Mentor ranked No. 2 in AP state poll this week

Mentor climbed to No. 2 in the Division I Associated Press state poll this week, equalling the Cardinals’ best showing in the rankings. They also have a busy schedule ahead.

As it pertains to the chant, “We’re No. 1!,” Coach Bob Krizancic prefers the 1 that truly matters.

This past weekend, Krizancic and his Mentor boys basketball program earned a No. 1 seed in the upcoming Division I district tournament, where the higher-seeded team hosts. It might stay that way through the regional tournament, but that’s yet to be determined.

On Feb. 8, the Cardinals were knocking on the door to another No. 1 ranking — The Associated Press boys basketball state poll.

The Cardinals are the only undefeated D-I team among the teams ranked this week in the top 10. Mentor (12-0) is No. 2 this week with 173 points and four first-place votes. The No. 2 ranking is the highest ever in program history, according to Krizancic. The 2010 team was also No. 2 in the state. Under Krizancic, Mentor has never had an undefeated regular season.

No. 1 is Cincinnati Moeller (15-3), which had 209 points and 17 firstplace votes. The D-I top 10 has fluctuated all season. St. Edward (11-2) was last week’s pick at No. 1 but it lost to the rival St. Ignatius.

It’s taken a while for Mentor — which has had two pauses for COVID-19 protocols during the regular season — to climb the top 10. Because it played so few games early on, the Cardinals were’t ranked in the top 10 during the first few weeks of the poll.

Since then, it’s been a steady climb, a crammed schedule, a race to get in as many as games as possible before the start of the postseason.

All the while, Krizancic’s team continues to win. If that continues, a climb to No. 1 could be inevitable.

“I really don’t like it, but if it does I think we have a mature team,” said Krizancic. “I love our locker room. No problems, no egos.”

A possible No. 1 ranking aside, the Cardinals’ endurance will be tested the next few weeks. Mentor can play 10 more game to the allowed 22, but right now has nine scheduled, in the next two weeks. There will be more games played than practices for the squad.

Here’s Mentor’s next nine games:

Feb. 9: Euclid

Feb. 10: Strongsville Feb. 12: at Strongsville Feb. 13: Harvey Feb. 15: Columbia Feb. 17: at Euclid Feb. 18: at Solon Feb. 19: Brush

Feb. 20: Elyria

The Cardinals’ first tournament game as the No. 1 seed in the Northeast 3 sectional/district is Feb. 24 against visiting Eastlake North. The winner would play Harvey on Feb. 27. The highest seeded team in Northeast 3 other than Mentor is No. 7 Solon.