Ballot breakdown: High school basketball, Feb. 14, 2018

A look at how News-Gazette prep sports coordinator — and Associated Press voting member — COLIN LIKAS' high school basketball polls:

COLIN'S TOP 10: Class 4A boys

RK., TEAM PREV.

1. Simeon 1

2. Curie 2

3. Belleville West 3

4. Danville 4

5. Normal West 5

6. Whitney Young 6

7. Evanston Township 7

8. Bloomington 8

9. Niles North 9

10. Loyola Academy —

Colin's comment: It's not too often top-five teams square off at any point in the season, but Danville and Normal West have that opportunity Friday when the Wildcats visit the Vikings.

COLIN'S TOP 10: Class 3A boys

RK., TEAM PREV.

1. Springfield Southeast 1

2. Morgan Park 2

3. Springfield Lanphier 3

4. Alton Marquette 4

5. Marian Catholic 6

6. Hillcrest 7

7. DePaul College Prep 5

8. Burlington Central 8

9. Centralia 9

10. Champaign Central —

Colin's comment: Jeff Finke's Maroons have done enough of late to regain a spot in my top 10, but they face a serious challenge in six days when Normal West and Illinois recruiting target Francis Okoro stop in Champaign County.

COLIN'S TOP 10: Class 2A boys

RK., TEAM PREV.

1. Orr 1

2. Winnebago 2

3. Pinckneyville 3

4. Monticello 5

5. Warsaw West Hancock 4

6. Leo 8

7. Bloomington Central Catholic 6

8. Eldorado 7

9. St. Jospeh-Ogden 10

10. Chicago Uplift —

Colin's comment: Kevin Roy's Sages jump a spot after taking care of Bloomington Central Catholic in Illini Prairie Conference action and look primed to follow up on last season's 2A state showing.

COLIN'S TOP 10: Class 1A boys

RK., TEAM PREV.

1. East Dubuque 2

2. Aurora Christian 1

3. DePue 4

4. Payson Seymour 5

5. Annawan 3

6. Sterling Newman 6

7. Ridgeview 7

8. New Berlin 10

9. Cairo —

10. Nokomis —

Colin's comment: Quite the shakeup was required in 1A this week, as three of the top 10 teams — including then-No. 8 Cissna Park — fell short in a game last week. Cairo and Nokomis step in at the bottom.

COLIN'S TOP 10: Class 4A girls

RK., TEAM PREV.

1. Edwardsville 1

2. Montini 2

3. Rockford Boylan 3

4. Maine West 4

5. Rock Island 6

6. Geneva 7

7. Lincoln-Way East 5

8. Benet 8

9. Loyola Academy 10

10. Normal Community —

Colin's comment: I'd had Lincoln-Way East rated above the consensus AP pick for a few weeks, and it bit me when the Griffins dropped a game. Meanwhile, Normal Community is back in my top 10 after dumping Danville.

COLIN'S TOP 10: Class 3A girls

RK., TEAM PREV.

1. Richwoods 1

2. Morton 2

3. Bethalto Civic Memorial 3

4. Effingham 4

5. Glenbard South 5

6. Charleston 6

7. Nazareth 7

8. Kaneland 8

9. Breese Central 9

10. Evergreen Park 10

Colin's comment: Keeping it simple this week in 3A, as none of my top-10 teams suffered a defeat. I remain steadfast in believing Richwoods should hold the No. 1 spot, though consensus voting says otherwise.