3A Boys Basketball Weekly Top 16 Poll UPDATED JAN. 25

[Baller100]

Marshall plays Melbourne tomorrow night.

[neds]

Not sure Jessieville boys are a surprise, ranked in top 5.

I think they are better than that even

Neds, give us the lowdown on Jessieville.

I predict they will be in the final four and possibly the final for state

[bobcats]

I've been saying, that for the time being, Paris shouldn't be very highly ranked. They still need to find their identity as a team after losing their best player. I do think they will be a very tough team come February

I had 4 teams from the 4 ranked:

TR - 2
Charleston - 3
Paris - 8
Atkins - 15

I feel like the 7-10 range is a fair place to put us. Even I put us there. Mostly for the same reason you stated. I can't in good faith put us above ECS (duh), Cedar Ridge, Jessieville, Marshall, or Valley Springs. I'm not completely sold on Harding Academy, and I'm reserving a little bit of judgment for Manila although I still have them up there. And I can't begrudge anyone for ranking Charleston or Two Rivers ahead of us. We've got a fairly interesting stretch coming up with Roland, Pea Ridge, and Ozark, so we'll see how we navigate that.

I'm not sold on Marshall yet, and I dropped CR due to their Tuckerman loss.

I'm more sold on Marshall than you are 12thMan, but not completely. And, yeah, I dropped Cedar Ridge also, but people don't seem to be paying attention to the Tuckerman loss, they're still solidly in second place in the voting right now. I think Jessieville, Two Rivers, Charleston, and Valley Springs are all more deserving of that spot for now. If they beat Manila we can reconsider that, but that's an ugly loss.

We will know more about Marshall after next week.  They have a tough 7 day stretch coming up where they play Valley on Tuesday, go to Emerson on Thursday, then play McGehee and Drew Central on Friday and Saturday.  Then turn around and play Cotter on Monday.

[bobcats]

Not sure Jessieville boys are a surprise, ranked in top 5.

I think they are better than that even

Neds, give us the lowdown on Jessieville.

I predict they will be in the final four and possibly the final for state

Based on what.  Have you seen them play this year?

[teachers pet]

I saw Jessieville play Cossatot River Saturday in which they won by 37. Daley looks to be the same Daley as last year, a scoring machine. It remains to be seen about his supporting cast. Will know more after they play 4-A Malvern this week and a December 7 showdown with Episcopal.

[neds]

bobcats I have not seen them play this year. I have great respect for their coach and what they return on talent. They will be a force down the stretch as they jell. Just a prediction

[#EagleStrong]

Notes on how top teams performed so far this week:

Jessieville lost decisively to Malvern.
Cedar Ridge edged Manila by 3.
Marshall blasted Melbourne.
Two Rivers knocked off Magazine shorthanded.
Paris cruised past Roland
Harding Academy survived Clinton.
West Fork slipped past Decatur and lost to Eureka Springs
Osceola beat Marianna Lee easily.
Flippin topped Mountain View with ease.
McGehee defeated Warren by 4.
Smackover cruised past Hampton.
Atkins blew out Hector.
Greenland beat Prairie Grove
Yellville-Summitt beat Cotter by 11

[TheOfficial]

Notes on how top teams performed so far this week:

Jessieville lost decisively to Malvern.
Cedar Ridge edged Manila by 3.
Marshall blasted Melbourne.
Two Rivers knocked off Magazine shorthanded.
Paris cruised past Roland
Harding Academy survived Clinton.
West Fork slipped past Decatur and lost to Eureka Springs
Osceola beat Marianna Lee easily.
Flippin topped Mountain View with ease.
McGehee defeated Warren by 4.
Smackover cruised past Hampton.
Atkins blew out Hector.
Greenland beat Prairie Grove
Yellville-Summitt beat Cotter by 11

Valley Springs mercy ruled Bergman on Monday and Green Forest on Tuesday!

[#EagleStrong]

Notes on how top teams performed so far this week:

Jessieville lost decisively to Malvern.
Cedar Ridge edged Manila by 3.
Marshall blasted Melbourne.
Two Rivers knocked off Magazine shorthanded.
Paris cruised past Roland
Harding Academy survived Clinton.
West Fork slipped past Decatur and lost to Eureka Springs
Osceola beat Marianna Lee easily.
Flippin topped Mountain View with ease.
McGehee defeated Warren by 4.
Smackover cruised past Hampton.
Atkins blew out Hector.
Greenland beat Prairie Grove
Yellville-Summitt beat Cotter by 11

Valley Springs mercy ruled Bergman on Monday and Green Forest on Tuesday!

I think barring something insane happening on Friday, it should be #1 ECS, #2 Valley Springs.

[Sportsgirl]

Jessieville looks tough! Especially after keeping the game within 4 until the last 2 minutes. I think they will do good as the season comes on! Malvern is tough and the 6'4 guard helps! Daley did what he normally does and he looked good

[neds]

Jessieville looks tough! Especially after keeping the game within 4 until the last 2 minutes. I think they will do good as the season comes on! Malvern is tough and the 6'4 guard helps! Daley did what he normally does and he looked good

I love Jessieville , but it is tough to brag on them after their one sided loss to Malvern

[#EagleStrong]

Jessieville looks tough! Especially after keeping the game within 4 until the last 2 minutes. I think they will do good as the season comes on! Malvern is tough and the 6'4 guard helps! Daley did what he normally does and he looked good

I love Jessieville , but it is tough to brag on them after their one sided loss to Malvern

I don't think anyone should severely drop JHS for the loss, but I think it soldifies VS at the two spot for now. Parsing through 3-11 will be difficult though.

[Head Lion]

I am getting the feel 3A really up in the air, 6-8 teams could win it all. We started 4 sophs & Jr last night, shoot horrible, have 2 calls just flat go against us & get beat 3 by everyone's preseason consensus #2 on their floor. Both starting post played rusty, still not quite out of FB mode(missed a total of 5 point blank shots). Also played a 7 sophs in tough road environment. I feel like we can play with anyone, just need a little more seasoning. Plus will have 2 studs move up from Jr hi at seasons end.

[#EagleStrong]

I am getting the feel 3A really up in the air, 6-8 teams could win it all. We started 4 sophs & Jr last night, shoot horrible, have 2 calls just flat go against us & get beat 3 by everyone's preseason consensus #2 on their floor. Both starting post played rusty, still not quite out of FB mode(missed a total of 5 point blank shots). Also played a 7 sophs in tough road environment. I feel like we can play with anyone, just need a little more seasoning. Plus will have 2 studs move up from Jr hi at seasons end.

Personally I think if you took 2-11 in most of our polls, you'd see very little separation in terms of talent. Centerpoint is basically the consensus #11, and I promise you they can play and would likely go toe-to-toe with Valley Springs who will probably be the new consensus #2. But, I'm not convinced that we're not on a fast track to an ECS three-peat. If Jessieville beats/hangs with them, I'll revise that, but for now I don't know that we're not all still playing for second.

[Head Lion]

We shall see ES, thanks for the work you have put in the board! Has ECS played yet? Just got a feeling our young ones to stupid to be scared & can hang with them.

[neds]

ECS starts play next Tues. night @LR Mills. They play in the Border challenge vs a Memphis team (TBD) and also will play in the Jammin for Jackets tournament @LR Hall and that draw hasn't been determined, but it is usually a much larger school as will be the Memphis challenge. They also play Jessieville early at home. Coach Marsh always likes to play up in school sz early. It certainly helps later in the year.
Happy Thanksgiving!

[Head Lion]

Thanks Neds, happy thanksgiving as well.

[DOCHOLLIDAY7]

Where do you vote?

[#EagleStrong]

Where do you vote?

Normally, I'll open the voting on Friday nights. I didn't this week because of the holiday, since most teams were on a short week anyway. Check back Friday night and the polling will be open. The link will be on the first post in the thread.

[#EagleStrong]

So, it might be time to bump Marshall up to #2 after beating Valley Springs. Jessieville and Charleston have both suffered tough losses, and Cedar Ridge, despite knocking off Manila, still has the ugly Tuckerman loss hanging over them. Gotta give some love to Two Rivers, Paris, Harding Academy, and Centerpoint too. Quietly taking care of business. Thoughts?

[bobcats]

I am a Marshall fan but I would hold off moving them to 2nd until after their upcoming tour of south Arkansas.  After an intense rivalry win, they get on a bus Thursday and travel 240 miles to play Emerson.  Then they play Drew Central on Friday and McGehee on Saturday.  Follow that up with traveling  to Cotter on Monday.  I would take 3-1 right now on this stretch but Cotter is a must win game as Valley has already won there.

[neds]

ECS got throttled by Mills 52 - 35 last night.
I was not at the game , I went to see UALR vs UCA.
Paper said that ECS had one practice before the game. I am not sure about that as they have been done w/football for two weeks.
They play a team from MS on Sat. afternoon @Hall

[analyst#2]

down south teams never get included in nothing. 

[WPWells]

Because they aren't good

[#EagleStrong]

I'm high on Centerpoint, but the 3A-8 has lost a lot of talent. We'll see what Drew Central can do, they'll be the conference's best chance at moving up the rankings I think.

[cdelaney]

ECS got throttled by Mills 52 - 35 last night.
I was not at the game , I went to see UALR vs UCA.
Paper said that ECS had one practice before the game. I am not sure about that as they have been done w/football for two weeks.
They play a team from MS on Sat. afternoon @Hall

I'm not sure this game means much, but ECS would have handled Mills pretty easily last year even with limited practice. All I'm saying is that they are not going to be as dominant this year, nothing will be automatic, and there are opportunities for more teams to compete for the title.

[BigLion10]

Mills has the second best player in the state in 2017 in Darius Hall who is getting a lot of major college looks so I'm sure he has made them loads better

[#EagleStrong]

Lots of results to consider as we get ready to open the next round of polling on Friday. Multiple top 10 teams falling. Also be aware that some teams currently in tournaments will have games on Saturday after the polling opens, so consider that. My Eagles are one of them; they'll be in either the championship or third place game of the Lavaca Golden Arrow Tournament. There are surely some others. Some notable results to brief you:

ECS decisively lost their opener, but it was to mighty Little Rock Mills.
Cedar Ridge beat Manila by 3.
Marshall knocked off Valley Springs by 9.
Jessieville lost in OT to Fountain Lake after being handled by Malvern. Both are 4A schools.
Two Rivers was upset by Bigelow.
Paris handily beat Roland (OK) and survived a late rally to beat Ozark on the road.
Harding Academy beat Clinton in OT
Centerpoint is scheduled to play Malvern on Dec. 3. Keep an eye on that one.
West Fork survived a scare against Decatur and fell in OT to Eureka Springs.
Cotter knocked off Eureka Springs, but fell to Yellville-Summit

[Head Lion]

Refer to my previous post, 3A is wide open this year!

[bobcats]

Refer to my previous post, 3A is wide open this year!

I agree.  It may come down to whomever is hot in March.

[Eagle20]

Haskell Harmony Grove handled FL pretty easily tonight 53-36 after FL beat Jessieville on Tuesday night in a regular season meeting.  HHG and Jessieville will meet in the finals of the Bill Gibbs Memorial tourney on Saturday night in Harmony Grove.  HHG moves to 3-1.

[BigMan15]

where do I vote

[teachers pet]

Whoever wins the Jessieville/Harmony Grove match up tomorrow night will go a long way in letting us know who will challenge Episcopal in 5-3A.

[neds]

Jessieville visits ECS next week

[#EagleStrong]

/

[#EagleStrong]

I feel Atkins deserves strong consideration for this poll. They're 4-1, on a four-game win streak, and they just beat Dardanelle, holding the Sand Lizards to just 38 points.

[#EagleStrong]

Also, looking at the early votes, some people are leaving the 3A-4 conference out altogether, including Charleston who just dismantled a 7A team. Really? No offense, but that's either ignorant or dishonest voting (okay, a little offense I guess). Charleston, Paris, and Two Rivers all easily deserve to be in this poll, and Atkins has a strong case as I just stated.

Now, take this as my opinion, but I personally feel that ECS, Cedar Ridge, Marshall, Valley Springs, Charleston, Manila, Jessieville, Harding Academy, Paris, Two Rivers, and Centerpoint should all be locks right now in the poll at some spot. Past that I think several teams have a strong case including West Fork, McGehee, Drew Central, Osceola, Haskell-Harmony Grove, Atkins, Cotter, Greenland, Yellville-Summit, Flippin, Lavaca, among others.

[WPWells]

Throw out votes like that. They don't deserve a vote

[neds]

Episcopal defeats Olive Branch MS in battle of the border tournament at Hall HS 67 - 64

[WPWells]

Episcopal defeats Olive Branch MS in battle of the border tournament at Hall HS 67 - 64

Great win! How big is Olive Branch?

[neds]

States largest class. Not sure where they rank in their class. Good talent, bad discipline.

[WPWells]

Got it. Impressive win no matter how you slice it

[WPWells]

#EagleStrong, I consider you somewhat of the polling expert on here, so I have a question for you. How many teams do you think could make a legitimate case for #1 at this point? Obviously ECS should be #1, but that's not really what I'm asking. Hopefully that makes sense. At this point I think ECS, Charleston, Valley, and Cedar Ridge could all make an argument.

[Dc4life]

Don't leave out Drew Central!!!! They beat Valley Springs and Marshall this weekend...

[AT]

Did Charleston beat Little Rock Christian today at the Van Buren tournament?

[Head Lion]

#EagleStrong, I consider you somewhat of the polling expert on here, so I have a question for you. How many teams do you think could make a legitimate case for #1 at this point? Obviously ECS should be #1, but that's not really what I'm asking. Hopefully that makes sense. At this point I think ECS, Charleston, Valley, and Cedar Ridge could all make an argument.

How about Manila, only loss 3 pts at Cedar Ridge?

[WPWells]

Manila is dang good. I'm leaving them out because of the CR loss

[#EagleStrong]

#EagleStrong, I consider you somewhat of the polling expert on here, so I have a question for you. How many teams do you think could make a legitimate case for #1 at this point? Obviously ECS should be #1, but that's not really what I'm asking. Hopefully that makes sense. At this point I think ECS, Charleston, Valley, and Cedar Ridge could all make an argument.

Honestly I feel like only ECS, CR, and Charleston right now based on what they have and who they've played. But I'm gaining interest in Drew Central and Manila, I just don't think they have a case for #1 yet

[Head Lion]

Manila starts 4 sophs & a junior!

[#EagleStrong]

Manila starts 4 sophs & a junior!

Hence the "yet" HL. I've been speaking highly of your Lions for some time now.