WNC high school girls basketball Week 15 rankings: Robbinsville, Avery County join top 10

As the Western North Carolina basketball season heads into postseason play, the top three teams have clearly separated themselves from the pack.

The top 10 in this week's power rankings saw several teams flip places as they head into conference tournaments. Two new teams also cracked the top 10.

Here are the WNC Week 15 girls basketball power rankings.

1. Reynolds (21-1)

Western North Carolina has yet to figure out a way to slow Reynolds down. The Rockets outscored conference opponents by 30 points per game and beat No. 5 McDowell by 37 to clinch a third-straight Mountain Athletic Conference title.

Last week: No. 1. This week: Mountain Athletic Conference semifinals (Wednesday)

2. Cherokee (21-1)

The Braves completed a second-consecutive undefeated conference season with a 72-point win over No. 9 Robbinsville. The win streak climbed to 19 games heading into the postseason.

Last week: No. 3. This week: vs. Swain County (Monday)

3. Mountain Heritage (21-2)

Mountain Heritage's 17-game win streak is, remarkably, only the third longest in Western North Carolina. The Cougars have still only lost to one team this season − Watauga, both of which came by less than 10 points.

Last week: No. 2. This week: vs. NCSSM: Morganton (Monday)

4. Rosman (19-4)

Rosman will win 20 games for the third consecutive season with one more win. The Tigers ride a five-game win streak into the postseason.

Last week: No. 5. This week: vs. Owen (Monday)

5. McDowell (20-4)

With one more win, McDowell can secure its best season in a decade. The Titans' balanced offense and lockdown defense has been the driving factor behind the success.

Last week: No. 4. This week: vs. Roberson (Monday)

6. Hayesville (19-5)

The Yellow Jackets haven't lost a game to a team other than No. 2 Cherokee since December. They've won 13 of 14 and face No. 9 Robbinsville in the second round of the Smoky Mountain Conference Tournament.

Last week: No. 7. This week: vs. Robbinsville (Tuesday)

7. West Henderson (17-6)

By beating Tuscola, West Henderson clinched an outright title in the Mountain 7 Conference. Juniors Jaza and Jania Wilson are leading the Falcons in scoring with 14.2 and 9.4 points per game, respectively.

Last week: No. 6. This week: vs. Smoky Mountain (Tuesday)

8. Pisgah (18-6)

The Bears have won four straight, but the wins have come against the bottom four teams in the Mountain 7 Conference. Tuesday's game against Franklin, the No. 3 seed in the conference tournament, will serve as a good test.

Last week: No. 8. This week: vs. Franklin (Tuesday)

LOCKDOWN: How Dot Mills became Pisgah girls basketball's go-to defender

9. Robbinsville (16-7)

Of the Black Knights' seven losses, three of them have come by one point and another was a two-point defeat. The only team on its schedule Robbinsville hasn't come close to beating is No. 2 Cherokee.

Last week: Unranked. This week: at Hayesville (Tuesday)

10. Avery County (14-9)

The Vikings have won six of their last seven games and all four of its conference losses have come against No. 3 Mountain Heritage and No. 4 Rosman.

Last week: Unranked. This week: vs. Draughn (Monday)

Evan Gerike is the high school sports reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times. Email him at egerike@citizentimes.com or follow him on Twitter @EvanGerike.

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: WNC high school girls basketball Week 15 rankings: Robbinsville, Avery County join top 10