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.
1A boys Regional at Milford is one to watch. Milford boys Regional includes Milford, Cissna Park and Judah Christian.