The Associated Press (AP) released its first state rankings for the IHSA boys basketball season on Wednesday.
Newman (16-0) represents the Three Rivers Athletic Conference (TRAC) in the 1A poll at No. 4.
WRMJ will post the polls each week. WRMJ’s Ty Taylor is an AP voter. His ballot will accompany the AP poll throughout the year.
*The number in parentheses represents how many number-one overall votes a team received.
IHSA 1A Boys Basketball AP Poll – Jan. 7, 2026
| Rank | Team | Record | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Woodlawn (5) | 14-1 | 85 |
| 2 | Lawrenceville (2) | 14-1 | 78 |
| 3 | Tuscola (1) | 16-0 | 62 |
| 4 | Newman (1) | 16-0 | 61 |
| 5 | Waltonville | 13-2 | 47 |
| 6 | Goreville | 11-1 | 44 |
| 7 | Routt | 13-2 | 39 |
| 8 | LeRoy (1) | 13-1 | 35 |
| 9 | Webber | 12-1 | 34 |
| 10 | South Holland Unity Christian | 10-5 | 25 |
Receiving votes: 11, Sparta 21. 12, Marshall 11. 13, Abingdon-Avon 5. 14, Deer Creek-Mackinaw 2. 15, Cumberland 1.
IHSA 2A Boys Basketball AP Poll – Jan. 7, 2026
| Rank | Team | Record | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Quincy Notre Dame (10) | 13-0 | 109 |
| 2 | Manual (1) | 8-4 | 87 |
| 3 | Warresnburg-Latham | 15-1 | 70 |
| 4 | Teutopolis | 13-2 | 57 |
| 5 | Yorkville Christian | 10-5 | 55 |
| 6 | West Hancock | 12-3 | 49 |
| 7 | Staunton | 11-1 | 33 |
| 8 | Tolono Unity | 11-2 | 28 |
| 9 | Christ the King | 12-2 | 25 |
| 10 | Carterville | 15-1 | 20 |
Receiving votes: 11, Clark 14. 12, Hope Academy 10. 13, Crane 9. 14, Nashville 9. 15, Bismarck-Henning-Rossville-Alvin 8. 16, St. Joseph-Ogden 6. 17, Westville 5. 18, Columbia 4. 19, Wesclin 3. 20, Bishop McNamara) 2. 21, Alton Marquette 2.
IHSA 3A Boys Basketball AP Poll – Jan. 7, 2026
| Rank | Team | Record | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | East St. Louis (7) | 14-1 | 97 |
| 2 | Kankakee (3) | 12-1 | 91 |
| 3 | MacArthur | 12-0 | 75 |
| 4 | Kaneland | 13-0 | 70 |
| 5 | Centralia | 15-1 | 59 |
| 6 | Hyde Park | 11-4 | 35 |
| 7 | Mt. Vernon | 12-2 | 34 |
| 8 | Metamora | 12-4 | 22 |
| 9 | Deerfield | 11-5 | 15 |
| T10 | East Peoria | 8-2 | 13 |
| T10 | Morton | 11-4 | 13 |
Receiving votes: 11, Peoria 9. 12, Leo 7. 13, Centennial 6. 14, Morgan Park 3. 15, Sycamore 1.
IHSA 4A Boys Basketball AP Poll – Jan. 7, 2026
| Rank | Team | Record | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Benet (10) | 17-1 | 108 |
| 2 | DePaul Prep (1) | 14-2 | 100 |
| 3 | Curie | 12-1 | 80 |
| 4 | Marist | 15-1 | 79 |
| T5 | St. Ignatius | 15-2 | 62 |
| T5 | Warren | 12-1 | 62 |
| 7 | Loyola | 15-2 | 41 |
| 8 | Homewood-Flossmoor | 14-1 | 27 |
| 9 | New Trier | 13-3 | 21 |
| 10 | St. Patrick | 13-2 | 11 |
Receiving votes: 11, Bolingbrook 5. 12, Neuqua Valley 5. 13, Fremd 3. 14, Richwoods 1.