Basketball: Princeton boys stay No. 1 in Class 2A, girls at No. 9

It was status quo for the Princeton boys and girls basketball teams in this week’s AP rankings that were released Wednesday afternoon.

The Tigers (23-0) received 14 of 15 first-place votes and 146 points to remain at No. 1 for the third straight week. Columbia (22-2) picked up the other first-place vote with 132 points to jump one spot to No. 2 ahead of Fairbury Prairie Central (19-2), which received 119 points at No. 3.

Rockford Christian (22-1), a potential postseason matchup (supersectionals) for Princeton, and Breese Central (20-3) each picked up 76 points to tie for fourth. Rockridge (17-8) moved back into the rankings at No. 8 with 28 points while Pontiac, which has lost twice to Princeton, fell one spot to No. 10.

Jacksonville Route (1A) and Chicago Simeon (3A) kept their No. 1 rankings also while Lisle Benet Academy (22-1) jumped from No. 3 to No. 1 in 4A with a sweep of all 12 first-place votes.

The Princeton girls (21-2) stayed at No. 9, this time by itself with 28 points. They were tied at No. 9 last week. No. 1 Quincy Notre Dame (22-1) swept all 10 first-place votes with 100 points. No. 2 PORTA (21-0) received 87 points. Fieldcrest and Sherrard both received votes, but fell out of the top 10.

Galena (25-1) and Nazareth (20-1) remained No. 1 in Class 1A and 3A, respectively, with Alton (24-0) moving one spot to the top in 4A with the fall of Bolingbrook (21-3) to No. 4.