spot with 10 first-place votes. The Grizzlies went 3-0 at last weekend’s Coal Miner’s Classic in Wright. They won all their games by at least 17 points or more. Pine Bluffs jumps up one position to No. 2. Southeast and Sundance make their debut at third and fourth, respectively. The Cyclones opened the season with a two-point upset of preseason No. 1 Wyoming Indian. The Bulldogs finished second at the Upton Invitational. As for the Chiefs, they fall to No. 5.
Another unanimous pick for No. 1 is the Encampment Tigers in Class 1A. They received all 14 first-place votes after a 4-0 weekend in the Carbon County Classic. Upton holds the No. 2 spot again after winning their home tournament last weekend. The last three teams are all new to the poll this week. Saratoga went 3-0 at the Burns Winter Classic and jump to No. 3 in the rankings. The St. Stephens Eagles are also coming off a strong showing last weekend at the Carbon County Classic, where they went 3-1. They find themselves fourth in the poll. Rounding out the top five is the Kaycee Buckaroos. They went 3-0 at the Coal Miner’s Classic with wins over a pair of Class 2A schools and a Class 3A school.
Here is this week’s voting breakdown:
The WyoPreps.com Coaches and Media Poll is done for fun. It has no bearing on the post-season or any seeding. Coaches and Media Members across the state are invited to participate in the poll.
Girls' basketball rankings are released on Thursdays.
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