ORDER GAME PHOTOS

Our debut list of the Top 25 Daily Boys Basketball rankings are sure to turn a few heads.

Why are there so many smaller schools ranked higher than big schools???

Pocatello, Lapwai and Hillcrest are ranked where???

There's only one Class 5A team ranked, and it's not Owyhee or Lake City???

Such is the beauty of the Top 25 Daily Boys Basketball Rankings.  There's still some early season wackiness to sort out, but rest assured, as the season progresses, the teams that pass the "eye test" should rise to the top.

In the meantime, Melba debuts as our top team, and it could be awhile until they are knocked from their perch.

Consider: the last time the Mustangs were defeated was nearly a calendar year ago.  Melba lost to Ambrose on January 13th, 2021 by a 60-49 score.

Since then, Melba has rattled off 24 consecutive wins, including last year's 2A state championship over St. Maries and their first nine contests in 2022-23.

Outside of a pair of tight wins over Class 3A Homedale, and an eight-point triumph over Cole Valley Christian, Melba has rarely been challenged this year.

On Tuesday night, the Mustangs steamrolled past North Star Charter by an 87-52 score.  Braden Volkers stuffed the stat sheet with 30 points, five rebounds, five steals and four assists.  Kaden Dayley added 15 points, while Tucker Lowber nearly compiled a double-double with 13 points and eight rebounds.

Volkers runs the show as Melba's point guard, and he has no shortage of long, lean athletes to get the ball to, including: the 6-foot-1 Lowber, 6-foot-1 Carsten Volkers, 6-foot-4 Cache Beus, 6-foot-4 Noah West, and 6-foot-7 Cutter Beus.

Melba will travel to New Plymouth on Friday, January 6th before hosting Compass Charter on Thursday, January 12th.  Then comes the revenge game: Saturday, January 12th when Melba hosts Ambrose for the first time this year.  Considering that Ambrose was the last team to defeat Melba, the latest chapter in this rivalry will be must-see.

Here's the rest of the Top 25 Daily Boys Basketball Rankings:

1. Melba (9-0)
2. Watersprings (11-2)
3. Rockland (10-1)
4. Pocatello (10-0)
5. Wendell (7-0)
6. Richfield (8-0)
7. Cole Valley Christian (8-2)
8. Orofino (5-0)
9. Lapwai (8-0)
10. Lighthouse Christian (7-1)
11. Nampa Christian (8-1)
12. Marsh Valley (7-2)
13. Snake River (7-3)
14. St. Maries (4-1)
15. Hillcrest (8-0)
16. Troy (5-0)
17. Preston (10-2)
18. Kamiah (8-1)
19. Camas County (5-1)
20. Firth (7-3)
21. Wood River (7-2)
22. Teton (7-1)
23. Sugar-Salem (7-1)
24. Carey (7-2)
25. Timberline (7-3)

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