Just like that, there are no undefeated teams remaining. Lincoln, our lone unbeaten team at the time of the last ranking, has since picked up a pair of defeats. That means the (unaffiliated) Lincoln School girls’ team is the last undefeated team across the Rhode Island landscape.
The Barrington boys have claimed the No. 1 spot for the first time, as only Bishop Hendricken and Lincoln have held that title to this point. La Salle is getting back to winning ways, while Bishop Hendricken continues to falter below expectations.
Eliezer Delbrey hit 2,000 points for Classical and has the Purple gunning for another title before he presumably makes the move to the next level upon graduation later this year. Just in time for the playoffs, things are getting interesting and teams are feeling the pressure state-wide.
Here is the fifth edition of the boys’ Rhode Island basketball power rankings.
1. Barrington (18-3)
Previous rank: 2
Next game: at Classical, Feb. 13, 6 p.m.
It’s a good time of year for the Eagles to grace the top spot for the first time. After losing 66-64 to a surging Division 2 team in Mt. Hope, it seemed that they were destined to move backwards, not to the peak of the mountain. Two days removed from that loss, they downed Lincoln, 54-37. Caleb Satisfield led the way with 17 points and was helped by 12 points from Collin Appleyard. Usual contributors Ryan Rigamonti and Colin McDermott chipped in with six a piece, more than enough to get the job done. Heading into the postseason, Barrington is the top team in the state.
2. Lincoln (19-2)
Previous rank: 1
Next game: at Portsmouth, Feb. 13, 7 p.m.
After flying to an 18-0 record, the Lions have faltered. It began with a 66-65 loss to La Salle, which has recovered from a slow start. It was business as usual at the outset, with Lincoln leading 25-12 in the second quarter. Down 62-57 with 17 seconds to play, Josh Bergeron managed two quick 3-pointers to take the lead, but they then fell at the buzzer. Bergeron finished with 25 points on seven 3s and Gianni Pagios registered 18. The wild one-point loss was one thing, but the Lions then fell by 17 against Barrington, dragging them out of the top spot for the first time in months. In between the losses, they beat Cranston West, 70-36, led by Brian Gugel’s 20 points.
3. Classical (16-5)
Previous rank: 3
Next game: vs. Barrington, Feb. 13, 6 p.m.
In the Purple’s 45-39 win over Cumberland, Eliezer Delbrey reached the 2,000-point milestone. He’s just the ninth player in the history of Rhode Island to do it. He scored 25 points in the victory. A shaky 1-2 start for this team is long in the past, as they’ve now won seven straight games heading into the final pair of regular season games. Classical also beat Central, 77-70, recently to claim another victory against another top competitor. Delbrey scored his usual 27 points and was helped by a 22-point performance from Mohammad Fadia. A massive test in a rematch against Barrington lies ahead.
4. Central (13-6)
Previous rank: 6
Next game: vs. Juanita Sanchez, Feb. 13, 6:30 p.m.
The Knights have fully put their four-loss run in the rear-view mirror, having won eight of their last nine matchups. The one loss came against Classical, despite 29 points from John Ramos. In a 75-61 win over Johnston, senior Jahnari Jackson collected 28 points on six 3-pointers and junior Khamaree Benton added 23. Central also turned La Salle away in a statement 76-72 triumph. Ramos was the leader in that game with 22 points, closely followed by Benton’s 18 and Jackson's 13. The Knights are determined to remain right in the hunt come playoff time.
5. Mt. Hope (19-1)
Previous rank: 8
Next game: vs. Woonsocket, Feb. 13, 6 p.m.
The Huskies’ Division 3 existence becomes largely irrelevant when they display an ability to defeat the best team in the state. A late surge brought them to a massive 66-64 win over Barrington, showing just how capable they are. They recently notched their 17th straight win, a 63-60 decision against Moses Brown. Jack Thompson scored a team-high 21 points and Maleaq Roderick piled up 16. In an 84-50 win versus Blackstone Valley Prep, it was Bam Adams’ turn to score 21 points, while Roderick and Thompson added 16 apiece. Mt. Hope’s balanced scoring attack continues to cause major problems and will give them a chance in the state tournament.
6. La Salle (12-8)
Previous rank: 9
Next game: vs. Bishop Hendricken, Feb. 13, 7 p.m.
The Rams are back. They’ve settled back into success with a three-game winning streak after handing Lincoln its first loss. The craziest part of that win is the fact that Nick Tarro, their star player, was absent. Freshman Mike Hayes drove to the bucket on the final play of the game and hit the game-winning layup at the buzzer. He scored 21 points, 12 of which came in the fourth quarter. Another freshman, London Miller, had 14 points. They followed the biggest win of the season with dominant victories over Mt. Pleasant and Westerly. In La Salle’s most recent loss against Central, Tarro scored 28 points.
7. Bishop Hendricken (9-10)
Previous rank: 5
Next game: at La Salle, Feb. 13, 7 p.m.
It's been a disappointing run for the Hawks, which is an unusual sight for their competitors. They’ve lost four of the last six. They’re likely still competitors in terms of pure skill, as those losses came against powerhouses across New England, including Barrington, Lincoln, Wareham (Mass.) and East Catholic (Conn.). It remains to be seen if Deion-Ellis Cipriano and his crew can still make their usual noise in the postseason.
8. Portsmouth (11-5)
Previous rank: 7
Next game: at Lincoln, Feb. 13, 7 p.m.
The Patriots were poised for a sizable rise up the rankings after winning six of seven attempts, with the lone loss against Barrington. That changed when they suffered one of the more surprising losses of the season, dropping a 61-52 result against a 5-12 Smithfield team. It was rough for Portsmouth, especially heading into a challenging final stretch against Lincoln and Hendricken. Adam Conheeny remains the man responsible for Portsmouth’s success, as he dropped a 40-burger on Westerly in a 66-48 victory. He’s scored almost 1,600 points and is actively shattering the school record.
9. St. Raphael Academy (15-4)
Previous rank: 10
Next game: at Smithfield, Feb. 14, 1 p.m.
The Saints' seven-game win streak was snapped by a two-point loss to St. Andrew’s. But they responded with a 77-69 win over Middletown the next day. They also downed Pilgrim, 84-45, with an impressive five players in double figures: Zerek Johnson (21 points), Rafael Rios Jr. (15 points), Amari Delves (14 points), Scott Creighton (11 points) and Juliath Lusiak (10 points). Johnson led the team in scoring in all seven of those wins, highlighted by 27 against South Kingstown and 26 vs. Coventry.
10. Westerly (15-7)
Previous rank: 6
Next game: vs. North Kingstown, Feb. 13, 7 p.m.
The Bulldogs have fallen a bit after a surprisingly hot start. They followed a six-game winning streak with five losses in a seven-game stretch. Defeats to Barrington and La Salle aren’t red marks, but falling to Mt. Pleasant and West Warwick won’t fly at the top of Division 1. They’ve been great at home, going 11-3, but have struggled on the road at 4-4. In a recent win over Burrillville, it was leading scorer Brayden Antoch back at it with 21 points. Caleb Williams scored 12 and Luigi Marchionne added 11. Westerly could use a strong finish to the season against North Kingstown.
