Latest state boys basketball rankings: Allen up to No. 5 in 4A

FROM KEITH GROLLER

The regular season is over and the season is basically down to a six-week survival of the fittest.

You've got the league tournament this week, districts the following two weeks and then after a brief pause, you've got a state tournament that you will hope will cover five games stretching over three weekends.

If you're very good and very lucky, you'll have your team playing for state gold on March 25 or 26 at the Bryce Jordan Center.

As you all know by now, it has been a long time since we've had a state champion from District 11 in boys hoops ---25 years ago to be precise.

Can anyone do it this year?

Well, with an impressive final week of the regular season that included wins over Easton, Nazareth, and Pocono Mountain East, Allen is clearly the best team in local high school boys basketball at the moment.

But Allen's had their turn at the top before as has Liberty and Easton. Now it's a matter of peaking at the right time.

We'll see who can put the back-to-back performances together required to win the league tournament this week and then slap together three straight gems to win districts.

Here are the latest state rankings courtesy of the Harrisburg Patriot-News and Michael Bullock;

PENNSYLVANIA BOYS' BASKETBALL RANKINGS

CLASS AAAA Rec Pvs
1. Chester (1) 21-1 1
2. Council Rock North (1) 21-1 2
3. Plymouth-Whitemarsh* (1) 18-4 4
4. Penn Wood (1) 15-7 6
5. William Allen (11) 19-3 7
6. Shaler (7) 21-1 3
7. Reading (3) 18-3 5
8. La Salle (12) 18-3 9
9. Neshaminy (1) 18-4 10
10. Norristown (1) 18-3 8
Honorable mention: Bensalem (1) 17-5, Easton (11) 19-2, Glen Mills (1) 15-7, North Allegheny (7) 18-3, Scranton (2) 20-2, West Chester Rustin (1) 19-3, Wilson (3) 18-4, York (3) 22-1

CLASS AAA Rec Pvs
1. Neumann-Goretti (12) 18-4 1
2. Archbishop Carroll (12) 18-4 2
3. South Fayette# (7) 19-0 3
4. Philadelphia Electrical (12) 20-3 4
5. West Mifflin (7) 19-2 5
6. Eastern York (3) 19-3 6
7. Lancaster Catholic (3) 22-0 7
8. Sharon (10) 18-2 9
9. Octorara (1) 18-5 8
10. Mifflinburg (4) 19-1 NR
Honorable mention: Blackhawk (7) 15-6, Boys’ Latin Charter (12) 18-5, Greensburg Salem (7) 17-4, Holy Redeemer (2) 18-4, Pope John Paul II (1) 15-6, Saucon Valley (11) 17-5, Trinity (3) 19-2, Wilson Area (11) 16-6

CLASS AA Rec Pvs
1. Imhotep Charter (12) 21-3 1
2. Greensburg Central Catholic (7) 20-2 2
3. Communications Tech (12) 19-4 3
4. Beaver Falls (7) 17-5 4
5. Meyers (2) 20-1 5
6. Monessen (7) 19-2 6
7. Sto-Rox (7) 18-3 7
8. Jeannette (7) 14-6 9
9. Riverside (2) 16-5 NR
10. Salisbury (11) 16-6 8
Honorable mention: Devon Prep (1) 17-5, GAR Memorial (2) 16-5, Hanover (3) 18-5, Holy Cross (2) 15-4, Lewisburg (4) 15-3, Notre Dame-Green Pond (11) 14-8, Pine Grove (11) 19-3, Vaux (12) 15-6

CLASS A Rec Pvs
1. Rochester (7) 18-3 1
2. Math, Civics & Sciences (12) 19-4 2
3. Constitution (12) 19-4 3
4. Reading Central Catholic (3) 20-2 4
5. Lincoln Park (7) 14-6 5
6. Greenwood (3) 21-0 6
7. Church Farm (1) 17-1 7
8. Mansfield (4) 19-3 10
9. Old Forge (2) 14-5 NR
10. Elk County Catholic (9) 16-4 9
Honorable mention: Marian Catholic (11) 18-4, Millville (4) 15-4, North Catholic (7) 15-6, Ridgway (9) 17-3, Shade (5) 18-2, Southern Fulton (5) 16-4, Venango Catholic (9) 20-0, Vincentian (7) 19-1
*-PIAA champion. #-Won 2010 PIAA Class AA title. Number in parentheses is PIAA district.

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