(1-27-26) With the snow from this weekend finally melting, at least in some places, teams are ready to get back on the court after a shortened week.

Let’s take a look at the updated rankings and the recent movement, because there was more of it than expected for the final Tuesday of January.

DIVISION I

We have a new No. 1.

Lakota West, in its only contest of the week, went on the road to Mason and came away with a 38–26 victory. Junior Joshua Tyson led the Firebirds with 13 points, four assists, and two blocks — a stat trio you don’t often see from the same player in a low-scoring game.

Lakota West’s defense was suffocating, forcing 12 turnovers on the night. The Firebirds will look to carry that momentum into their lone game this week, a road matchup against Lakota East.

DIVISION II

Massillon has quietly been building momentum since returning from winter break.

The Tigers are riding an eight-game winning streak that includes victories over Elyria, Alliance, and No. 5 (D-III) Ursuline. That most recent win saw Massillon erupt for 34 points in the fourth quarter to pull away in a 100–79 shootout.

Another measuring-stick opportunity awaits Sunday, when the Tigers face 12–3 Hawken at the Battle of the Berkey.

DIVISION III

Just when it seemed the Division III title picture might narrow to Toledo Central Catholic and Steubenville, Trotwood-Madison has reasserted itself.

After a ho-hum December schedule, the Rams have put together an impressive nine-game winning streak featuring wins over Urbana, Archbishop Alter, Bishop Watterson, and Dunbar. The challenge ramps up quickly, with Taft, Reynoldsburg, No. 2 (D-II) Lima Senior, and No. 5 (D-I) Princeton all looming over the next week and a half.

DIVISION IV

Don’t look now, but Van Wert is sitting atop the Western Buckeye League standings.

While No. 11 (D-III) Lima Shawnee remains the clear favorite in the WBL, there are several teams capable of springing an upset. Van Wert, Wapakoneta, and Ottawa-Glandorf will all get their shots at the Indians.

The Cougars host Lima Shawnee on February 13, and if there’s a must-see game in the league, that’s the one.

DIVISION V

There was very little movement in Division V this past week.

Lutheran East remains at the top, with Africentric, Chesapeake, and Genoa Area holding steady as potential challengers. The biggest riser is West Muskingum, which has now won seven straight games — all by double digits.

That streak figures to continue until a highly anticipated rematch with No. 2 (D-IV) Maysville on February 13.

DIVISION VI

Six of the top eight teams currently reside in the Northwest District, setting the stage for an early postseason collision course.

Tri-Village heads south, Hiland stays east, and several others appear destined to meet sooner rather than later once tournament play begins. Add Lincolnview, New Bremen, and Columbus Grove to the mix, and the district becomes one of the deepest and most crowded in the state.

This exact scenario — where geography clusters multiple elite teams into the same district — is what led systems like Martin RPI to be created in the first place, as an effort to better account for team quality beyond geography alone.

DIVISION VII

Even with a loss, Montpelier climbs into the top five this week thanks to two strong performances.

The Locomotives (a top-tier team name in their own right) defeated Pettisville 65–44 on Friday before seeing their nine-game winning streak snapped in a 59–56 loss to 13–3 Paulding.

Despite the setback, Montpelier remains a team that could do real damage in the postseason with the right path.