Sports Editor Matt Daniels reveals The News-Gazette’s latest Top 10 area high school boys’ basketball poll and first one of 2025:
1. Bismarck-Henning/Rossville-Alvin
➜ Record: 16-0
➜ Previous ranking: No. 1
Caden Keleminic and the Blue Devils didn’t slow during the holidays, easily winning the 10-team Heritage/BHRA Holiday Tournament with a 71-46 victory against Armstrong-Potomac in the title game on Dec. 28. BHRA tries to keep its unbeaten start going when it hosts Iroquois West on Jan. 10.
2. Tuscola
➜ Record: 14-0
➜ Previous ranking: No. 2
Sawyer Woodard and the Warriors showed they can win close games, too, when Tuscola defeated Clinton 43-37 in the title game of the Monticello Holiday Hoopla on Dec. 28. The Warriors make the trip south on Saturday to play at Casey-Westfield before hosting rival Arcola in the Cola Wars next Tuesday night.
3. Arcola
➜ Record: 11-2
➜ Previous ranking: No. 3
Braden Phillips and the Purple Riders won their first three games at the Dieterich Holiday Tournament before falling to the host school in the championship game on Dec. 28. Arcola returns to Lincoln Prairie Conference play with a home game against Tri-County on Friday night before playing at rival Tuscola next Tuesday night.
4. St. Joseph-Ogden
➜ Record: 8-4
➜ Previous ranking: No. 5
Parker Fitch and the Spartans played in the State Farm Holiday Classic championship game for the third straight season, but lost to Pecatonica 67-54 on Monday night at the Shirk Center in Bloomington. Another tough challenge awaits SJ-O in its first game of 2025 at unbeaten Williamsville next Tuesday night.
5. Champaign Central
➜ Record: 8-6
➜ Previous ranking: No. 4
Cayden Love and the Maroons had one of their better showings at the Centralia Holiday Tournament in recent years, ultimately placing sixth at the 16-team tournament last week. Wins against Harding (Tenn.) and Cardinal Ritter (Mo.) helped Central end 2024 on a positive before it hosts Peoria Notre Dame on Jan. 10.
6. LeRoy
➜ Record: 9-2
➜ Previous ranking: No. 6
Jordan Cox and the Panthers have had a break before a busy January unfolds, with LeRoy last playing on Dec. 23 and defeating Blue Ridge 61-45. The Panthers resume action with two games in two days, starting on Friday night at home against Clinton before playing at Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond on Saturday.
7. Westville
➜ Record: 13-3
➜ Previous ranking: No. 7
Aiden White and the Tigers posted a 4-1 record at the Tri-County Holiday Tournament with wins against Martinsville, Windsor/Stewardson-Strasburg, Tri-County and Chrisman. Only Paris topped the Tigers. Westville has a home matchup with rival Georgetown-Ridge Farm on tap on Friday night.
8. Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley
➜ Record: 9-4
➜ Previous ranking: No. 7
Ryker Grauer and the Falcons had their three-game win streak snapped with a 54-44 loss to rival Paxton-Buckley-Loda in their first game at the Monticello Holiday Hoopla on Dec. 26. GCMS went on to place fifth at the holiday tournament and starts 2025 with a Heart of Illinois Conference game at Eureka on Jan. 10.
9. Armstrong-Potomac
➜ Record: 10-4
➜ Previous ranking: No. 9
James Huisinga and the Trojans placed second at the Heritage/BHRA Holiday Tournament, but will carry a two-game losing streak into the new year after losses to Georgetown-Ridge Farm and unbeaten Bismarck-Henning/Rossville-Alvin. Still, the arrow is pointing up for A-P as it gets ready to host Milford on Friday.
10. Centennial
➜ Record: 6-7
➜ Previous ranking: Not ranked
Sherrod Clark and the Chargers have faced a daunting schedule so far, going 3-6 through their first nine games. Centennial fared well, though, at the Effingham-Teutopolis Christmas Classic, beating Unity in the fifth-place game on Dec. 28. The next test for the Chargers comes on Jan. 10 at Normal West.
