The Keith High School girls’ basketball team remained No. 1 in the Alabama Sports Writers Association rankings, which were released Thursday for the first time since before Christmas.

The Bears (20-2) have only lost two games all season and at one point won 18 consecutive games. Keith lost its opener to Selma and also lost to Wilcox Central in the Bears’ first game of 2016.

Since that loss, Keith has won games over Ellwood Christian and Bibb County. The Bears need only one more class 1A, area 5 victory to win the regular season title and to clinch a spot in the sub-regional round of the playoffs. Since Keith plays in a three-team area, the winner of the area is automatically in the area tournament championship game and qualifies for sub-regional play.

The Bears were just ahead of Loachapoka (18-3), a team they’ve faced the last two years in Montgomery in the Central Regional portion of the playoffs. Woodville (12-7), Decatur Heritage (13-5), which made it to the state semifinals last year, and Skyline (13-5) rounded out the top five.

The team Keith beat in the state championship game last year, Spring Garden (13-4), checked in at No. 6.

The Keith girls weren’t the only team from Orrville ranked.

Keith’s boys basketball team (17-5) was No. 3 in the class 1A boys rankings, which is exactly where they were in the last rankings released on Dec. 16.

The Bears lost their game Tuesday night at Bibb County, who is ranked No. 5 in the 4A rankings.

Keith is 3-0 in area play and has already clinched the class 1A, area 5 championship.

Both Keith teams will be back in action Friday at home against Isabella.

The Selma girls (19-2) are also ranked in the newest poll. The Saints check in at No. 9, which is where they were before Christmas.

The Saints have only lost two games all season — both to Keith. Selma won its last game Saturday against Linden.

Selma will play Paul Bryant Friday night in a key game in class 6A, area 6.

The No. 1 ranked girls teams in the rankings were Hazel Green (7A), Homewood (6A), Wenonah (5A), Deshler (4A), Madison Academy (3A), Red Bay (2A), Keith (1A) and Springwood (AISA).

The No. 1 ranked boys teams in the rankings were Spain Park (7A), Carver Montgomery (6A), Sumter Central (5A), Westminster-Huntsville (4A), Madison Academy (3A), Vincent (2A), Sacred Heart (1A) and Restoration (AISA).

 

ASWA Basketball Rankings

GIRLS

CLASS 7A

1. Hazel Green (20-3)

2. McGill-Toolen (21-2)

3. Jeff Davis (12-4)

4. Buckhorn (19-4)

5. Sparkman (15-5)

6. Hoover (13-6)

7. Lee-Montgomery (15-4)

8. Thompson (16-4)

9. Gadsden City (12-6)

10. Tuscaloosa County (15-5)

Others nominated: Auburn (15-4), Baker (15-6).

 

CLASS 6A

1. Homewood (15-5)

2. LeFlore (22-0)

3. Austin (17-3)

4. Blount (14-5)

5. Lee-Huntsville (19-6)

6. Huffman (17-3)

7. Arab (15-6)

8. Athens (19-3)

9. Selma (19-2)

10. Center Point (13-9)

Others nominated: Baldwin County (11-4), Briarwood Christian (13-5), Scottsboro (13-9), Southside-Gadsden (13-5).

 

CLASS 5A

1. Wenonah (20-0)

2. Faith Academy (16-2)

3. Charles Henderson (22-1)

4. Central-Tuscaloosa (18-5)

5. Lawrence County (17-4)

6. Ramsay (14-5)

7. Madison County (13-3)

8. Demopolis (13-0)

9. Eufaula (13-6)

10. Carver-Birmingham (19-8)

Others nominated: Anniston (10-4), Brewbaker Tech (10-9), Fairview (16-5), Talladega (15-3).

 

CLASS 4A

1. Deshler (19-1)

2. Locust Fork (18-1)

3. Sipsey Valley (15-5)

4. UMS-Wright (16-5)

5. Priceville (12-7)

6. Hokes Bluff (17-4)

7. Crossville (12-5)

8. BTW Magnet (12-4)

9. Clarke County (18-5)

10. St. James (13-5)

Others nominated: J.B. Pennington (14-4), Montevallo (15-5), Saks (13-6), Westminster Christian (8-5).

 

CLASS 3A

1. Madison Academy (18-3)

2. Lauderdale County (15-5)

3. Pisgah (17-1)

4. Montgomery Academy (13-1)

5. Sand Rock (14-4)

6. Central-Coosa (14-3)

7. Colbert County (10-5)

8. Holly Pond (14-7)

9. Barbour County (8-5)

10. Pleasant Valley (16-2)

Others nominated: Abbeville (15-4), Daleville (16-4), Greensboro (10-2), Hillcrest-Evergreen (7-3), Midfield (8-12), T.R. Miller (14-3).

 

CLASS 2A

1. Red Bay (16-3)

2. Samson (20-1)

3. Geneva County (19-3)

4. Tanner (13-5)

5. Falkville (12-8)

6. Cold Springs (13-9)

7. Holy Spirit (11-3)

8. Calhoun (16-4)

9. Ariton (9-5)

10. Lanett (9-5)

Others nominated: Collinsville (8-9), Mobile Christian (10-7).

 

CLASS 1A

1. Keith (20-2)

2. Loachapoka (18-3)

3. Woodville (12-7)

4. Decatur Heritage (13-5)

5. Skyline (12-6)

6. Spring Garden (13-4)

7. Berry (13-2)

8. Cedar Bluff (11-4)

9. Hackleburg (11-2)

10. R.A. Hubbard (8-4)

Others nominated: Brantley (5-6), Georgiana (7-5), Isabella (12-5).

 

BOYS

CLASS 7A

1. Spain Park (14-6)

2. Gadsden City (17-4)

3. Central-Phenix City (21-2)

4. Lee-Montgomery (18-3)

5. Mountain Brook (14-5)

6. Grissom (16-6)

7. McGill-Toolen (18-5)

8. Auburn (16-3)

9. Baker (14-8)

10. Fairhope (14-5)

Others nominated: Murphy (13-7), Oak Mountain (14-7), Prattville (10-5).

 

CLASS 6A

1. Carver-Montgomery (15-3)

2. Lee-Huntsville (18-5)

3. Homewood (16-3)

4. Blount (14-5)

5. Austin (12-3)

6. LeFlore (14-3)

7. Albertville (16-5)

8. Pelham (12-7)

9. Woodlawn (17-6)

10. Dothan (16-2)

Others nominated: Cullman (14-5), Daphne (16-6), Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa (15-3), Northview (16-4), Shades Valley (15-5).

 

CLASS 5A

1. Sumter Central (19-2)

2. J.O. Johnson (16-4)

3. Faith-Mobile (17-4)

4. Columbia (14-5)

5. Anniston (12-3)

6. Brewbaker Tech (14-4)

7. Sidney Lanier (12-6)

8. Alexandria (11-3)

9. Lincoln (16-4)

10. Eufaula (10-6)

Others nominated: Hayden (11-8).

 

CLASS 4A

1. Westminster-Huntsville (17-3)

2. Cherokee Co. (14-4)

3. Montevallo (16-5)

4. Cordova (11-4)

5. Bibb Co. (12-7)

6. BTW Magnet (15-2)

7. Northside (13-2)

8. White Plains (16-7)

9. Ashford (15-4)

10. Andalusia (10-6)

Others nominated: Locust Fork (12-8).

 

CLASS 3A

1. Madison Academy (13-7)

2. Holly Pond (16-4)

3. Hale Co. (15-3)

4. Westbrook Christian (19-3)

5. Sheffield (17-2)

6. New Hope (15-1)

7. West Morgan (11-7)

8. Geraldine (14-6)

9. Montgomery Academy (10-4)

10. Winfield (10-6)

Others nominated: Bayside Academy (14-6), Daleville (12-6), Hillcrest-Evergreen (9-8), Piedmont (10-7).

 

CLASS 2A

1. Vincent (15-4)

2. Lanett (17-4)

3. Cold Springs (16-5)

4. Tanner (13-4)

5. Section (15-4)

6. LaFayette (13-4)

7. Altamont (13-1)

8. Asbury (13-7)

9. Elba (8-3)

10. Cleveland (11-5)

Others nominated: Collinsville (9-8).

 

CLASS 1A

1. Sacred Heart (15-7)

2. Georgiana (15-0)

3. Keith (17-5)

4. Fruitdale (13-2)

5. Skyline (13-4)

6. South Lamar (14-4)

7. St. Bernard (15-1)

8. Spring Garden (10-5)

9. Cedar Bluff (8-6)

10. Covenant Christian (16-4)

Others nominated: Phillips-Bear Creek (12-5).