Check out the Jackson-area boys basketball power rankings

We are a week into January and, judge it aliases not, that intends a batch of boys hoops teams are either at, aliases closing successful on, nan halfway constituent of their seasons.

Before nan convention slates commencement ramping up, we had a slew of absorbing nonconference matchups complete nan vacation play which gave america a glimpse of really things are shaping up for nan teams successful nan Jackson area.

Obviously, a batch will hap successful nan coming weeks, and pinch a batch of cardinal matchups each complete nan committee to come, this Top-10 whitethorn look a batch different by nan extremity of nan month.

Here are nan Jackson-area powerfulness rankings arsenic they guidelines January 7.

1. LUMEN CHRISTI (7-3)

The Titans made a connection by beating Jackson astatine Spring Arbor 49-47, portion of a four-game winning streak which besides saw them expanse Traverse City St. Francis and Saginaw Nouvel astatine nan Catholic Schools Tournament.

But nan Titans past mislaid to Cranbrook. That was a one-point loss, and it needs to beryllium pointed retired that Lumen Christi’s 3 losses this twelvemonth were to nan Cranes, Loyola and Divine Child, teams pinch a mixed 21-5 grounds this year.

2. MICHIGAN CENTER (7-1)

The Cardinals are 1 of nan deepest teams you will see. If a defense wants to extremity Jayden Watson, they person conscionable opened nan doorway to Tre Collins aliases Travis Collins aliases Hadyn Hinkle to person a large night. Meanwhile astatine nan different extremity of nan court, Travis Collins is coming up pinch cardinal stops to slow nan opponent’s offense.

3. CONCORD (9-1)

The Yellowjackets are going to beryllium a difficult squad to hit successful nan Division 4 postseason, and conscionable arsenic difficult to hit successful nan Big 8 race. After averaging much than 62 points per crippled successful their first 7 games, each wins, nan scoring gait has slowed a spot successful nan past 3 games, but those 3 person still seen wins complete Northwest and Leslie and a nonaccomplishment to an 8-3 Brother Rice team.

Thursday’s travel to Stockbridge could beryllium immense for some teams’ convention title hopes.

4. JACKSON (5-2)

The Viking consequence to nan nonaccomplishment to Lumen Christi was to cruise to a 67-45 triumph complete Lansing Everett.

Jackson now turns its attraction to nan SEC White title wherever it presently sits a half crippled down Lincoln, pinch a showdown pinch them successful Ypsilanti adjacent week.

5. STOCKBRIDGE (9-1)

After a territory title past year, nan Panthers won their first 7 games this twelvemonth earlier an overtime nonaccomplishment to Pinckney.

The Panthers person played conscionable 3 games against teams pinch winning records truthful acold (Pinckney, Crestwood and Springport), but things get a spot tougher now pinch Concord and Leslie coming up.

6. LESLIE (5-2)

The Blackhawks person a two-game losing streak, but those losses person travel to Pinckney and Concord, some by 11 points. This is simply a well-balanced squad wherever anyone connected nan level could spell disconnected for a large game, and they tin grind retired low-scoring, protect wins for illustration they did against Dansville aliases triumph a high-flying shootout for illustration they did against East Jackson.

7. NORTHWEST (5-3)

Year 2 of nan James Bradley era is disconnected to a beardown commencement for nan Mounties, who played adjacent games successful losses to a brace of bully teams successful Adrian and Concord. The adjacent fewer days will beryllium cardinal successful nan Interstate 8 battle, arsenic Northwest visits Marshall earlier hosting league-leading Pennfield. And aft that comes nan rivalry-game travel to Parma.

8. COLUMBIA CENTRAL (6-3)

The Cascades West title is going to beryllium a wild, chaotic messiness each year. Right now nan Golden Eagles, Hanover-Horton, Jonesville and Homer are each jumbled up wrong a crippled and a half of each other, but Columbia Central, pinch wins complete some Homer and Hanover-Horton already, mightiness beryllium edging successful front. They besides person a nonconference triumph complete a amazingly bully Hillsdale squad and came wrong 5 points of knocking disconnected unbeaten Onsted.

9. MANCHESTER (6-2)

The Dutchmen are an intriguing team. They person successful Grant Johnson and Michael Navitskis a beardown one-two punch and person pulled disconnected immoderate wins complete value teams for illustration Napoleon, Jonesville and Whitmore Lake. With nan Cascades East shaping up to beryllium a two-team title betwixt Michigan Center and Leslie, nan Dutchmen are not rather astatine that level yet, but should still beryllium capable to put up a winning grounds this season, which would beryllium their first since 2018-19.

10. HANOVER-HORTON (4-3)

The Comets had a unsmooth commencement to nan season, going 2-3, but person picked up wins complete Grass Lake and Vandercook Lake since then. They are presently successful first successful nan Cascades West, but pinch plentifulness of value teams breathing down their neck. If nan discourtesy is clicking, they are a reliable team, moreover putting up 73 points connected 10-0 Onsted and 75 connected Montrose.

Eric Ingles has covered sports successful nan Jackson area since 2021. Before that he worked for people and integer outlets successful Sterling, Illinois, Sedalia, Missouri and Crawfordsville, Indiana, and TV stations in...