SBLive Missouri high school boys basketball Power 25 rankings (Feb. 21): Kickapoo, Chaminade move back into Top 10

We're heading to the postseason with not many changes in the Top 10. Despite the looming playoffs, a huge matchup between Staley and North Kansas City headlines some of the top games at the end of the regular season.

SBLIVE MISSOURI POWER 25 BOYS BASKETBALL RANKINGS

• PREVIOUS RANKINGS: JAN. 24 | FEB. 6 | FEB. 13 

Here's a look at the SBLive Missouri Power 25 (with records through Feb. 20):

1. Vashon (17-7)

Last week: 1

Everyone in Class 4 has been put on alert. Vashon is hitting its stride and the defending Class 4 champions are looking to add to its trophy case. The Wolverines swept Gateway STEM and Gateway Legacy Christian easily before handling Hickman at home to stretch its winning streak to 10 games. SIU-Carbondale commit Kennard Davis Jr. continues to lead the way with 14.5 points and 6.2 rebounds a game. The Wolverines host Carnahan and Battle before getting ready for their march toward the Class 4 crown.

2. Staley (23-2)

Last week: 2

The Falcons extended their winning streak to six games with back-to-back wins over Park Hill South and Lee's Summit. They have a huge matchup with Park Hill for its senior night on Tuesday before it opens up the Class 6 postseason. Staley drew St. Joseph Central in the first round of the Class 6 District 8 tournament.

3. Nixa (24-0)

Last week: 3

The Eagles are 24 games in and have 24 wins under their belts. They've have been tested again and again and passed each test. After a four-point win over Republic and a two-point win against Carthage, Nixa ripped through the next two games. The Eagles will host Neosho in the regular-season finale and put its perfect season on the line before the Class 6 postseason begins.

4. Oak Park (23-1)

Last week: 5

The long-awaited rematch between Oak Park and North Kansas City lived up to the hype. The Northmen rebuffed NKC with a seven-point win for senior night to run their winning streak to 17 successive games. If Staley is the top team in the Kansas City area, Oak Park has made its case to be the second-best team and will wrap up the regular season with a road trip to Fort Osage.

5. Cardinal Ritter (19-4)

Last week: 4

Ran its winning streak to 18 games before traveling to CBC. The Lions and Cadets tangled in a non-conference affair where Cardinal Ritter led by 17 going into the fourth quarter. Then Cardinal Ritter collapsed. The Lions were outscored 32-14 in the final quarter and had a chance at the buzzer but junior Derrick Rivers' running layup didn't find paydirt. It's the first loss for Cardinal Ritter since a 62-56 loss to the School of Lewisville out of Texas on Dec. 2. It's the Lions' first loss this season to a Missouri school.

6. Cape Girardeau Central (23-1)

Last week: 6

The Tigers are marching along quite easily toward the Class 5 postseason. Cape Central picked up a six-point win over Charleston before crushing Kennett. Still has two massive matchups with a road trip to Park Hills Central on Tuesday before a home matchup with CBC to conclude the regular season. The Tigers will play De Soto in the first round of the Class 5 District 1 tournament.

7. Lee's Summit West (18-2)

Last week: 7

The Titans picked up an eight-point victory over Blue Springs on a senior night before a 13-point showing over Raymore-Peculiar to run their winning streak to six games. Has one more matchup with North Kansas City on Tuesday in the regular season finale before kicking off the Class 6 District 6 tournament with a matchup against Raymore-Peculiar.

8. Kickapoo (17-7)

Last week: 11

After shaking off a struggling stretch, Kickapoo has found its way as the postseason draws closer. The Chiefs have pushed their winning streak to six games, picking up five straight wins over teams with records over .500. It will host Lebanon in the regular-season finale.

9. Republic (21-3)

Last week: 9

A little letdown loss on the road to Ozarks came after a 13-point win over Webb City. The Tigers were able to rebound with an 11-point win over Neosho. Will have back-to-back home games against Willard and Branson to conclude the regular season before the Class 6 postseason starts.

10. Chaminade (18-8)

Last week: 13

After suffering a five-game losing streak, Chaminade is back to its winning ways. The Red Devils picked up wins over Confluence and a conference victory over De Smet to push its late winning streak to four games. The Spartans will take on Francis Howell North at St. Louis University High in the first round of the Class 6 District 3 tournament.

Vote now: Who should be SBLive's Missouri High School Athlete of the Week (Feb. 13-18)?

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11. Kirkwood (20-2)

Last week: 8

The Pioneers suffered their first loss of the season with a six-point home loss to St. Dominic before a crushing defeat to rival Eureka on the road. After holding the Wildcats to just 13 points in the first half, Kirkwood was unable to slow down Eureka in the second half as Mason Dunlap led the Wildcats past Kirkwood. The Pioneers will look to rebound with two more regular season games.

12. De Smet (17-5)

Last week: 9

The Spartans pushed their winning streak to six games before suffering a 19-point loss to Metro Catholic Conference rival Chaminade at home. Justin Duff and Patrick Origliasso continue to lead De Smet in scoring 18.1 and 10.2 points a game, respectively. De Smet will look to rebound with a matchup with Whitfield on the horizon before finishing the season with a matchup against Vianney.

13. Ladue (20-5)

Last week: 12

Picked up a six-point win over defending Class 5 state champions Webster Groves before hammering Parkway Central in a conference win on the road. Ladue picked up its first 20-win season since 2018-19. Two of its losses have come to teams from across the river. Will face off on the road against Orchard Farm which has had some recent upset victories to conclude the regular season.

14. Park Hill (16-8)

Last week: 14

Without looking ahead to a colossal matchup with Staley, the Trojans swept aside Lee's Summit and Lee's Summit North to push their winning streak to four games. Park Hill will travel to Staley on Tuesday before another road trip to Kearney before taking on Liberty in the first round of the Class 6 Tournament 8 tournament.

15. Christian Brothers College (14-10)

Last week: 16

After suffering a two-point loss to De Smet lat last week, the Cadets looked like they were in for a back-to-back loss. CBC was down 17 points to start the fourth quarter but slowly chipped away at the lead until junior Anthony Gause completed the comeback with a circus layup with 7 seconds to go in regulation. CBC will get one more regular season game with a home game against Miller Career before it prepares to defend its Class 6 crown.

16. Charleston (20-6)

Last week: 15

Lost a huge matchup with Cape Girardeau Central on the road last week, a six-point loss before rebounding with a six-point win against Poplar Bluff at home to wrap up the regular season. The defending Class 3 state champions will await either Valle Catholic or Kelly in the first round of the Class 3 District 2 tournament.

17. Borgia (21-4)

Last week: 17

The Knights split two games last week against Lutheran North and Father Tolton and will have one more regular season game against Vianney before it takes on Marshfield in the first round of the Class 5 District 5 tournament. The 21 wins on the season are the most since Borgia tallied 22 wins in the 2011-12 season.

18. North Kansas City (17-8)

Last week: 18

Dropped a seven-point loss to Oak Park after sweeping past Fort Osage. The Hornets will have another huge matchup just before the postseason with a home matchup against Lee's Summit West.

19. Troy Buchanan (19-5)

Last week: 19

After crushing Fort Zumwalt West in a conference game, the Trojans got ambushed at home by Francis Howell. Troy will conclude the season on the road against Francis Howell North and St. Charles West before it heads into the Class 6 postseason. Four players – Jack Fessenden, Andrew Moore, Charlie Nett and Keegan Linebaugh – average double-digits for Troy.

20. Jackson (17-8)

Last week: 21

After a road loss to New Madrid County Central, Jackson has won back-to-back games over Seckman and Sikeston. The Indians have a home game against Webster Groves before the Class 6 postseason kicks off. The 17 wins are the most Jackson has tallied in a season since it picked up 18 wins in the 2018-19 season.

21. Park Hill South (14-10)

Last week: 20

The Panthers' free fall continued with its fifth-consecutive loss, this time on the round to Staley. Park Hill South managed to right the ship with an eight-point win on senior night over Liberty. The Panthers will get a chance to get back into the win column with a road trip to Lee's Summit North before a showdown with North Kansas City in the first round of the Class 6 District 8 tournament.

22. New Madrid County Central (16-7)

Last week: 22

Since the Nixa Invitational Tournament, the Eagles are soaring. New Madrid County Central has won six in a row, with four of them coming against teams featuring over .500 records. It concluded its season with a 61-56 win over Sikeston and awaits the winner of Portageville or Senath-Hornersville in the Class 3 District 1 semifinal round.

23. St. Charles (20-4)

Last week: 25

Picked up its first 20-win season since the 2014-15 season with back-to-back wins over Duchesne and Warrenton. Will conclude the season with a road trip to Fort Zumwalt South and a home matchup against Lutheran South. The Pirates' Chris Ketchum has done a little bit of everything this season, averaging 15.4 points, 8.2 rebounds and 3.4 assists a game.

24. Sikeston (17-7)

Last week: 23

The Bulldogs stumbled in to of their last three games, picking up a win over Caruthersville but were sandwiched between two losses to New Madrid County Central and a home loss to Jackson. Sikeston will travel to Doniphan and Poplar Bluff before the Class 5 District 1 tournament kicks off.

25. Hickman (17-8)

Last week: NR

The Kewpies split two city rivalry games with a loss to Rock Bridge before a road win over Battle before Vashon played the unfriendly host and handed them their worst loss of the season. Hickman will have senior night against Fort Zumwalt North before hosting Fort Osage in the Class 6 District 7 first round.

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