Jenkins promoted at Xavier

Here's Matt Jenkins (20), in action as a prep at Davenport Assumption. He was named the varsity boys' basketball coach Monday at Cedar Rapids Xavier. (AP photo)

CEDAR RAPIDS — Matt Jenkins had endorsements.

That of his predecessor. That of his players.

That was enough.

Jenkins was hired Monday as boys’ basketball coach at Cedar Rapids Xavier.

Update on Xavier coaching search

Cedar Rapids Xavier has begun the process in seeking a boys’ basketball coach.

Athletics director Mike Winker said the school began running ads in several newspapers last weekend. He said he had some applications, but declined to name names.

He said he wanted a coach in place “as soon as possible, certainly before school is out.”

Joe Barrer stepped down after one season at Xavier, taking the head position at Davenport Assumption, his alma mater.

Boys bkb rankings: Comments

My 2009-10 preseason boys’ basketball rankings made it to the message boards at iowapreps.com. Not surprisingly, they provoked comments.

Here are a few:

Boys’ basketball: 2009-10 rankings

Gee, who do you suppose should be top-ranked in Class 4A in next year's preseason boys' basketball poll? (AP photo)

Four weeks after I posted next year’s girls’ basketball preseason rankings, I’m giving equal time for the boys.

Again, the rankings are loosely based on mathematics — (2008-09 W-L pct. ) x (pct. returning ppg) — with a little fudging based on tradition. For instance, Linn-Mar, Western Christian, Pella Christian and others get a little bit of a break.

Some thoughts:

Where will Ames be ranked in the national preseason polls? The Little Cyclones have to be somewhere in the top 25, don’t they?

The deepest class is 1A, especially with Council Bluffs St. Albert, Treynor and Des Moines Christian dropping a class. A top-10 isn’t enough for the small schools. I’m going farther.

Seven of my top 10 in 2A were neither state participants nor ranked in the final Associated Press poll last season, including No. 1 Monroe PCM.