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What a difference a weekend makes.

The Kellogg boys basketball team, on the strength of three Central Idaho League victories on three consecutive nights, have vaulted into the Idaho Boys Basketball Daily Top 25 rankings for the first time this year.  The Wildcats currently sit at sixth overall among Class 2A teams, but the most important thing for Kellogg is that they're first among the teams from their league.

That includes Orofino, who had started 6-0 before falling in back-to-back contests.  The Maniacs are still ranked at seventh in 2A (just below Kellogg), but a head-to-head loss to Kellogg hurts their chances of rising above the Wildcats.

Three straight home wins over St. Maries on Thursday, January 12th (56-43), Grangeville on Friday, January 13th (63-49) and Orofino on Saturday, January 14th (73-34) has put Kellogg at 11-3 overall on the year.  An earlier win over Priest River (55-40) means that Kellogg is a perfect 4-0 through the first half of CIL play.

It's been a strange schedule so far this year for coach Mike Martin's Kellogg Wildcats.  A season-opening win over Class 4A Lakeland by a 50-45 score opened eyes statewide.

Their second game of the year, a home tilt against another 4A team (Moscow) was wiped out due too bad weather.  But it was destiny that the Bears and Wildcats would meet up eventually, as they faced each other at the Avista Tournament in Lewiston.  Moscow won that contest 60-48.

In fact. Kellogg's three losses have all come to teams much larger than them: Moscow, Class 5A Lewiston and 3A Timberlake.

After finishing 1-2 at the Avista Tournament, Kellogg went thirteen days between games (December 29th to January 12th).  The unusual layoff allowed other 2A teams to move ahead of Kellogg in the IdahoSports.com Power Rankings.  And since we didn't start featuring the Daily Top 25 until the start of the new year, Kellogg literally had zero chances to improve their stock until this past weekend.

Over the three-game homestand last week, the Luna twins did their usual damage.  Riply Luna led Kellogg in scoring against St. Maries (24 points) and Orofino (34 points), while Kolby Luna led the way against Grangeville with 25 points.  In fact, over the three games Riply averaged 25.3 points per game and Kolby averaged 15.7.

Much like Kellogg's football team earlier this fall, the Wildcats want to speed up the game.  The Wildcats use a hellacious press to lead to easy opportunities, and can get hot from the three-point line.

Kellogg's schedule resumes on Tuesday, January 17th when they face Lakeland in a rematch.  Other games to watch that lie ahead for Kellogg include two games with Class 3A Bonners Ferry, and the road rematches at both St. Maries and Orofino.

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

CLASS 5A

1. Lewiston (10-2)

CLASS 4A

1. Pocatello (14-0)
2. Hillcrest (12-0)
4. Minico (8-2)
3. Skyview (10-3)

CLASS 3A

1. Teton (12-1)
2. Marsh Valley (10-3)
3. Snake River (10-4)

CLASS 2A

1. Melba (12-0)
2. Wendell (8-2)
3. Nampa Christian (11-2)
4. Cole Valley Christian (10-3)
5. Ririe (11-1)
6. Kellogg (8-3)
7. Orofino (6-2)
8. Aberdeen (8-3)
9. Bear Lake (11-2)
10. Firth (9-4)

CLASS 1AD1

1. Lapwai (13-0)
2. Lighthouse Christian (11-1)
3. Valley (10-1)

CLASS 1AD2

1. Rockland (13-1)
2. Watersprings (12-2)
3. Richfield (11-0)
4. Council (9-4)

IN: Kellogg, Firth, Bear Lake, Council
OUT: West Jefferson, Victory Charter, Kendrick, Camas County

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