Basketball teams focused on climbing up the power rankings

Non-conference games and holiday basketball tournaments are in the rear-view mirror now, and high school teams are ratcheting up their level of play as they vie for power ranking points.  That’s why games like this week’s match-up of the top two teams in 4A-I begin to shape the playoff picture.

No. 1 ranked Sunnyslope  HS used a strong inside game and a 24-point performance from Royce Woolridge to hold off No. 2 Independence HS and escape with a 61-55 win.  Each team now has two losses, with Sunnyslope at 14-2 and Independence witha 13-2 record.

Sunnyslope is also showing the rest of the conference what you can do without a lot of height.  The Vikings don’t carry anyone on this year’s roster that tops 6’4″ – but they’re averaging 73 points and 33 rebounds a game.  Woolridge, a 6’3″ senior, is the team’s leading scorer with a 27-point average and Jesse Milleson carries a 12 points/game average.  After that, there are no other scorers in double digits.

Woolridge has committed to Kansas for his college career, but still has something left to prove this year as the Vikings go for their second consecutive state title.  And it looks like they’re well on their way.