The Monday holiday provided an extra day of games to include in this week’s rankings. The featured matchup on Martin Luther King Jr. Day was an afternoon boys showdown between undefeated Cheverus and one-loss Westbrook. A lopsided affair reaffirmed the Stags’ status as the top dog. The rest of the boys rankings got a bit of a shakeup as last week saw one of the season’s great performances when Keegan Hyland lifted South Portland past Thornton Academy.

The girls rankings remain the same. Deering continues to win and stands head and shoulders above the rest of the league. Scarborough and Biddeford have established themselves as the top contenders and will compete for the No. 2 spot in the tournament. They meet again in the regular-season finale, which is now just a couple of weeks away.

For games played through Jan. 19

Boy Basketball Front Five:

1. Cheverus (12-0): The Stags play hard, they play smart and they are focused. They also have size, speed, talent and experience. Most expected the defending Class A state champs to get a challenge Monday when they ventured to Westbrook to take on the Blue Blazes, but Cheverus dominated from the opening tip, pulling ahead to a 21-6 first-quarter lead and cruising to a 60-44 win. The Stags do have a killer schedule to close the season, with South Portland twice, Thornton, Portland and Deering. Maybe one of those teams will be able to give them a game, as no one has yet.

2. South Portland (11-1): The Red Riots jump from No. 4 to No. 2 after getting a huge win over Thornton to start last week, as junior guard Keegan Hyland put up 47 points to lead his team to a 72-67 road win. Hyland’s offensive explosion is all the more impressive because it was against one of the SMAA’s best defensive teams. The Golden Trojans have held more than half the TEAMS they’ve faced this year to less than 47 points. Hyland makes the Riots extremely dangerous because when he’s on, no one can stop him. Matt Lee is also back after missing some time with an injury. He made seven 3-pointers in Saturday’s win over Bonny Eagle.

3. Thornton Academy (10-2): After falling to South Portland, the Trojans squeaked past Windham and trounced Noble. They only drop one spot from last week. They don’t have as tough a concluding schedule as the Portland teams, but Cheverus still looms. As the other teams beat up on each other, Thornton could move up to the No. 2 spot heading into the tournament. The team is balanced and well coached, and is led by one of the league’s most dynamic players in James Morse, who has the ability to change a game with his offense and his defense.

4. Westbrook (11-2): Westbrook falls from third to fourth this week. Friday’s game at Portland is an important one for the Blazes. After getting manhandled by Cheverus, they need to bounce back with a solid performance. In their two losses (the other came against Thornton), the Blazes have struggled to get their inside game going. They rely heavily on the down-low tandem of Dominic Borelli and Nich Jobin, so if they are neutralized, Westbrook struggles. If the Cheverus loss lights a fire under the team, however, the Blazes could be tough to beat in the tournament.

5. Portland (10-2): The Bulldogs shared last week’s No. 5 spot with cross-town rival Deering, but after beating the Rams head-to-head on Saturday, they have the spot to themselves. Their two losses are to the Stags and Trojans, and neither game was close. With Westbrook, South Portland twice, Cheverus and Deering still to play, Portland has the chance to move up before the tournament begins.

The rest of the pack: Deering is 8-4 after getting blown out by Cheverus and losing narrowly to Portland. … Windham, Scarborough and Biddeford are all hovering around the .500 mark. They’re all looking to better their playoff positioning by closing the season strong. … Gorham, Bonny Eagle and Massabesic remain in the hunt for a tourney berth. … Marshwood, Sanford and Noble look to be out of postseason contention.

Girls Basketball Front Five:

1. Deering (13-0): Wins by 39, 24 and 53 points last week. The Rams likely won’t be tested over their final five games. Whether they’ll even be tested in the tournament remains a question. It’s looking like the Rams will be adding some hardware to the trophy case this postseason.

2. Scarborough (11-2): The Red Storm is nearing full strength at just the right time. Forward Abbey Pelletier is being eased back into the lineup after missing much of the season. She’ll give Scarborough’s inside game a boost. The team has won four in a row since falling to Deering.

3. Biddeford (11-2): The Tigers are on a seven-game winning streak. They beat everyone they’re supposed to. Their two losses have come to Deering and Scarborough. They’ll see the Red Storm again in the last game of the season on Feb. 5. It could very well also be a West A semifinal preview.

4. Noble (8-4): The Knights were not overly impressive offensively in a 33-22 win on Monday at South Portland, but they didn’t need to be, as they limited the Riots to eight first-half points. Sloane Sorrell got going in the second half, scoring 13 of her game-high 15 points after the break to prevent South Portland from making a run. A senior-heavy team, Noble has postseason experience, so the Knights can’t be counted out.

5. Windham (7-6): The rollercoaster ride continues for the Eagles. After starting last week with an overtime loss to previously winless Kennebunk, Windham then dropped a close one to Cheverus. The Eagles bounced back by beating Portland handily. Consistency remains a big issue for Windham. If it can be rectified, the Eagles could make some noise in the tourney.

The rest of the pack: Seven teams were at or within a game of .500 as of Monday: South Portland, Cheverus, Sanford, Marshwood, McAuley, Portland and Massabesic. There are 11 tournament spots, so at least one of those teams will be left out. … Thornton and Gorham still appear to have an outside shot at making the playoffs. … Bonny Eagle, Westbrook and Kennebunk look to be out of the running for the postseason.

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