As the basketball regular season enters its final stretch, rankings and wins become crucial to whether or not a program makes the postseason. The AIA rankings create controversy at times regardless of sport, which sparked my imagination…
Enter the Seliga rankings, a ranking system that separates the top 28 teams in each conference into four separate tiers. Beside each team is their record in regular season play as of today (January 26th) and their ranking in the AIA system. These are my rankings based off how I’ve seen these teams play both live and on film as well as their potential to succeed whether or not they make the postseason. As well as previous head to head matchups and how the team has looked as of today and whether or not they would win a rematch or beat the team ranked above or below them.
Top Tier:
“The Contenders” This tier contains the teams that most fans, media, and teams expect to be in the semifinals or playing for the championship. Ex: Sunnyslope (6A)
Second Tier:
“Dangerous Loomers” These are the teams that have the ability to make a run to the title game or semifinals that wouldn’t surprise people. These are programs that should make it past the play-in and can compete as a lower seed. Ex: North Canyon (5A)
Third Tier:
“Solid Playoff/Play-In teams” These programs at this point in the season are fighting for seeding in the play-in games or are fighting to stay above 24 in the AIA rankings. Each year there’s at least one or two teams who can pull off a surprise in the play-in round/first round but overall a run to the title game would be unexpected. Ex: Marcos De Niza (4A)
Final Tier:
“The Bubble” These programs are fighting to make the play-in and either are right above the cutoff line or right below it. These teams usually have one or two guys that can possibly carry them in a play-in game, but most likely don’t have either the depth or the talent to compete against a higher seeded team.
4A Boys
Contenders:
1. Deer Valley (13-0, AIA #1) - Key Wins: vs 6A #15 Boulder Creek, #4 Peoria.
Key Player: Semajay James, G, Sr
2. St. Mary’s (9-2, AIA #3) - Key Wins: #4 Peoria, #5 Paradise Honors.
Key Player: Styles Phipps, G, So
3. Salpointe Catholic (12-0, AIA #2) - Key Wins: #5 Paradise Honors, 6A #10 Pinnacle (Tournament).
Key Player: Dillan Baker, combo, Sr
4. Peoria (12-2, AIA #4) - Key Wins: 6A #5 Liberty (Tournament), #7 Notre Dame Prep. Key Player: Andrew Camacho, G, Jr
5. Paradise Honors (10-3, AIA #7) - Key Wins: vs #13 Dysart, #16 Flagstaff.
Key Player: Blessing Nwotite, G, Sr
Dangerous Loomers
6. Mesquite (12-1, AIA #6)
7. Notre Dame Prep (10-2, AIA #5)
8. Cactus (9-3, AIA #8)
Most Likely to make a run: Notre Dame Prep
Solid Playoff/play-in teams
9. Canyon Del Oro (8-2, AIA #9)
10. Coconino (11-2, AIA #11)
11. Sahuaro (8-3, AIA #10)
12. Prescott (10-6, AIA #12)
13. Dysart (10-4, AIA #13)
14. ALA-QC (6-5, AIA #15)
15. Bradshaw Mountain (9-4, AIA #13)
16. Flagstaff (8-5, AIA #16)
17. Saguaro (9-5, AIA #17)
18. Buckeye (6-5, AIA #18)
19. Mica Mountain (4-5, AIA #20)
20. Pueblo (9-5, AIA #19)
21. Desert Edge (5-8, AIA #23)
22. Marcos De Niza (6-6, AIA #25)
23. Thunderbird (6-7, AIA #21)
24. Estrella Foothills (6-8, AIA #26)
Sneakiest team “sleeper”: Dysart
Bubble
25. Cholla
26. Youngker
27. Moon Valley
28. Poston Butte
4A Semifinals predictions:
#1 Deer Valley vs #4 Peoria & #2 St. Mary’s vs #3. Salpointe Catholic
Championship: #1 Deer Valley vs #2 St. Mary’s
Champ: #1 Deer Valley
5A Boys
Contenders:
1. McClintock (13-0, AIA #2) - Key Wins: 6A #7 Highland (Tournament), #3 Higley
Key Player: Jaylen Wesley, F, Sr
2. Sunrise Mountain (13-2, AIA #4) - Key Wins: 6A #5 Liberty, #7 Millennium
Key Player: Carter Gittens, combo, jr
3. Higley (12-3, AIA #6) - Key Wins: #4 Gilbert, #6 Apollo
Key Player: Yarell Greer, G, Jr
4. Gilbert (12-3, AIA #3) - Key Wins: #3 Higley, 6A #4 Perry (Tournament)
Key Player: Nikko Pentelute, G, Sr
5. Centennial (9-3, AIA #5) - Key Wins: #6 Apollo, #2 Sunrise Mountain
Key Player: Jake Lifgren, G, Sr
6. Apollo (10-4, AIA #7) - Key Wins: #2 Sunrise Mountain, #4 Gilbert
Key Player: Ahamed Mohammed, G, Sr
7. Millennium (10-4, AIA #8) - Key Wins: #9 Ironwood, #19 Canyon View
Key Player: Reggie Mickens-Orr, G, Sr
8. Buena (14-0, AIA #1) - Key Wins: #4 Gilbert, #21 Sunnyside
Key Player: Jake Smith, G, Sr
Dangerous Loomers
9. Ironwood (8-5, AIA #11)
10. Casteel (11-4, AIA #9)
11. Catalina Foothills (11-2, AIA #10)
12. North Canyon (12-3, AIA #13)
13. Campo Verde (10-5, AIA #14)
14. Horizon (8-5, AIA #12)
15. Willow Canyon (10-4, AIA #17)
16. Desert Mountain (8-5, AIA #15)
Most likely to make a run: Ironwood
Solid Playoff/Play-In teams
17. Arcadia (9-5, AIA #16)
18. Marana (9-5, AIA #18)
19. Canyon View (9-4, AIA #20)
20. Kellis (5-10, AIA #26)
21. Sunnyside (9-6, AIA #19)
22. Nogales (7-7, AIA #21)
23. Ironwood Ridge (6-8, AIA #22)
24. Cactus Shadows (5-8, AIA #24)
Sneakiest team “sleeper”: Kellis
Bubble Teams:
25. Gila Ridge
26. Cienega
27. Verrado
28. Betty Fairfax
5A Semifinals predictions:
#1 McClintock vs #4 Gilbert & #2 Sunrise Mountain vs #6 Apollo
Championship: #1 McClintock vs #2 Sunrise Mountain
Champ: #2 Sunrise Mountain
6A Boys
Contenders
1. Sunnyslope (12-1, AIA #1) - Key Wins: #2 Brophy Prep, 5A #6 Centennial
Key Player: Elijah Saunders, F, Sr
2. Brophy Prep (10-1, AIA #2) - Key Wins: #4 Perry, 4A #2 St. Mary’s
Key Player: Trey Phillips, combo, Sr
3. Mountain Pointe (11-1, AIA #3) - Key Wins: #7 Highland, #10 Pinnacle
Key Player: “Tru” Washington, G, Jr
4. Perry (10-3, AIA #4) - Key Wins: #3 Mountain Pointe, #6 Basha
Key Player: Koa Peat, F, Fr
5. Liberty (12-3, AIA #9) - Key Wins: 4A #1 Deer Valley, #10 Pinnacle
Key Player: Ky Green, combo, Jr
6. Basha (9-3, AIA #5) - Key Wins: #5 Liberty, #9 Hamilton
Key Player: Brady Reynolds, F, Sr
7. Highland (10-4, AIA #6) - Key Wins: 6A #6 Centennial, #11 Mesa
Key Player: Mason Knollmiller, G, Sr
8. Maricopa (13-2, AIA #12) - Key Wins: #12 Tucson, #16 Queen Creek
Key Player: Kevin Patton Jr, combo, Jr
Dangerous Loomers
9. Hamilton (9-5, AIA #11)
10. Pinnacle (10-3, AIA #7)
11. Mesa (11-3, AIA #8)
12. Tucson (12-3, AIA #10)
13. Mesa Mountain View (10-3, AIA #13)
Most likely to make a run: Hamilton
Solid Playoff/Play-In teams
14. Shadow Ridge (9-4, AIA #16)
15. Boulder Creek (8-5, AIA #15)
16. Queen Creek (6-7, AIA #14)
17. Desert Ridge (7-6, AIA #18)
18. Corona Del Sol (6-5, AIA #17)
19. Sandra Day O’Connor (5-8, AIA #19)
20. Dobson (9-5, AIA #23)
21. Desert Vista (4-6, AIA #21)
22. Chaparral (3-11, AIA #22)
23. Valley Vista (6-7, AIA #20)
24. Cibola (9-5, AIA #24)
Sneakiest team “sleeper”: Valley Vista/Dobson
Bubble teams
25. Cesar Chavez
26. Mountain Ridge
27. Rincon/University
28. Chandler
6A Semifinals predictions
#1 Sunnyslope vs #4 Perry & #2 Brophy Prep vs #3 Mountain Pointe
Championship: #4 Perry vs #3 Mountain Pointe
Champ: Mountain Pointe
Enter the Seliga rankings, a ranking system that separates the top 28 teams in each conference into four separate tiers. Beside each team is their record in regular season play as of today (January 26th) and their ranking in the AIA system. These are my rankings based off how I’ve seen these teams play both live and on film as well as their potential to succeed whether or not they make the postseason. As well as previous head to head matchups and how the team has looked as of today and whether or not they would win a rematch or beat the team ranked above or below them.
Top Tier:
“The Contenders” This tier contains the teams that most fans, media, and teams expect to be in the semifinals or playing for the championship. Ex: Sunnyslope (6A)
Second Tier:
“Dangerous Loomers” These are the teams that have the ability to make a run to the title game or semifinals that wouldn’t surprise people. These are programs that should make it past the play-in and can compete as a lower seed. Ex: North Canyon (5A)
Third Tier:
“Solid Playoff/Play-In teams” These programs at this point in the season are fighting for seeding in the play-in games or are fighting to stay above 24 in the AIA rankings. Each year there’s at least one or two teams who can pull off a surprise in the play-in round/first round but overall a run to the title game would be unexpected. Ex: Marcos De Niza (4A)
Final Tier:
“The Bubble” These programs are fighting to make the play-in and either are right above the cutoff line or right below it. These teams usually have one or two guys that can possibly carry them in a play-in game, but most likely don’t have either the depth or the talent to compete against a higher seeded team.
4A Boys
Contenders:
1. Deer Valley (13-0, AIA #1) - Key Wins: vs 6A #15 Boulder Creek, #4 Peoria.
Key Player: Semajay James, G, Sr
2. St. Mary’s (9-2, AIA #3) - Key Wins: #4 Peoria, #5 Paradise Honors.
Key Player: Styles Phipps, G, So
3. Salpointe Catholic (12-0, AIA #2) - Key Wins: #5 Paradise Honors, 6A #10 Pinnacle (Tournament).
Key Player: Dillan Baker, combo, Sr
4. Peoria (12-2, AIA #4) - Key Wins: 6A #5 Liberty (Tournament), #7 Notre Dame Prep. Key Player: Andrew Camacho, G, Jr
5. Paradise Honors (10-3, AIA #7) - Key Wins: vs #13 Dysart, #16 Flagstaff.
Key Player: Blessing Nwotite, G, Sr
Dangerous Loomers
6. Mesquite (12-1, AIA #6)
7. Notre Dame Prep (10-2, AIA #5)
8. Cactus (9-3, AIA #8)
Most Likely to make a run: Notre Dame Prep
Solid Playoff/play-in teams
9. Canyon Del Oro (8-2, AIA #9)
10. Coconino (11-2, AIA #11)
11. Sahuaro (8-3, AIA #10)
12. Prescott (10-6, AIA #12)
13. Dysart (10-4, AIA #13)
14. ALA-QC (6-5, AIA #15)
15. Bradshaw Mountain (9-4, AIA #13)
16. Flagstaff (8-5, AIA #16)
17. Saguaro (9-5, AIA #17)
18. Buckeye (6-5, AIA #18)
19. Mica Mountain (4-5, AIA #20)
20. Pueblo (9-5, AIA #19)
21. Desert Edge (5-8, AIA #23)
22. Marcos De Niza (6-6, AIA #25)
23. Thunderbird (6-7, AIA #21)
24. Estrella Foothills (6-8, AIA #26)
Sneakiest team “sleeper”: Dysart
Bubble
25. Cholla
26. Youngker
27. Moon Valley
28. Poston Butte
4A Semifinals predictions:
#1 Deer Valley vs #4 Peoria & #2 St. Mary’s vs #3. Salpointe Catholic
Championship: #1 Deer Valley vs #2 St. Mary’s
Champ: #1 Deer Valley
5A Boys
Contenders:
1. McClintock (13-0, AIA #2) - Key Wins: 6A #7 Highland (Tournament), #3 Higley
Key Player: Jaylen Wesley, F, Sr
2. Sunrise Mountain (13-2, AIA #4) - Key Wins: 6A #5 Liberty, #7 Millennium
Key Player: Carter Gittens, combo, jr
3. Higley (12-3, AIA #6) - Key Wins: #4 Gilbert, #6 Apollo
Key Player: Yarell Greer, G, Jr
4. Gilbert (12-3, AIA #3) - Key Wins: #3 Higley, 6A #4 Perry (Tournament)
Key Player: Nikko Pentelute, G, Sr
5. Centennial (9-3, AIA #5) - Key Wins: #6 Apollo, #2 Sunrise Mountain
Key Player: Jake Lifgren, G, Sr
6. Apollo (10-4, AIA #7) - Key Wins: #2 Sunrise Mountain, #4 Gilbert
Key Player: Ahamed Mohammed, G, Sr
7. Millennium (10-4, AIA #8) - Key Wins: #9 Ironwood, #19 Canyon View
Key Player: Reggie Mickens-Orr, G, Sr
8. Buena (14-0, AIA #1) - Key Wins: #4 Gilbert, #21 Sunnyside
Key Player: Jake Smith, G, Sr
Dangerous Loomers
9. Ironwood (8-5, AIA #11)
10. Casteel (11-4, AIA #9)
11. Catalina Foothills (11-2, AIA #10)
12. North Canyon (12-3, AIA #13)
13. Campo Verde (10-5, AIA #14)
14. Horizon (8-5, AIA #12)
15. Willow Canyon (10-4, AIA #17)
16. Desert Mountain (8-5, AIA #15)
Most likely to make a run: Ironwood
Solid Playoff/Play-In teams
17. Arcadia (9-5, AIA #16)
18. Marana (9-5, AIA #18)
19. Canyon View (9-4, AIA #20)
20. Kellis (5-10, AIA #26)
21. Sunnyside (9-6, AIA #19)
22. Nogales (7-7, AIA #21)
23. Ironwood Ridge (6-8, AIA #22)
24. Cactus Shadows (5-8, AIA #24)
Sneakiest team “sleeper”: Kellis
Bubble Teams:
25. Gila Ridge
26. Cienega
27. Verrado
28. Betty Fairfax
5A Semifinals predictions:
#1 McClintock vs #4 Gilbert & #2 Sunrise Mountain vs #6 Apollo
Championship: #1 McClintock vs #2 Sunrise Mountain
Champ: #2 Sunrise Mountain
6A Boys
Contenders
1. Sunnyslope (12-1, AIA #1) - Key Wins: #2 Brophy Prep, 5A #6 Centennial
Key Player: Elijah Saunders, F, Sr
2. Brophy Prep (10-1, AIA #2) - Key Wins: #4 Perry, 4A #2 St. Mary’s
Key Player: Trey Phillips, combo, Sr
3. Mountain Pointe (11-1, AIA #3) - Key Wins: #7 Highland, #10 Pinnacle
Key Player: “Tru” Washington, G, Jr
4. Perry (10-3, AIA #4) - Key Wins: #3 Mountain Pointe, #6 Basha
Key Player: Koa Peat, F, Fr
5. Liberty (12-3, AIA #9) - Key Wins: 4A #1 Deer Valley, #10 Pinnacle
Key Player: Ky Green, combo, Jr
6. Basha (9-3, AIA #5) - Key Wins: #5 Liberty, #9 Hamilton
Key Player: Brady Reynolds, F, Sr
7. Highland (10-4, AIA #6) - Key Wins: 6A #6 Centennial, #11 Mesa
Key Player: Mason Knollmiller, G, Sr
8. Maricopa (13-2, AIA #12) - Key Wins: #12 Tucson, #16 Queen Creek
Key Player: Kevin Patton Jr, combo, Jr
Dangerous Loomers
9. Hamilton (9-5, AIA #11)
10. Pinnacle (10-3, AIA #7)
11. Mesa (11-3, AIA #8)
12. Tucson (12-3, AIA #10)
13. Mesa Mountain View (10-3, AIA #13)
Most likely to make a run: Hamilton
Solid Playoff/Play-In teams
14. Shadow Ridge (9-4, AIA #16)
15. Boulder Creek (8-5, AIA #15)
16. Queen Creek (6-7, AIA #14)
17. Desert Ridge (7-6, AIA #18)
18. Corona Del Sol (6-5, AIA #17)
19. Sandra Day O’Connor (5-8, AIA #19)
20. Dobson (9-5, AIA #23)
21. Desert Vista (4-6, AIA #21)
22. Chaparral (3-11, AIA #22)
23. Valley Vista (6-7, AIA #20)
24. Cibola (9-5, AIA #24)
Sneakiest team “sleeper”: Valley Vista/Dobson
Bubble teams
25. Cesar Chavez
26. Mountain Ridge
27. Rincon/University
28. Chandler
6A Semifinals predictions
#1 Sunnyslope vs #4 Perry & #2 Brophy Prep vs #3 Mountain Pointe
Championship: #4 Perry vs #3 Mountain Pointe
Champ: Mountain Pointe
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