Sports Editor MATT DANIELS unveils The News-Gazette’s latest Top 10 area high school boys’ basketball poll:

1. Bismarck-Henning/Rossville-Alvin

➜ Record: 16-0

➜ Previous ranking: No. 1

Keison Peoples and the Blue Devils play their first game of 2025 on Friday night at home against an Iroquois West team that’s won five straight. Then, a quick turnaround to play Normal U-High at noon on Saturday to tip off the Christie Clinic Shootout in St. Joseph.

2. Tuscola

➜ Record: 15-1

➜ Previous ranking: No. 2

Parker James and the Warriors lost for the first time this season last Saturday at Casey-Westfield, but recovered nicely to top Arcola at home on Tuesday night. Central Illinois Conference play begins for Tuscola on Friday night with a home date against Shelbyville.

3. Arcola

➜ Record: 12-3

➜ Previous ranking: No. 3

Tanner Thomas and the Purple Riders hung with Tuscola for most of Tuesday night’s game. Impressive. Now, Arcola returns to Lincoln Prairie Conference play and will try to get to 3-0 in league games when it travels to face Argenta-Oreana on Friday night.

4. Westville

➜ Record: 15-3

➜ Previous ranking: No. 7

Easton Barney and the Tigers have won nine of their last 10 games and are still perfect in Vermilion Valley Conference play following lopsided wins against Georgetown-Ridge Farm and Cissna Park in the last week. Next up: a home game next Tuesday against Iroquois West.

5. St. Joseph-Ogden

➜ Record: 8-5

➜ Previous ranking: No. 4

Tanner Siems and the Spartans have played a difficult schedule, to say the least, after Tuesday night’s loss at unbeaten Williamsville. SJ-O will try to avoid its third straight loss when it hosts Warrensburg-Latham team at 7:30 p.m. Saturday to conclude its own Christie Clincic Shootout

6. Champaign Central

➜ Record: 8-6

➜ Previous ranking: No. 5

Chris Bush and the Maroons haven’t played since placing sixth at the Centralia Holiday Tournament on Dec. 28. A Friday night home date with Peoria Notre Dame, a Tuesday night home game against Normal West and a trip to play at rival Centennial on Jan. 17 are on tap, though.

7. Armstrong-Potomac

➜ Record: 12-4

➜ Previous ranking: No. 9

Bowen Hesterberg and the Trojans easily won at home against Milford last Friday night and topped Schlarman on the road Tuesday night. A home game with Cissna Park is on the schedule for Friday night before a chance to upset Bismarck-Henning/Rossville-Alvin at home on Tuesday.

8. LeRoy

➜ Record: 10-4

➜ Previous ranking: No. 6

Andrew Fleming and the Panthers have lost two of three, with a road win against Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond sandwiched in between home losses against Clinton and El Paso-Gridley in 2025. LeRoy returns to action on Tuesday at Eureka.

9. Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley

➜ Record: 9-4

➜ Previous ranking: No. 8

Matt Allen and the Falcons last played on Dec. 28 by placing fifth at the Monticello Holiday Hoopla. Two games this weekend — Friday night at Eureka and Saturday evening at home against Hoopeston Area — make up for the ample amount of practice time they’ve had since then.

10. Centennial

➜ Record: 6-7

➜ Previous ranking: No. 10

Kayden Peat and the Chargers, off since beating Unity in the fifth-place game at the Effingham-Teutopolis Christmas Classic on Dec. 28, have three road games in the next five days. Starting Friday night with a trip to play at Normal West and continuing Saturday at Chatham Glenwood.