BILLINGS — Here are the 2023-24 MontanaSports.com high school boys basketball power rankings for games played through Feb 3:
MTN Sports Power Rankings
Boys basketball
(Through games of Feb. 3)
Class AA
1. Bozeman (13-0)
2. Missoula Hellgate (12-1)
3. Bozeman Gallatin (11-2)
4. Billings West (8-5)
5. Billings Skyview (7-6)
Around Class AA: The top three — No. 1 Bozeman, No. 2 Missoula Hellgate and No. 3 Bozeman Gallatin — flexed their muscles at the top of the rankings with two wins each last week and remain locked into their positions this week. No. 4 West and No. 5 Skyview each lost twice but those defeats came to Bozeman and Gallatin on the road. Skyview took Gallatin to overtime while West fell to the Raptors by one point.
Class A
1. Billings Central (13-1)
2. Hamilton (14-2)
3. Butte Central (13-3)
4. Lockwood (13-3)
5. Dillon (13-3)
Around Class A: Hamilton exacted a bit of revenge with a 55-53 win over Butte Central on Saturday to leapfrog the Maroons into the No. 2 spot. The teams split their two regular season games by a combined three points. No. 1 Billings Central, meanwhile, has now won seven straight while No. 4 Lockwood has won four in a row. Dillon, at No. 5, beat Hamilton as part of a two-win week to shake off a prior loss to Frenchtown.
Class B
1. Missoula Loyola (15-0)
2. Manhattan (15-1)
3. Red Lodge (14-1)
4. St. Labre (15-1)
5. Malta (13-2)
6. Arlee (14-2)
7. Columbus (13-3)
8. Cut Bank (13-3)
9. Lodge Grass (14-3)
10. Park City (12-4)
Around Class B: No. 1 Missoula Loyola survived a scare from now-No. 6 Arlee to keep hold on the top ranking. The Rams remain the lone unbeaten in Class B. Park City has crawled into the rankings at No. 10 this week and has now won seven in a row, including an impressive three-point victory over Red Lodge. Meanwhile, Manhattan and risen to No. 2 while riding a nine-game winning streak. The Tigers avenged a previous loss to Fairfield with a 14-point victory over the Eagles on Saturday.
Class C
1. Scobey (16-0)
2. Box Elder (16-0)
3. Savage (15-1)
4. Manhattan Christian (15-1)
5. Lustre Christian (15-1)
6. Plentywood (15-1)
7. Melstone (13-3)
8. Drummond (14-1)
9. Custer-Hysham (13-2)
10. C-J-I (13-2)
Around Class C: There isn't much movement in this week's Class C rankings, as the top six are standing pat. Drummond, however, is making its debut in the top 10 at No. 8 following a 20-point victory over previously undefeated (and previous No. 10-ranked) Lincoln. The Trojans are winners of 12 in a row. No. 1 Scobey and No. 5 Lustre Christian are set for a big District 3C rematch on Saturday. Scobey beat Lustre by 10 at home back on Jan. 13. No. 3 Savage and No. 6 Plentywood are due for a rematch on Friday. Savage won the first round by 14 on Jan. 12.
