by Rusty Ellis
The February 7 edition of the UC Top 5 is here, and with it comes just one change on the girls side, as the York Institute Dragonettes move up to the third overall spot after wins over Warren County and Monterey this week.
The Top 5 is revealed every week on the UCR Basketball Coaches Show, presented by Fire & Vine.
Complete rankings are available BELOW:
Girls
1. Cookeville (23-3)
The Lady Cavs maintained their spot atop the rankings after two wins over Lebanon and a third win over Smyrna on Tuesday. The second meeting against the Lady Devils came down to the wire, and saw Cookeville win on a last-second shot from Cara Lee Gilbert. It’s a gut-check win in every sense of the phrase, and though there was a strong push from our second-ranked team, the Lady Cavs are still on top.
2. White County (25-2)
The Warriorettes clinched the top seed in District 7-3A with their 35-30 win over Upperman on Monday night, sweeping the season series for the first time since the two teams joined the district. It’s a win that would’ve earned Sparta the top spot if Lebanon had managed to knock off Cookeville, but even with those wins by the Lady Cavs, White County’s created themselves one really solid resume with their play the last month.
3. York Institute (19-5)
Welcome back to the top 3, York! By way of the Dragonettes’ continued winning and Upperman’s loss to White County, York finds themselves up a spot this week. The Dragonettes’ have won six in a row since their tough loss to Bearden, and have a chance to lock up the top seed in District 5-2A when they take on Smith County on Friday, a game that now has a lot more intrigue than it did a few weeks ago.
4. Upperman (22-4)
The Lady Bees drop a spot by nature of their loss to Sparta, but they’ll have a chance to turn it around with two big games against Cumberland County. Upperman still has the defense to win a championship, and the three-point shooting has been there in some of their biggest games. The 7-3A Tournament is going to be a fun one to watch, much like it is every year.
5. Pickett County (19-2)
The Lady Bobcats have won 15 games in a row, and with it comes the top seed in the 7-A Tournament. Pickett is humming away on offense in particular, as they put up 86 points against Oneida on Saturday and 98 points against Gordonsville on Tuesday. Head coach Brent Smith and his squad will look to wrap up an undefeated district schedule when they host RBS on Thursday.
Boys
1. Cookeville (23-3)
The Cavaliers remain atop the list with another undefeated week, but against Smyrna, the cracks did begin to show a little. Josh Heard was hurt in the first quarter, and Cookeville dealt with foul trouble all game in a two-point victory. Still, the Cavaliers showed the ability to battle through adversity and win on the road. Their game against Stewart’s Creek will now be an interesting one to watch, particularly if Heard is unavailable.
2. Upperman (21-4)
The Bees are pushing for the top spot on this list as winners of their last 10 in a row, as Upperman also sits atop the 7-3A standings. Two more games with Cumberland County await the Bees, who will already have a spot in the region tournament by virtue of their first-round bye, so long as they take care of business in their last two games.
3. Stone Memorial (18-8)
Stone’s been scoring the ball at an incredible rate as of late, as they’ve put up 90 and 82 points within their last three games. That included Cade Capps scoring his 2,000th point against Clarkrange on Tuesday, as his stellar junior season appears destined to end in a Mr. Basketball finalist spot. Stone’s playing some really good basketball with five straight wins, and they have the inside track to the two-seed in 7-3A.
4. Pickett County (18-4)
Pickett County earned a gut-check win of their own against Gordonsville, as the Bobcats had to come back from 13 down in the second quarter to take down a very game Tigers squad. They’ll now look to finish off an undefeated season in district play, though their last game against RBS went down to the wire. It should make for a fun Thursday in Byrdstown.
5. York Institute (16-7)
Just when it seems like everyone was ready to leave the Dragons for dead, they’ve reeled off six straight wins and seven of their last eight. They sit atop the district standings and are set to be the top seed for the district tournament. Credit to Rodney Pile, he’s navigated a season that’s seen it’s fair share of adversity with a tough schedule, and York appears poised to make a deep run into the postseason.