Feb. 15 Boys Basketball Power Rankings

Let’s unveil our final power rankings of the 2016-17 regular season. We’ll compile one more once the season is completed for all area teams.

Each week, the O-Zone staff will rank the top 15 area boys’ basketball teams based on dominance by Class, aka how they stack up pound-for-pound with the other schools in their respective Class.

Strength of schedule and recent success are also factored into the rankings.

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Overall record, Class and previous ranking are listed in parenthesis.

1. Walnut Grove (23-3, Class 1, PR: 1) – Walnut Grove’ senior class achieved a pretty amazing feat last night, as the Tigers prevailed 80-64 at Fair Play to claim a fourth straight conference championship. Not only is it four straight PCL titles for the Tigers, but their senior class also finishes 28-0 in league games during their four-year careers. Bad news for PCL other teams: Walnut Grove will have much of its same team back next season between Logan Thomazin, Hunter Gilkey, Ryan Keith, Dawson Meinders and others. Walnut Grove begins its quest for a third straight district championship this Saturday. The Tigers are the top seed in the Class 1 District 5 tournament at Willard High School and face Exeter in Saturday’s opening round.

Upcoming games: Class 1 District 5 tournament @ Willard HS (Feb. 18, 21 and 23)

2. Hartville (21-5, Class 2, PR: 2) – Hartville’s gutsy 70-63 win at Walnut Grove last Thursday was the type of victory you’d expect from a defending state champ and a program that’s won four straight district championships. The Eagles set the tone early, jumping out to a big lead. Walnut Grove battled back and had Hartville on the edge of defeat, but the Eagles were able to make enough plays down the stretch to hand Walnut Grove its first home loss in over three years. Hartville followed that up with lopsided wins against Morrisville (71-23, Feb. 10) and Gainesville (79-38, Feb. 14), showing its ready for postseason play. The Gainesville win clinched a fourth straight Summit Conference championship for Hartville. The Eagles are the top seed for next week’s Class 2 District 4 tournament at Sparta High School and face Norwood in Monday’s opening round.

Upcoming games: Class 2 District 4 tournament @ Sparta HS (Feb. 20, 22 and 24)

3. Mountain Grove (22-2, Class 3, PR: 3) – The Panthers claimed at least a share of a third straight SCA title, following Friday’s win over Thayer and last night’s win at Houston. Only Ava stands in the way of the Panthers and an outright SCA 3-peat. Mountain Grove’s senior class will go down as one of the most successful the program has ever seen. The Panthers were 10-12 when this senior group were freshmen (2013-14), which came after a 1-win season in 2012-13. Mtn. Grove started hot against Thayer, as five players had eight or more points by halftime. The Panthers are the top seed for next week’s Class 3 District 10 tournament at Cabool High School and face Houston in Monday’s opening round.

Upcoming games: Feb. 17 vs. Ava, Class 3 District 10 tournament @ Cabool HS (Feb. 20, 23 and 25)

4. Thayer (22-3, Class 2, PR: 4) – No SCA title for the Bobcats this year following Friday’s loss at Mountain Grove, but Thayer’s poised to be the league favorite for the 2017-18 season. Zyman Langley (12.5 ppg) is one of two seniors in Thayer’s predominant seven-man rotation, and the lone senior starter. Kobe Meyer (13.3 ppg), Ayden Stone (11.1 ppg, 7.4 rpg), Jalen Andrews (10.4 ppg) and Dagen Jones (8.9 ppg) return to the starting lineup next season. Thayer has now posted 20 or more wins three times since the 2013-14 season. After beating Willow Springs 75-45 in its home finale last night, Thayer closes the regular season at Houston this Thursday. The Bobcats are the top seed in the Class 2 District 3 tournament at Van Buren High School and play Naylor in Saturday’s opening round.

Upcoming games: Feb. 16 @ Houston, Class 2 District 3 tournament @ Van Buren HS (Feb. 18, 20 and 23)

5. Kickapoo (18-4, Class 5, PR: 5) – The Chiefs’ offense is producing at a high rate right now. With recent victories over Joplin (84-39, Feb. 10) and Rolla (91-44, Feb. 44), Kickapoo has scored 80 or more points in five straight games. The strength of schedule hasn’t been great, but the Chiefs are – for the most part – dominating teams in a way you’d like to see from a group trying to get back to the state final four.  Jared Ridder is 54 points away from becoming Kickapoo’s all-time scoring leader. He’s playing really well. Ridder scored 30 against Joplin and 30 against Rolla, giving him four straight games of 30 or more points. Kickapoo finishes the regular season with three consecutive home games.

Upcoming games: Feb. 17 vs. Waynesville, Feb. 21 vs. Hillcrest, Feb. 24 vs. Hazelwood Central

6. Bolivar (22-3, Class 4, PR: 6) – The Liberators honored their senior class last night, then thumped Buffalo 73-26. Brandon Emmert and Conley Garrison have made immeasurable contributions to the program on and off the court and will go down as two all-time greats. The Liberators have two challenging road games ahead as they chase a third straight COC-Small championship. Bolivar’s likely the top seed for the Class 4 District 9 tournament in a few weeks.

Upcoming games: Feb. 17 @ Rogersville, Feb. 21 @ Reeds Spring, Feb. 23 @ Ozark

7. Licking (22-3, Class 3, PR: 9) – The Wildcats have built a modest nine-game winning streak heading into districts. Much of that streak has come against Frisco League competition, including recent wins against Stoutland (81-59, Feb. 9), Richland (78-49, Feb. 10) and Plato (60-40, Feb. 14). Licking finishes the regular season at Iberia this Thursday, with an outright Frisco League title at stake. Licking’s the No. 2 seed in the Class 3 District 10 tournament at Cabool High School, where a finals rematch with Mtn. Grove could await. The two battled in a triple-overtime classic earlier this season, with Mtn. Grove winning 83-82 but Licking also having multiple chances to win. The Wildcats are very close to being 25-0 at the moment. Licking’s three losses this season (Hartville, Mtn. Grove and Rolla) have come by a total of eight points.

Upcoming games: Feb. 16 @ Iberia, Class 3 District 10 tournament @ Cabool HS (Feb. 21, 23 and 25)

8. Republic (18-5, Class 5, PR: 11) – It’s not the most thrilling brand of basketball at times – see Republic holding the ball for nearly three minutes at the end of the second quarter last night – but the Tigers, under coach Trevyor Fisher, have produce the most important result: victories. Republic won a thrilling, double-overtime game at Nixa last night, as Caleb Singley got a tip-in at the buzzer for the game-winner. Afterwards, Fisher explained his decision-making at the end of the second quarter, saying Republic had to utilize a burn-the-clock strategy with three players in foul trouble. The Tigers, already trailing by three, couldn’t afford to trade baskets with the Eagles and give them multiple possessions. Republic’s now in position for its fourth 20-win season in five years under Fisher, two of which included state championships. The Tigers are always consistent, reliable and come to play against any and all level of competition. Four of Republic’s five losses this season have come by five or fewer points. The other loss, by 18 against national power Sierra Canyon, was a game where Republic held its own against elite-level talent. Last night’s win puts Republic in position for an outright COC-Large title – and the likely No. 1 seed in the Class 5 District 12 tournament in a few weeks – but three conference games still remain.

Upcoming games: Feb. 17 vs. Willard, Feb. 21 @ Ozark, Feb. 23 vs. Carthage 

9. Nixa (20-3, Class 5, PR: 7) – Do you believe in deja vu? Last season, Republic pulled off a rather surprising home upset of Nixa, before the Eagles responded three weeks later by hammering the Tigers in the district championship game. I’m not saying Nixa will blow out the Tigers again in a few weeks if the two meet with a district championship on the line, but I very much like the Eagles’ postseason hopes going forward. As Nixa coach Jay Osborne pointed out afterwards, the Eagles had a chance to close out the victory last night. Four of Nixa’s six possessions at the end of regulation ended in turnovers. Nixa normally executes much better than that. Is it bad/does it matter that I think Nixa is still the slightly better team here? Can we go 8A and 8B with these two teams in the rankings this week?

Upcoming games: Feb. 17 vs. Webb City, Feb. 21 @ Pittsburg, Kan., Feb. 23 @ Neosho

10. Clever (19-5, Class 3, PR: 10) – Clever’s winning streak is up to six games, with a repeat SWCL title in sight, heading into district play next week. Recent wins over Ash Grove (62-44, Feb. 10) and Sparta (71-52, Feb. 14) have Clever on the brink of another 20-win season. I do worry about about Clever’s strength of schedule heading into districts next week. Clever’s SOS isn’t at the level of Fair Grove’s or Catholic’s, and I think that’s part of the reason why Clever lost in the semifinals to Conway last year. We’ll see if that matters next week. Clever’s the No. 2 seed in the Class 3 District 11 tournament at Fair Grove High School and plays Hollister in Tuesday’s opening round, with a semifinals clash with Catholic likely to follow. First order of business is tomorrow night versus Billings, as Clever tries to repeat as undefeated SWCL champs.

Upcoming games: Feb. 16 vs. Billings, Class 3 District 11 tournament @ Fair Grove HS (Feb. 21, 23 and 25)

11. Hermitage (23-4, Class 1, PR: 12) – Hermitage sent its stellar senior class out with a bang last night, crushing Montrose 79-47 at home. Senior Dillon Meyer surpassed 1,500 career points and also became Hermitage’s all-time scoring leader (since records were kept). The Hornets picked up a win over Class 2 Stoutland on the road last Friday. Hermitage has reached the 20-win plateau for the second straight season. The Hornets are the top seed for next week’s Class 1 District 7 tournament at Halfway High School and face Humansville in Monday’s opening round. Hermitage’s final regular season opponent – Wheatland – is an intriguing matchup. The two played earlier this season in the Humansville Tournament finals, with Hermitage winning 67-61. They’re also likely to meet again on Feb. 24 in the Class 1 District 7 tournament finals.

Upcoming games: Feb. 17 @ Wheatland, Class 1 District 7 tournament @ Halfway HS (Feb. 20, 22 and 24)

12. Fair Grove (20-5, Class 3, PR: 8) – When teams in the top 10 of our power rankings (Fair Grove) lose to teams outside the top 15 (Catholic), trying to figure out slotting positions gets a whole lot more challenging. Thanks, Catholic. Very few not wearing green and white likely foresaw last night’s result – a 59-52 win by Catholic on Fair Grove’s home court – coming, but it’s a sign that Catholic’s predominantly young roster is ready to contend with some of the other local Class 3 heavyweights. I still Fair Grove’s the better team and would win a hypothetical best-of-7 series, but none of that mattered last night. Catholic jumped out to an early lead (17-7) and perhaps most surprisingly, pulled away in the fourth quarter to claim the win. Fair Grove led 39-36 entering the fourth, where the Irish outscored the Eagles 23-13. Catholic scored the game’s final six points. Catholic limited Fair Grove senior Garrett Kesterson to only 13 points, while freshman Cole Gilpin led the way with 15 points. The Irish, a very balanced team, were led by Jake Branham’s 15 points. Catholic’s likely to see Clever in the Class 3 District 11 tournament semifinals next week, and I think that’s a favorable matchup for the Irish with their size and physicality. As for Fair Grove, the Eagles are the top seed and host for the Class 3 District 11 tournament. They finish the regular season on Friday against Strafford – with a Mid-Lakes Conference title at stake – and are likely to play the Indians again less than a week later in the district semifinals.

Upcoming games: Feb. 17 vs. Strafford, Class 3 District 11 tournament @ Fair Grove HS (Feb. 21, 23 and 25)

13. Hillcrest (17-6, Class 4, PR: 13) – The Hornets blew out West Plains 80-50 on senior night last night. Tyem Freeman continues to defy gravity. Only two regular season games remain, including a Feb. 21 tilt with Kickapoo. Are the Hornets the team that beat Bolivar on the road and played Glendale to a wild, double-overtime loss, or the team that needed double-OT to beat Rolla and lost to a .500 Webb City squad? When Hillcrest is clicking, they’re really impressive.

Upcoming games: Feb. 17 @ Camdenton, Feb. 21 @ Kickapoo

14. Greenfield (21-3, Class 1, PR: 14) – Only Diamond stands in the way of the Wildcats and an undefeated SRVC championship. Greenfield’s peaking at the right time, with recent wins over Sarcoxie (64-32, Feb. 10), Jasper (73-27, Feb. 13) and Miller (73-34, Feb. 14). The winning streak stands at 15 games. Greenfield’s benefited from a balanced attack. Junior Marcus Wright leads the Wildcats with 19.5 points per game, in addition to 5.5 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals. He’s joined by senior Mason Jones (12 ppg), senior Jalen Roby (9.6 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 4.0 apg) and junior Colin White (9.5 ppg, 6 rpg). All five of Greenfield’s starters have led the team in scoring in at least one game this season. During Greenfield’s win streak, the Wildcats have held opponents to an average of 40 points per game while scoring 68 and averaging 16 assists per game. Greenfield’s the No. 2 seed in the Class 1 District 5 tournament at Willard High School and faces Wheaton in Saturday’s opening round.

Upcoming games: Feb. 17 @ Diamond, Class 1 District 5 tournament @ Willard HS (Feb. 18, 21 and 23)

15. Lamar (19-3, Class 3, PR: 15) – Defense and tempo has been Lamar’s M.O. this season. The Tigers, under first-year coach Tyler Ryerson, aim to force about 20 turnovers per game. They have a roster stacked with multi-sport athletes and are able to chase that number every night. The offense is centered around forward Trey Mooney (14.5 ppg, 7 rpg) and post Sam Timmons (17. 5 ppg, 7 rpg), who lead the team in scoring. Their touches and paint presence create a lot of shooting and driving opportunities for guards such as Ian Moore (11.5 ppg), Luke Hardman (9 ppg) and Anthony Wilkerson (6.5 ppg). Lamar can claim its first Big 8 championship since the 1995-96 season with a win at Aurora on Friday. The Tigers are the top seed for next week’s Class 3 District 12 tournament and play East Newton in Tuesday’s opening round.

Upcoming games: Feb. 17 @ Aurora, Class 3 District 12 tournament @ Seneca HS (Feb. 21, 24 and 25)

Knocking on the door: Wheatland (20-5, Class 1), Greenwood (20-3, Class 2), Marionville (21-3, Class 2), Lincoln (23-1 ,Class 2), McAuley Catholic (20-4, Class 2), Springfield Catholic (17-7, Class 3), Glendale (18-6, Class 5), Ozark (16-7, Class 5)