BREAKING NEWS :

Here is the Week 9 basketball poll. Things are starting to cement as the post-season draws closer – at least in the top spots. Although I will say teams who lose at this point are likely to fall far, as was the case with Issaquah, who went from No. 2 in the 4A girls poll all the way down to No. 4. The Newport girls hung tough, edging up to the vacant No. 2 spot.

Bellevue is still dominating the 3A boys league, locally and across the state with a perfect Enumclaw team their only obstacle to No. 1. Tonight the Wolverine’s host the Mercer Island boys and tomorrow the Mercer Island girls, who stayed in No. 4 travel to take on Bellevue.

As the post-season gets closer – who do you think will be moving up or down as the season continues? Thoughts/comments? Let me know!

Class 4A boys
1. Federal Way (16-1)
2. Gonzaga Prep (16-1)
3. Curtis (17-1)
4. Jackson (15-1)
5. Walla Walla (15-2)
6. Kamiakin (12-3)
7. Richland (14-3)
8. Skyline (13-3)
9. Lake Stevens (13-4)
10. Garfield (12-4)
Others receiving votes: Beamer (13-5), Decatur (13-6)

Class 4A girls
1. Auburn Riverside (18-0)
2. Newport (15-1)
3. Woodinville (15-1)
4. Issaquah (13-3)
5. Federal Way (15-4)
6. Edmonds-Woodway (15-1)
7. Chiawana (16-1)
8. Jackson (13-3)
9. Kentwood (14-4)
10. Wenatchee (11-4)
Others receiving votes: South Kitsap (13-5), Richland (13-4), Mount Tahoma (16-3), Marysville-Pilchuck (13-4), Bethel (14-4)

Class 3A boys
1. Enumclaw (16-0)
2. Bellevue  (16-1)
3. Rainier Beach (13-3)
4. Seattle Prep (14-3)
5. Lakes (14-2)
6. Mount Si (12-4)
7. Capital (14-1)
8. Shadle Park (12-4)
9. Meadowdale (13-3)
10. O’Dea (12-5)
Others receiving votes: Bremerton (10-4), Mount Rainier (11-5), Franklin Pierce (10-5)

Class 3A girls
1. Holy Names (15-2)
2. Kennedy Catholic (14-3)
3. White River (15-2)
4. Mercer Island (13-3)
5. Bonney Lake (13-4)
6. Port Angeles (13-2)
7. Mount Rainier (14-2)
8. Yelm (12-4)
9. Sumner (11-5)
10. Lakeside (11-6)
Others receiving votes: Central Valley (12-4), Shorecrest (11-5), Prarie (13-3), West Valley (11-4)

The poll is voted on by sportswriters from various Reporter papers in King, Pierce and Snohomish counties. Feel free to chime in with your thoughts and opinions.

The Mercer Island girls are sitting at No. 4 in the 3A poll, but those top four teams essentially hold the same record. The Islander girls outlasted a tough Mt. Si team last night 51-50.

Issaquah and Newport in the girls 4A poll still sit in top spots, as do the Bellevue boys who held on to No. 2 this week, despite a close game against Sammamish last week.

Class 4A boys
1. Federal Way (12-1)
2. Gonzaga Prep (12-1)
3. Curtis (14-1)
4. Richland (12-1)
5. Jackson (11-1)
6. Walla Walla (11-2)
7. Skyline (12-1)
8. Lake Stevens (10-4)
9. Decatur (11-4)
10. Foss (10-3)
Others receiving votes: Kamiakin (11-2), Lincoln (8-5), Kentridge (11-4)

Class 4A girls
1. Auburn Riverside (15-0)
2. Woodinville (12-0)
3. Issaquah (11-1)
4. Newport (11-1)
5. Federal Way (11-3)
6. Edmonds-Woodway (11-1)
7. Kentwood (11-3)
8. Jackson (11-1)
9. Chiawana (11-1)
10. Lewis and Clark (8-5)
Others receiving votes: Bellarmine Prep (9-5), Marysville-Pilchuck (10-3), Mount Tahoma (12-2)

Class 3A boys
1. Enumclaw (13-0)
2. Bellevue (13-1)
3. Rainier Beach (11-3)
4. Seattle Prep (11-3)
5. Lakes (11-2)
6. O’Dea (10-4)
7. Shadle Park (9-3)
8. Mount Si (10-4)
9. Capital (10-1)
10. Kennedy Catholic (9-5)
Others receiving votes: Meadowdale (10-2), Franklin Pierce (8-4), Sammamish (10-4), Shorecrest (9-3), Franklin (7-6)

Class 3A girls
1. Holy Names (11-2)
2. Kennedy Catholic (11-4)
3. White River (11-3)
4. Mercer Island (11-3)
5. Lakes (9-4)
6. Bonney Lake (10-3)
7. Yelm (10-1)
8. Mount Rainier (11-2)
9. Lakeside (8-5)
10. Seattle Prep (7-6)
Others receiving votes: Shadle Park (7-5), Port Angeles (11-2), Shorecrest (7-4), Sumner (8-4), Meadowdale (8-4), Renton (7-4)

The season is right around the half way mark and the basketball polls couldn’t be any closer. The top three teams in the boys 3A poll were separated by just one point this week with undefeated Bellevue nabbing the top spot.

The Mercer Island girls jumped into the top five with a No. 4 ranking in the state. They are in firm command of the 3A KingCo league after dominating against Bellevue last Friday. As a little side note based on the numbers I’ve been seeing there are no undefeated 3A girls teams in the state this season.

The Bellevue boys took the top place in the 3A ranking as they are undefeated at 11-0. After watching them play against a fired up MI boys team last Friday, the Wolverines were cool and calm, obviously in control as they have been all season.

In the 4A girls arena Issaquah and Newport swapped No. 3 and No. 4 after the Lady Eagles beat Newport in the Knights first loss this season. Should be interesting to see how things play out until March.

Class 4A boys
1. Federal Way (10-0)
2. Curtis (11-0)
3. Gonzaga Prep (9-1)
4. Richland (10-0)
5. Jackson (9-1)
6. Decatur (8-2)
7. Kamiakin (9-1)
8. Skyline (8-1)
9. Foss (9-2)
10. Kentridge (8-3)
Others receiving votes: Walla Walla (7-2), Lake Washington (8-2), Lake Stevens (8-3)

Class 4A girls
1. Auburn Riverside (11-0)
2. Woodinville (10-0)
3. Issaquah (9-1)
4. Newport (9-1)
5. Federal Way (9-2)
6. Kentwood (8-2)
7. Lewis and Clark (7-3)
8. Edmonds-Woodway (8-1)
9. Jackson (8-1)
10. Chiawana (9-1)
Others receiving votes: Bellarmine Prep (7-3), Monroe (9-1), Richland (8-2), Wenatchee (7-4), Kentlake (8-3), Marysville-Pilchuck (8-3)

Class 3A boys
1. Bellevue (11-0)
2. Enumclaw (9-0)
3. Rainier Beach (7-3)
4. Seattle Prep (8-3)
5. Lakes (7-2)
6. O’Dea (8-3)
7. Shadle Park (8-2)
8. Mount Si (8-3)
9. Hazen (9-2)
10. Capital (7-1)
Others receiving votes: Franklin (5-5), Meadowdale (7-2), Columbia River (7-3), Foster (7-2), Hudson’s Bay (8-1), Sammamish (9-3)

Class 3A girls
1. Holy Names (9-2)
2. Kennedy Catholic (8-3)
3. White River (8-1)
4. Mercer Island (8-3)
5. Sumner (8-2)
6. Bonney Lake (8-3)
7. Lakes (7-3)
8. Mount Rainier (8-2)
9. Shadle Park (7-3)
10. Lakeside (7-5)
Others receiving votes: Prarie (6-3), Yelm (9-1), Mount Tahoma (10-2), Meadowdale (5-4), Shorecrest (5-3)

After what feels like much more than a week off here’s our latest basketball poll. The 4A boys stayed pretty much the same, with the exception of Lake Washington jumping from the ‘other’ category to No. 5 with a 7-1 record. In 4A girls Newport jumped up to No. 2, staying undefeated after defeating Mercer Island last week in a non-conference match up. Lewis and Clark fell from No. 2 all the way down to No. 6 after two straight losses during the break. The boys of Rainier Beach in the 3A poll fell from No. 1 to No. 3 after going 1-3 over the break (which coincidentally is the same record the MIHS boys had over the holidays – except they haven’t made the poll yet). So undefeated Enumclaw and Bellevue take the top two spots. The Mercer Island girls stayed in the No. 6 spot for the 3A girls, White River and Kennedy Catholic  swapped the No. 2 and 3 positions, while Holy Names stayed firmly in the top place.

This Friday the Islanders will be taking on Bellevue, both girls and boys teams. It will be a good chance to check out the Wolverines undefeated boys team and to see Aaron Bright in action, and another conference test for the girls. Tip off is 6:30 p.m.

Week Five Basketball Poll

The Reporter Newspapers Basketball Poll is voted on by members of various Reporter Newspapers across the state.
Class 4A
1. Federal Way (7-0)
2. Jackson (7-0)
3. Curtis (10-0)
4. Gonzaga Prep (7-1)
5. Lake Washington (7-1)
6. Decatur (7-2)
7. Foss (7-2)
8. Kamiakin (8-0)
9. Richland (7-0)
10. Walla Walla (6-2)
Others who receiving votes: Lake Stevens (6-3), Kentridge (7-3), Skyline (6-1), Davis (6-1)

Class 4A girls
1. Auburn Riverside (9-0)
2. Newport (8-0)
3. Woodinville (8-0)
4. Issaquah (7-1)
5. Kentwood (6-2)
6. Lewis and Clark (5-3)
7. Federal Way (6-2)
8. Kentlake (8-0)
9. Edmonds-Woodway (6-1)
10. Monroe (8-1)
Others receiving votes: Bellarmine Prep (5-3), Jackson (6-1), Garfield (4-3)

Class 3A boys
1. Enumclaw (7-0)
2. Bellevue (10-0)
3. Rainier Beach (5-3)
4. Mount Si (7-2)
5. Lakes (6-1)
6. Shadle Park (7-2)
7. Seattle Prep (6-3)
8. O’Dea (7-2)
9. Bainbridge (6-2)
10. Union (5-3)
Others receiving votes: Capital (6-1), Foster (6-2), Shorecrest (5-2), Cascade (6-2), Hudson’s Bay (6-1), Hazen (7-2)

Class 3A girls
1. Holy Names (8-2)
2. White River (7-1)
3. Kennedy Catholic (6-2)
4. Lakes (6-2)
5. Bonney Lake (7-2)
6. Mercer Island (7-3)
7. Shadle Park (6-3)
8. Prarie (7-3)
9. Mount Rainier (7-1)
10. Cleveland (4-2)
Others receiving votes: Ferndale (4-2), Meadowdale (5-2), Mount Tahoma (8-2), Yelm (8-1)

Here’s the Week 2 basketball poll. Records as of Tuesday (12/15) morning. Local schools are in bold.

The Mercer Island girls actually fell a place in the polls, despite the fact they’ve won their last four games in a row. The MI boys have yet to make the list, especially following a close loss to O’Dea over the weekend. A couple wins over solid opponents, which in KingCo is almost everyone, and I would imagine the boys would enter our list.

There were two big changes this week in the boys 4A poll. First the Kentwood boys team fell from third in the 4A poll to eighth. This comes after Josh Smith, counted as one of the best players in the state and UCLA recruit, suffered an injury to his knee. His current status is unknown – he may be undergoing surgery to get it fixed. The second big change was Ferris dropping from fourth to 10th as the team has played only one game this season and lost.

It’s always tough before the teams really get into their season to predict who will be where. As injuries, tough opponents and the season wears on we’ll get a better idea of who will likely end up where. Check back next week for another update!

Class 4A boys
1. Federal Way (4-0)
2. Gonzaga Prep (3-0)
3. Walla Walla (3-0)
4. Decatur (5-0)
5. Jackson (4-0)
6. Garfield (2-0)
7. Curtis (5-0)
8. Kentwood (2-1)
9. Lincoln (3-1)
10. Ferris (0-1)
Others receiving votes: Kentridge (3-1), Lake Stevens (3-0), Skyline (2-0), Foss (3-1), Mount Tahoma (4-1), Davis (5-0)

Class 4A girls
1. Auburn-Riverside (5-0)
2. Lewis and Clark (2-1)
3. Newport (6-0)
4. Kentwood (4-1)
5. Issaquah (3-0)
6. Woodinville (3-0)
7. Mead (2-1)
8. Edmonds-Woodway (4-0)
9. Federal Way (3-2)
10. Jackson (3-1)
Others receiving votes: Chiwana (3-0), Bellarmine Prep (2-1), Garfield (1-2), Kentlake (5-0), Pasco (3-1)

Class 3A boys
1. Rainier Beach (2-0)
2. Franklin (2-0)
3. Enumclaw (2-0)
4. Bellevue (4-0)
5. Seattle Prep (5-0)
6. O’Dea (4-1)
7. Mount Si (3-1)
8. Shorecrest (4-0)
9. Lakes (2-1)
10. Chief Sealth (1-0)
Others receiving votes: Meadowdale (3-1), Evergreen (4-0), Union (1-0), Shadle Park (1-0)

Class 3A girls
1. Kennedy Catholic (3-1)
2. Holy Names (4-1)
3. White River (4-0)
4. Bonney Lake (5-0)
5. Prarie (3-2)
6. Lakeside (4-0)
7. Mercer Island (4-1)
8. Bellevue (3-2)
9. Ferndale (2-0)
10. Shadle Park (1-2)
Others receiving votes: Cleveland (3-2), Shorecrest (3-1), Hanford (1-1)