The Pioneer High School boys basketball team challenged itself with its non-conference schedule, and came out a stronger team for it.

With a county-high five-game winning streak and one of the area's best records at 5-2 with one of its toughest schedules, Pioneer leads our first AnnArbor.com Washtenaw County Boys Basketball Power Rankings.

Pioneer's streak has included a tournament win over over Detroit Southeastern and a strong win over Lincoln. Pioneer's only two losses have come to 7-1 Holt and 8-1 Detroit Country Day.

With forward Jibreel Hussein leading the way with 15 points per game, the Pioneers sport one of the deepest benches around.

In a close second is Ypsilanti, whose only loss came to an undefeated Wyandotte Roosevelt team in its opener. Since then, the Phoenix has rallied for four straight. Coach Steve Brooks is in rebuilding mode after losing six key players, but with solid contributions from Jaylen Johnson and Janeau Joubert, the Phoenix hasn’t lost much ground.

No. 3 Milan may have the best 1-2 combo in the area, with C.J. Turnage at forward and Latin Davis at the point. And they proved their mettle in the non-conference portion of the season, beating a pair of SEC school, plus Class A Hartland.

Huron rounds out the top five, and before you say it, yes they lost to my No. 6 team, Lincoln, back on Dec. 11. But since then Huron has gone 3-1, with its only loss to defending Class A state champ Saginaw High, while Lincoln has lost four straight.

Washtenaw County Boys Basketball Power Rankings
Rank, School (Record), Latest Result

1. Pioneer (5-2), def. Salem, 49-53, Dec. 28
2. Ypsilanti (4-1), def. Toledo Scott, 57-40, Dec. 29
3. Milan (4-1), lost to Springfield (Ohio), 57-48, Dec. 22
4. Saline (5-2), def. Dexter, 43-37, Jan. 4
5. Huron (3-2), beat Chelsea, 71-35, Dec. 21
6. Lincoln (3-4), lost to Oak Park, 37-32, Dec. 28
7. Greenhills (3-1), beat Novi Franklin Road Christian, 57-44, Dec. 14
8. Skyline (1-3), lost to Detroit Cody, 63-62, Dec. 28
9. Father Gabriel Richard (2-4), lost to Windsor Catholic, 84-57, Dec. 27
10. Dexter (2-4), lost to Saline, 43-37, Jan. 4
11. Washtenaw Christian (3-1), def. Calvary Christian, 52-34
12. Arbor Prep (3-3), def. Romulus Summit Academy, 50-47, Dec. 21
13. Rudolf Steiner (4-2), def. Hillsdale Will Carleton, 62-51, Dec. 14
14. Chelsea (1-5), lost to Pinckney, 58-46, Dec. 28
15. Whitmore Lake (1-5), lost to Grass Lake, 66-57, Dec. 4
16. Manchester (0-5), lost to Clinton, 62-39, Dec. 3
17. Willow Run (0-5), lost to Dexter, 45-29, Dec. 18
18. Calvary Christian (0-3), Novi Franklin Road Christian, 66-30

Record not available: Central Academy, Eastern Washtenaw Multicultural Academy

Dexter tops girls rankings

Any conversation with Dexter coach Mike Bavineau about his team seems to eventually come around to the same sentence.

“I just have good players.”

With the most talented and balanced rotation, top to bottom, in the county, Dexter takes the top spot in our first girls basketball power rankings. No Dexer players average in double figures, and any one of seven players could be the leading scorer any night. Try defending against that.

The Dreadnaughts won their first seven games of the year, and after a two-point loss to Northville, got back on track with a convincing win over Saline last Friday at Eastern Michigan’s Convocation Center.

Dexter is one of five one-loss teams in the area, and the other four are all atop our rankings. Lincoln’s lone loss is to, you guessed it, Dexter, while the Railsplitters handed Pioneer its only loss of the year.

Another team with its lone loss to Dexter, Manchester, has seven wins that have come by an average of 27 points, including a Nov. 30 win over Chelsea.

And despite an 18-point loss to Lincoln in its last game before break, Pioneer makes the top five after winning its first five games of the year.

No. 7 might seem a low for Huron, just one year removed from a Class A state semifinals run and with most of it talent back from last year. But at 3-4 and with a loss to Chelsea already, Huron is off to an atypical start and their ranking of that, though it wouldn't surprise anyone to see the River Rats make a case for top billing now that league play is in full swing.

Washtenaw County Girls Basketball Power Rankings
Rank, School (Record), Latest Result

1. Dexter (8-1), beat Saline, 38-16, Jan. 4
2. Lincoln (7-1), def. Pioneer, 52-34, Dec. 21
3. Manchester (7-1), def. Michigan Center, 49-29, Dec. 21
4. Ypsilanti (5-1), def. Saline, 44-40, Dec. 21
5. Pioneer (5-1), lost to Lincoln, 52-34, Dec. 21
6. Chelsea (4-3), beat Pinckney, 56-29, Dec. 27
7. Huron (3-4), lost to Solon (Ohio), 64-50
8. Skyline (4-4), def. Troy Athens, 52-37, Dec. 28
9. Saline (4-4), lost to Dexter, 38-16, Jan. 4
10. Arbor Prep (5-3), beat Kalamazoo Loy Norrix, 67-59, Dec. 30
11. Rudolf Steiner (3-0), def. Hillsdale Will Carleton, 55-30, Dec. 14
12. Greenhills (2-3), lost to Detroit Henry Ford, 58-48, Dec. 14
13. Willow Run (2-3), beat Detroit Edison, 45-38, Dec. 18
14. Milan (1-5), lost to Carleton Airport, 42-28, Dec. 21
15. Whitmore Lake (1-6), lost to Clinton, 44-37, Dec. 21
16. Father Gabriel Richard (1-5), lost to Farmington Hills Mercy, 60-28, Jan. 4
17. Washtenaw Christian (1-3), beat Calvary Christian, 40-24, Dec. 14

Record not available: Central Academy, Calvary Christian

Game of the Week

Voting in our second Game of the Week poll of the new year is now open, and Huron's Jan. 18 visit to Pioneer has taken the early lead. Voting is open until Saturday.