Dale (Okla.), the preseason No. 1 team in the Small Town Top 25 high school basketball rankings, has proven to be a juggernaut this year but it's a team from neighboring Missouri that now holds the top spot.
New Madrid County Central (New Madrid, Mo.), 18-1 at the time the rankings were compiled, jumps to the top after starting the season at No. 12. The Eagles are led by two high-scoring seniors and have 15 straight wins heading into the final week of the season.
Jadis Jones, a 2023 MaxPreps Small Town All-American, averages 27 points per game while
B.J. Williamson averages 23. Jones also leads the team in rebounds at 12.4 while Williamson leads the team in steals at 3.8.
Dale still holds the No. 1 ranking in Oklahoma is No. 2 nationally after winning all of its games by an average of 30 points. The Pirates had a 45-game win streak end at the hands of
Hoover (Ala.) in an out-of-state tournament.
Williston (Fla.) comes in at No. 3 and No. 13 team in all of Florida while No. 4
Zillah (Wash.) is second overall in the Evergreen State. A fifth-place finisher in the Class 1A state tournament last year, Zillah's signature win this year came in December when it defeated two-time Class 2A state champion Lynden.
Teams eligible for the Small Town Top 25 are those with less than 1,000 students in towns with a population under 10,000. Teams are ordered based on their MaxPreps computer rating. Teams below are listed with their record as of Feb. 4 and their computer rating.
J.D. Daniels of Farmville Central throws it down for the Jags, who are No. 17 in the Small Town Top 25 basketball rankings. (Photo: Jerrell Jordan)
2.
Dale (Okla.), 19-2, 28.12
3.
Williston (Fla.), 22-2, 27.83
4.
Zillah (Wash.), 19-0, 26.09
5.
Iowa (La.), 25-3, 25.58
6.
Lyon County (Eddyville, Ky.), 20-3, 25.36
7.
Pocola (Okla.), 17-0, 24.73
8.
Iron Mountain (Mich.), 14-0, 24.43
9.
Norris (Firth, Neb.), 14-1, 24.18
10.
Breese Central (Breese, Ill.), 21-1, 24.10
11.
Ogallala (Neb.), 18-1, 23.79
12.
Raymond (Miss.), 23-4, 23.66
13.
Krum (Texas), 27-3, 23.6
14.
Louisville (Ohio), 15-2, 23.59
15.
Hamlin (Hayti, S.D.), 12-3, 23.54
16.
Holliday (Texas), 25-2, 23.42
17.
Farmville Central (Farmville, N.C.), 19-1, 23.42
18.
Crete (Neb.), 17-0, 23.31
19.
Kindred (N.D.), 14-1, 23.24
20.
Booneville (Miss.), 21-2, 23.02
21.
Choctaw Central (Philadelphia, Miss.), 21-5, 22.86
22.
Sioux Valley (Volga, S.D.), 13-0, 22.56
23.
South Stokes (Walnut Cove, N.C.), 18-1, 22.51
24.
Profile (Bethlehem, N.H.), 18-0, 22.38
25.
Conant (Jaffrey, N.H.), 13-0, 22.34
