By ALEC ETHEREDGE | Sports Editor

The first ASWA basketball rankings of the 2016-17 basketball season have been released and four county boys’ teams are ranked in the top 10 of their respective class.

Pelham (6-1) is the highlight of the rankings having come in as the No. 1 team among the 6A ranks. The Panthers have won five consecutive games on the season and their only loss came at the hands of 9-0 7A No. 1 team Mountain Brook. They also have two wins over good out of state teams that they beat in an Atlanta tournament. The Panthers have seen success behind Alabama signee Alex Reese and 2018-point guard Justin Allison. Reese is averaging 18 points and eight rebounds per game, while Allison is averaging around 27 points, six rebounds, three assists and three steals per game.

Spain Park came in at No. 6 in the rankings after its 5-4 start on the season, and although the record itself doesn’t jump off the page, the schedule does. The Jags have probably played one of the most difficult schedules in the state. They split two games in a Mississippi tournament and have lost to a good Robert E Lee team, 6A No. 1 Pelham and 7A No. 7 Sparkman.

Oak Mountain (6-3) also received nominations in the 7A rankings. After starting off 5-1 with their only loss to Lee-Montgomery, the Eagles have lost back-to-back games to Thompson and Helena by a combined eight points.

Montevallo (6-1) came in at No. 3 in Class 3A after five consecutive wins. The Bulldogs have done so behind Da’Shaunte Smith who is averaging 26 points, eight rebounds and six assists per game. Their only loss is to 7A No. 6 Spain Park.

Vincent was the last county team to be ranked coming in at No. 6 in Class 2A. The Yellow Jackets (6-3, 1-0) are off to a much better start than expected, which can be contributed to Stephen Campbell who has had a career high 4-point game this year and is averaging 25.6 points per game.

Here is a complete look at the rankings:

CLASS 7A
1. Mountain Brook (9-0)
2. Lee-Montgomery (7-0)
3. Smiths Station (8-0)
4. Hoover (8-2)
5. McGill-Toolen (8-4)
6. Spain Park (5-4)
7. Sparkman (5-3)
8. Auburn (7-2)
9. Murphy (9-3)
10. James Clemens (4-2)
Others nominated: Buckhorn (6-4), Enterprise (4-0), Fairhope (5-3), Grissom (4-4), Huffman (7-1), Oak Mountain (6-3), Tuscaloosa Co. (7-1).

CLASS 6A
1. Pelham (6-1)
2. Austin (9-0)
3. Daphne (10-0)
4. Hueytown (9-3)
5. Carver-Montgomery (2-3)
6. Spanish Fort (7-2)
7. LeFlore (9-1)
8. Sidney Lanier (5-1)
9. Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa (5-2)
10. Clay-Chalkville (9-1)
Others nominated: Blount (9-4), Homewood (4-2), Ramsay (5-5), Selma (5-2).

CLASS 5A
1. Jemison-Huntsville (11-2)
2. Lee-Huntsville (8-4)
3. Sumter Central (9-0)
4. Guntersville (7-2)
5. Wilcox Central (7-0)
6. Wenonah (3-3)
7. Faith-Mobile (7-3)
8. St. John Paul II (5-4)
9. Alexandria (5-0)
10. Corner (9-1)
Others nominated: Dallas Co. (3-2), Douglas (6-2), Hayden (5-2), Scottsboro (5-3), St. Paul’s (4-1).

CLASS 4A
1. Hale Co. (7-0)
2. Madison Academy (4-3)
3. Cordova (5-1)
4. West Limestone (8-0)
5. Anniston (5-1)
6. Winfield (4-2)
7. Cherokee Co. (2-0)
8. White Plains (5-2)
9. Andalusia (1-0)
10. Trinity (7-0)
Others nominated: Ashford (6-2), Escambia Co. (3-3), North Jackson (3-1).

CLASS 3A
1. Midfield (6-1)
2. Holly Pond (9-0)
3. Montevallo (6-1)
4. Geraldine (6-0)
5. American Christian (5-2)
6. Hillcrest-Evergreen (5-0)
7. East Lawrence (5-1)
8. Piedmont (1-0)
9. Prattville Christian (5-2)
10. Straughn (3-0)
Others nominated: Clarke Co. (3-2), Mobile Christian (6-4), New Hope (4-3).

CLASS 2A
1. Abbeville (5-0)
2. Tanner (3-0)
3. St. Luke’s (6-1)
4. Lanett (2-0)
5. Barbour Co. (5-2)
6. Vincent (6-3)
7. Westbrook Christian (4-2)
8. Keith (2-6)
9. Samson (6-1)
10. Central-Hayneville (3-1)
Others nominated: Asbury (7-1), Chickasaw (6-1), Collinsville (6-2), Elba (1-0), Goshen (3-0).

CLASS 1A
1. Sacred Heart (8-1)
2. Skyline (9-0)
3. Georgiana (3-0)
4. South Lamar (5-0)
5. Decatur Heritage (8-0)
6. Coosa Christian (6-2)
7. R.A. Hubbard (7-1)
8. Spring Garden (1-1)
9. Faith-Anniston (2-5)
10. Ellwood (1-4)
Others nominated: Cedar Bluff (0-1), Pleasant Home (4-3).

AISA
1. Macon-East (8-0)
2. East Memorial (9-1)
3. Russell Christian (Miss.) (10-2)
4. Autauga Academy (5-1)
5. Lee-Scott (7-2)
6. Glenwood (3-0)
7. Bessemer Academy (2-1)
8. Chambers Academy (1-0)
9. Tuscaloosa Academy (5-2)
10. Pickens Academy (6-0)
Others nominated: Fort Dale Academy (3-2), Hooper (5-3), Northside Methodist (3-1), Restoration (2-4).