Rough week for local teams in new AP state basketball rankings

It was a mostly tough week for metro-east boys basketball teams when the latest Associated Press state rankings were released on Tuesday,

Althoff (12-2), which had been ranked first in Class 3A, dropped to second behind new No. 1 and nationally ranked Morgan Park (12-1) after the Crusaders lost 81-66 to nationally ranked Chaminade on Saturday at the Highland Optimist Shootout.

One team that did make a slight climb was the Central Cougars (14-2). Central’s 3-0 run last week through Wesclin, Columbia and Okawville helped the Cougars climb from third to second in the new 2A state rankings.

Former 1A No. 1 Okawville (13-3) dropped from first to third after losing to Nashville and Central, while Metro-East Lutheran (15-3) somehow dropped from fifth to eighth in 1A despite posting a solid road victory over Effingham St. Anthony.

Edwardsville (12-3) has won five straight, but fell from seventh to eighth in the Class 4A boys state rankings.

Other boys basketball No. 1 teams were Simeon (12-2) in 4A, Winnebago (13-1) in 2A and Brimfield (15-0) in 1A.

The 15-3 Central girls team maintained the top spot in the Class 2A state rankings while Edwardsville (14-1) moved up from sixth to fifth in Class 4A.

Highland (15-3) finally broke through into the Class 3A Top 10, coming in at No. 9 this week.

In 1A, Lebanon (18-1) dropped from sixth to seventh after suffering its first loss this season to Okawville.

Other girls basketball No. 1 teams were Montini (18-0) in 4A, Morgan Park (15-1) in 3A and Central A&M (16-0) in 1A.

This story was originally published January 12, 2016 at 4:04 PM with the headline "Rough week for local teams in new AP state basketball rankings."