Top Tourney Games 2009

Who are the state's top boys basketball teams? Find out here, as Vype Central Kansas released its first-ever state power rankings today. They are accessible under the Rankings tab, the same place where the coaches' class rankings are listed. The power rankings will be updated by each Monday. This first run will shake up after this weekend's mid-season boys tournaments wrap up. There are several tournaments which offer match-ups that will directly effect the power rankings. (Oh, if only these rankings could be settled at season's send by having fewer classes and more competitive state tournaments.) The current rankings, compiled by Vype editor Tom Witherspoon, are: 1. Topeka Highland Park 2. Shawnee Mission Northwest 3. Topeka Hayden 4. Wichita Heights 5. Bishop Miege 6. Wichita Southeast 7. Olathe East 8. McPherson 9. Wichita East 10. Bishop Carroll No. 1 Highland Park hosts its own tournament this weekend, bringing in No. 9 Wichita East, Lawrence and two-time 4A Colorado champ, Denver Lincoln. If Highland Park loses to either Lawrence or Wichita East, they will fall to the bottom half of the power rankings. If Lawrence can get by Lincoln and beat Highland Park somehow, they'll be ranked, as will more schools from the northeastern part of the state. If Wichita East makes the final and beats Highland Park, I'll ranked them fifth. Do the math. No. 2 Shawnee Mission Northwest whipped Olathe East recently, but, get this, Lawrence beat them. Lawrence is an up-and-down team, capable of beating anyone if their star, Dorian Green, explodes for over 30. One-loss Manhattan found that out at 6A state last season. SM Northwest plays at the St. Thomas Aquinas tournament this weekend, same as No. 10 Bishop Carroll and No. 5 Bishop Miege. Miege locks up with Carroll in the first round of the St. Thomas Aquinas tournament in Overland Park on Thursday. Carroll will contend in this game, unless Miege has unbelievable guards. A Carroll win will keep them stagnant in the rankings and kick Miege out. No offense to Carroll. If they somehow win the tourney, they're in the top five. No. 3 Topeka Hayden goes to the Burlington tournament. Sabetha and Rossville, ranked in 3A, and Labette County, ranked No. 6 in 4A, are in attendance. Hayden shouldn't have any problems. This team is wasting its time in Class 4A. No. 4 Wichita Heights attends a most intriguing tournament this weekend. They start off with Hutch, a football team on a basketball court. The tenor of the result depends on whether Geneo Grissom is allowed, or is able, to muscle Perry Ellis, The match-up to anticipate, of course, is a Heights versus No. 8 McPherson final. It should happen. The winner will be top five next week. No. 6 Southeast will absolutely roll at Valley Center's January Jam. No affect on the rankings. No. 7 Olathe East plays in the very difficult Liberty (Mo.) tournament, so a loss there won't kill their status in Kansas rankings. Read editor Tom Witherspoon's mid-season report by clicking on the Local tab at the top of the page.