How's this for a change? It's same old, same old atop the Deseret News prep basketball rankings this week. All 10 leaders from seven days ago remain entrenched at No. 1. (See rankings on D1).
Alta (5A), Timpview (4A), Cedar City (3A), Beaver (2A) and Panguitch (1A) continue to top the boys rankings, while Bingham (5A), Sky View (4A), Hurricane (3A), Beaver (2A) and Valley (1A) lead the girls.Each of the 10 squads occupied top spots to open the season with Panguitch (boys) and Beaver (girls) as the lone leaders to have not been there since. Both teams fell to No. 2 with losses earlier this season before bouncing back to the high rent district two weeks ago.
IN AND OUT: Teams which entered and departed the DesNews prep basketball rankings this week.
BOYS - Box Elder (4A: 4th), Pine View (3A: 3rd), North Sevier (2A: 5th) and Valley (1A: 5th) replace Murray , North Sanpete , Millard and Enterprise .
GIRLS - West Jordan (5A: 4th) and Logan (4A: 5th) replace Bountiful and Bear River .
`HALL' OF FAME: Less than a month into the season, Rowland Hall-St. Mark's is the state's lone school to still sport undefeated teams in both boys and girls basketball. The Winged Lions are a combined 17-0 thus far. The girls (10-0) are ranked fifth in the latest DesNews listing, while the boys (7-0) hold a No. 2 spot.
FOLLOW THE LEADER: Rowland Hall's success is one thing, but Beaver High's is quite another. The Beavers are the only school in the state currently housing two top-ranked teams. Both the boys and girls squads hold No. 1 spots in the latest DesNews rankings.
VIVA LAS VEGAS!: The 18th annual Reebok Holiday Prep Classic begins Monday in Las Vegas. Fifty teams, representing 10 states, the District of Columbia and Canada, will play 94 games through Thursday at Las Vegas school sites. Mythical national boys champion Oak Hill Academy of Virginia and defending tournament titlist Westchester High of Los Angeles headline a field which includes Utah participants Cedar City, Mountain Crest, Mountain View and Payson.
NON-STOP TOURNEY: Coach Chimane Creer and the Davis Darts welcome seven teams, three from out of state, for their inaugural Non-Stop Holiday girls basketball tournament, Dec. 29-31. Host Davis is joined in the field by Chapparal (Las Vegas), Hillcrest, Evanston (Wyo.), Woods Cross, American Fork, Elko (Nev.) and Roy.
HIGHER LEVEL: Two former Utah prep basketball stars recently made their mark at the collegiate level as Western Athletic Conference Players of the Week. Russell Larson, a Clearfield High graduate, scored 64 points in three games for Brigham Young University, while American Fork product Julie Krommenhoek tallied 34 points in two victories for the University of Utah.
MORATORIUM: No practices, games, meets or contests can take place Dec. 23-27 and Jan. 1 thanks to the Utah High School Activities Association moratorium.
STAR WARS: Sky View coach Kevin Dustin and East coach Kerry Rupp will lead a group of Utah All-Stars into battle with a touring national team April 29 at Salt Lake Community College. Utah's team will be chosen after the state tournaments.
CATCH THE BEAT: For a sneak preview of the latest DesNews basketball rankings, watch KSL-TV's SportsBeat Saturday with host Brad Steinke. Each week at 10:35 p.m. on Channel 5, Steinke unveils Sunday's new listings.