(1-20-25) MLK Weekend is always challenging when putting together rankings. With more Sunday and Monday games than at any point in the rest of the season, rankings can become obsolete in a matter of hours. With plenty of great high school basketball to look forward to, here are the newest Projection Index rankings as of the morning of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

Despite a 61-56 loss to Bella Vista Prep (Arizona), Olentangy Orange holds onto the top spot in Division I. For context, Bella Vista starts four 4-star recruits, led by 6-foot 10-inch center Mouhamed Sylla. St. Ignatius is right on the Pioneers’ tail following wins over Centerville and a 62-41 crushing of Moeller this past week.

Westerville North holds onto the top spot in Division II while extending their winning streak to 11. The Warriors held on to beat Massillon Jackson on Sunday, 61-56. Lima Senior remains within striking distance, though their strength of schedule took a hit after lopsided wins over Toledo Waite and Ottawa-Glandorf. New Albany impressed as much as anybody with their double-digit win over Upper Arlington.

I love getting angry messages from Garfield Heights fans. Knowing that they are coming, there is no reason that the Bulldogs should have lost to Wayne this past Saturday. Louisville has been on fire since their disastrous showing at the Torrey Pines Tournament over the winter break. The Leopards take the top spot in Division III after an overtime win over Kettering Alter, the defending D-II state champion. Shawnee dropped out of the top 10 after Steubenville came away with a pair of double-digit wins over two teams with double-digit wins, East Liverpool and Malvern.

Division IV is wide open as Kettering Alter holds the top spot despite a loss to Louisville this weekend. Wyoming will have an opportunity today to impress the computers as they face off with Bishop Hartley. The Cowboys also get Elder and St. Xavier in February, which will be a great measuring stick to see if they are for real.

Division V belongs to Lutheran East at this point, despite their loss to Huntington Express Prep (West Virginia) this past week. Minford suffered their first loss to Vincent Warren on Saturday, while Richmond Heights while Richmond Heights continued to punch above their weight class (and lose.) Margaretta will have the opportunity to turn some heads when they face Old Fort this Saturday and Canton Central Catholic in two weeks.

Northwest Ohio continues to maintain their grip on the top of the Division VI rankings. Spencerville beat a talented Arlington team, 47-27, over the weekend. Convoy Crestview extended their winning streak to 10 with wins over Allen East and Fort Recovery. Undefeated Patrick Henry debuted in the top 10 with a trio over double-digit wins over 12-3 Miller City, Bryan, and Leipsic.

In the battle of MAC undefeateds, Delphos St. John’s came away with a 55-43 win over Marion Local. Just south on Route 66, Russia earned their own marquee win, defeating Tri-Village 66-45. Not to be outdone, Old Fort took down their parochial crosstown rival, Calvert, 66-53. While Division VII is a two-horse race, the storylines bubbling underneath as what small town basketball is made of.