WIAA board to discuss prep metrics

BRIEFS: Gonzaga remain No. 1 in Top 25 poll

RENTON­ — The WIAA Executive Board will meet Wednesday in anticipation of revised metrics and guidelines from the governor’s office and state Department of Health regarding education-based athletics and activities.

The executive board is scheduled to review the current WIAA season schedules and plan for adjustments as necessary with the goal of providing opportunities for student-participants in every sport and activity based on the mandatory COVID-19 guidelines.

While the executive board will provide a uniform season schedule concluding in regional culminating events, it has granted each WIAA league or district around the state the ability to schedule seasons that best fit their local communities.

Zags remain No. 1

Gonzaga and Baylor remained atop The Associated Press men’s college basketball poll, while fourth-ranked Texas has climbed to its highest perch in nearly a decade.

Mark Few’s Bulldogs earned 63 of 64 first-place votes in Monday’s latest Top 25, while Scott Drew’s Bears earned the other vote. Gonzaga and Baylor have been 1-2 at the top in all seven polls so far this season.

Villanova climbed one spot to No. 3, followed by the Longhorns, who jumped four spots after handing Kansas a lopsided weekend home loss. That marked the program’s highest ranking under sixth-year coach Shaka Smart and its first top-5 ranking since February 2011.

Iowa, Kansas, Creighton, Wisconsin, Tennessee and Michigan rounded out the top 10, with the Wolverines climbing six spots for the biggest jump of the week. No. 11 Houston and No. 14 West Virginia slid out from that top tier from last week.

No. 19 Clemson was back in the poll for the second time this season, while the other new addition was Saint Louis.