YAIAA boys' basketball power rankings, Jan. 12
How crazy is the YAIAA tournament playoff race going to be for Divisions I and II? Right now, you have nine with a legitimate shot at the postseason, and only four league playoff spots to go around. Division II continues to look muddled. And while South Western has carved out a two-game lead in Division I, there's a pack of teams lined up behind them that could pose a serious challenge.
It all makes for a tough task for yours truly this week. Obviously, the Mustangs have staked their claim to the top spot in the rankings. But how do you sort out the teams behind them?
I give it a try after the jump. And remember to check out our live chat here at 4 p.m. on Thursday.
Last week's rankings here.
1. South Western (1) -- No contest here. The Mustangs (13-0) continue to roll along, even if their wins often seem to come in last-gasp fashion. Jamahn Lee sealed a final-minute comeback against Central York on Friday, then Mike Felton deposited the winning bucket of a two-point win over Red Lion on Tuesday. Not sure how much longer South Western can keep playing with fire and surviving, but it's hard to argue with the results. What's most encouraging: It seems like different players keeps stepping up in the clutch. Besides Lee and Felton, Mike Duffy, Parker Bean and Rafe Sanders have all had big moments already.
2. York Suburban (4) -- The Trojans (10-3) have won nine of their last 10, with that one defeat coming in the form of a 56-55 loss to unbeaten South Western. So yes, Suburban has been playing pretty well lately. They beat West York over the weekend, and have also notched wins over Middletown, Bermudian Springs and Delone Catholic, all of which are off to strong starts. Ted Hinnenkamp continues to impress; his 30 points Tuesday against Eastern York pushed his league-best scoring average to 20.9 per game.
3. Dover (NR) -- Talk about hot and cold. The Eagles (9-4) started strong, then lost three in a row to close out December. They've since won four straight in 2012, including a critical 60-54 win over Northeastern on Tuesday to put them alone in first place atop what has been a topsy-turvy Division II. Jerell Figueroa and Connor Snyder are lethal shooters, and fellow senior guard Brandon Smith is a sound ball-handler. Then again, maybe Dover making this list is a bad thing. The last two Division II teams that made the top five (West York and New Oxford) each lost their next game.
4. Dallastown (2) -- Bit of a setback for the Wildcats (8-4) on Tuesday, during a double-digit home loss to Central York. But that was balanced out somewhat by a huge win over William Penn the previous Friday, which helped Dallastown push up to second place in Division I. Huge game coming up this Friday, when the Wildcats visit South Western. Don't expect a shootout in that one; statistically-speaking, Dallastown and South Western feature the division's top two defenses.
5. William Penn (3) -- Might the Bearcats (8-4) have righted the ship after their three-game losing streak? They raced past Spring Grove and West York this week, with that fast-paced, guard-fueled offense seeming to get back on track. After scoring 48 and 49 in a pair of losses last week, William Penn posted 85 and 92, respectively, in its two wins this week. One encouraging stat: Even with its recent swoon, the Bearcats have a point-differential of plus-190 through 12 games -- the highest mark in the league.
In the hunt (alphabetical order): Bermudian Springs (9-2), Central York (7-5), Delone Catholic (8-4), New Oxford (7-4), Northeastern (5-4), Red Lion (7-6), York Catholic (7-2)