Week 16 Boys Basketball Rankings: MBA outlasts JPII in double-overtime classic

The Division II semifinals are set and public schools are starting to inch closer and closer to Murfreesboro.

Five teams in our coverage area will get the chance to play for a state title in Cookeville while most of our other teams continued on.

However, some teams saw their seasons come to an end and the prompted some changes in this week’s area rankings.

Large Class teams include 4A, 3A, and Division II-AA. Small Class teams include 4A, 3A, and Division II-AA.

Here’s a look at the top 20 teams in our area entering the fifth week of the season.

Large Class

1. Hillsboro (29-5): Round 3 between the Burros and Antioch wasn’t as close as the first two with Hillsboro rolling to the 80-37. They carried that momentum into their first region matchup crushing Green Hill 69-38.

2. Hume-Fogg (25-3): In their third meeting against MLK, the Blue Knights never had any issues cruising to the District 10-3A title by a score of 63-49. Their first game of region play was also a blowout win as they beat Portland 59-40.

3. Franklin (24-5): Christian Brown averaged 26 points and 11 rebounds in each of the Admirals’ wins. He had 19 and eight in their 42-40 District 10-4A championship win over Independence before scoring 33 points and hauling in 14 rebounds in a 64-40 win over Warren County.

4. MBA (23-6): Down seven with 56 seconds remaining, the Big Red were able to rally and force a pair of overtimes before beating JPII 80-78 in the DII-AA region quarterfinals. Mill Chapman scored 25 points in the win and Collin O’Neal added in 21.

5. Pope John Paul II (27-5): Missed free throws and foul issues hurt the Knights as they couldn’t close out in their region quarterfinals matchup with the Big Red.

The rest of the top 10

6. Kirkwood (23-5)

7. Independence (19-12)

8. Ensworth (19-10)

9. Father Ryan (21-9)

10. Beech (23-7)

Small Class

1. Providence Christian (28-2): GCA stood no chance on the road at PCA. The Lions got going early and rolled to the DII-A final four with a 92-47 win.

2. Goodpasture (29-2): The Cougars went on the road and flexed their way back into Cookeville. They rolled to an 82-64 road win.

3. Eagleville (25-2): Winning by double digits just comes easy to the Eagles. They crushed Moore County 65-20 for the District 9-1A title and beat Culleoka 67-32 in their first region tournament game.

4. BGA (23-12): After leading big early, the Wildcats got a scare from Boyd Buchanan before eventually pulling away for the 60-52 win.

5. Jo Byrns (20-6): After beating East Robertson by two for the District 8-1A crown, the Red Devils had it a little easier in their first region game. They beat Clarkrange 64-52 Saturday night.