The pre-season rankings are out for senior boys high school basketball. Both Sportvictoria.com and The Province newspaper released their 4A, 3a and 2A rankings on Nov. 23.
In the Sportvictoria.com polls for Vancouver Island teams, the G.P. Vanier Towhees (Courtenay) are ranked third in 4A, Mark Isfeld Ice (Courtenay) are fourth in 3A and the Highland Raiders (Comox) are 10th in 2A.
Island teams are hard to find in The Province rankings. In 4A, Cowichan (#1 in the Island poll) is ninth while Oak Bay of Victoria (#2 Island) is an honourable mention.
In 3A, Nanaimo District (#1 Island) is 10th. In 2A, St. Michaels of Victoria (#1 Island) is also #1 while Lambrick Park of Victoria (#2 Island) is also #2. John Barsby of Nanaimo (#3 Island) is #9 in The Province poll.
Sportvictoria.com released no rankings for 1A, while The Province has Duncan Christian #6 and Glenlyn Norfolk of Victoria #7.
Based on the Victoriasport.com rankings, there should be some good b-ball in Duncan this weekend, which is where the Towhees are going to compete in the Nov. 27-29 Cowichan Tournament.
Vanier heads to the Chilliwack Tournament Dec. 4-6 then hosts their annual Gus Vesterback Tournament on Dec. 12-13.
More tournaments follow in December (including the Idaho Jr. College H.S. event). North Island League play starts Jan. 13 with Vanier hosting Dover Bay of Nanaimo.
The Towhee Tournament goes Jan. 15-17 and at press time teams from Highland, NDSS, South Delta, Kwalikum, Ballenas, Timberline, Edward Milne, Wellington, Ladysmith, Dover Bay and John Barsby were set to join the hosts.