Salina Central girls basketball ranked No. 1 in Class 5A in latest Kansas Basketball Coaches Association rankings

Salina Central's Mykayla Cunningham (24) celebrates with her teammates after defeating Andover 56-36 during the championship game in the Salina Invitational Tournament Saturday, Jan. 22, 2022. On Tuesday, the Mustangs became the top-ranked team in Class 5A in the latest Kansas Basketball Coaches Association rankings.
Salina Central's Mykayla Cunningham (24) celebrates with her teammates after defeating Andover 56-36 during the championship game in the Salina Invitational Tournament Saturday, Jan. 22, 2022. On Tuesday, the Mustangs became the top-ranked team in Class 5A in the latest Kansas Basketball Coaches Association rankings.

There's a new No. 1 team in Class 5A on the girls' side.

The Salina Central girls are the new top-ranked team in the latest Kansas Basketball Coaches Association rankings released on Tuesday.

Central, who was previously ranked second in Class 2A, inherits the top spot after previously top-ranked St. Thomas Aquinas lost on Friday to Rock Bridge (Mo.), 56-40.

The Mustangs are 11-0 after winning their first Salina Invitational Tournament championship on Saturday over Andover.

Central will play its first game as the top-ranked team in Class 5A at 6 p.m. Friday at the Central gym against Hays.

More: Salina Central girls basketball wins Salina Invitational Tournament; Aubrie Kierscht named MVP

Southeast of Saline and Ell-Saline girls also ranked in latest rankings

Two other Saline County teams are also ranked in this week's KBCA rankings.

After finishing second in the Sterling Invitational Tournament, the Southeast of Saline girls moves up two spots to No. 8 in Class 3A. The Trojans upset Hugoton, who was the top-ranked team in Class 3A, in the semifinals of the Sterling Invitational Tournament on Thursday but fell in overtime, 69-67 to Sterling, the top-ranked team in Class 2A, in the championship game on Friday. The Black Bears still remain the top-ranked team in Class 2A despite a two-point win over Southeast.

More: Here are this week's top high school basketball performers in Saline County for week of Jan. 17

Southeast will host Republic County on Tuesday night while traveling to Ellsworth on Friday.

The Ell-Saline girls dropped one spot to No. 9 in Class 2A despite only playing one game last week — a 28-26 victory over Minneapolis.

The Cardinals face Central Christian on Tuesday night and then face Wichita Homeschool on Thursday as a part of the Berean Academy Tournament.

More: Amanda Hill is balancing basketball and being a nurse. She's now Kansas Wesleyan's all-time leading scorer

Dylan Sherwood has been a sports reporter for the Salina Journal since August 2019. He can be reached at dsherwood@salina.com or on Twitter @DSherwoodSJ

This article originally appeared on Salina Journal: Salina Central High School girls basketball leads latest KBCA rankings