BILLINGS — Here are the 2023-24 MontanaSports.com high school boys basketball power rankings for games played through Jan. 27:
MTN Sports Power Rankings
Boys basketball
(Through games of Jan. 27)
Class AA
1. Bozeman (11-0)
2. Missoula Hellgate (10-1)
3. Bozeman Gallatin (9-2)
4. Billings West (8-3)
5. Billings Skyview (7-4)
Around Class AA: There were no changes to this week's rankings, as each of the top five held serve with victories last week. That might not be the case going forward, with some key top-five matchups coming up: No. 1 Bozeman travels to No. 4 Billings West on Friday, then hosts No. 5 Billings Skyview on Saturday. Skyview will host No. 2 Gallatin on Friday, then the Raptors will host West on Saturday.
Class A
1. Billings Central (11-1)
2. Butte Central (12-2)
3. Hamilton (13-1)
4. Lockwood (10-3)
5. Dillon (11-3)
Around Class A: There's some big movement in this week's top five, with Billings Central rising three spots to No. 1 after wins over Lockwood and Havre last week. Previous No. 1 Hamilton slipped to No. 3 after a buzzer-beating loss to Butte Central. The Maroons, in turn, jumped three positions to No. 2. Other teams knocking on the door of the top five include Frenchtown (9-4) and Ronan (10-4).
Class B
1. Missoula Loyola (12-0)
2. Malta (11-1)
3. Arlee (12-1)
4. Manhattan (13-1)
5. Columbus (12-2)
6. Red Lodge (11-1)
7. St. Labre (12-1)
8. Cut Bank (10-3)
9. Lodge Grass (10-3)
10. Fairfield (12-2)
Around Class B: The upset of the week went to Park City, which knocked off previous No. 2 Red Lodge 57-54 last Wednesday, sending the Rams sliding four spots to No. 6 in this week's rankings. No. 1 Missoula Loyola continues to roll following considerable victories over Florence and Darby. Loyola has back-to-back games this week against Anaconda. Meanwhile, No. 2 Malta has won nine in a row, and No. 4 Manhattan and No. 5 Columbus are both on seven-game winning streaks.
Class C
1. Scobey (13-0)
2. Box Elder (14-0)
3. Savage (13-1)
4. Manhattan Christian (12-1)
5. Lustre Christian (13-1)
6. Plentywood (13-1)
7. C-J-I (11-1)
8. Melstone (11-3)
9. Custer-Hysham (12-1)
10. Lincoln (12-0)
Around Class C: Melstone leaps into this week's rankings at No. 8 after handing Custer-Hysham its first loss of the season with a 56-54 win last Tuesday. No. 1 Scobey, No. 2 Box Elder and No. 10 Lincoln remain the lone unbeatens in Class C. Box Elder's Tracen Jilot hit a personal milestone last week by reaching the 1,000 career point plateau in a 90-39 victory over Centerville. Jilot had 29 points in the win.
