It's a first for the boys basketball team at Whale Branch Early College High School.

The first is that the Warriors are first -- as in ranked No. 1 in Monday's S.C. Basketball Coaches Association Class 1-A poll.

Whale Branch (10-2) is led by senior guard Dee Delaney (11.4 points per game, 8.0 rebounds per game) and the Middleton brothers -- junior guard Simeon (12.4 points, 3.0 assists) and sophomore forward Michael (9.6 points).

The Warriors defeated Wade Hampton, 65-41, in their last contest Jan. 2. They play at Branchville at 7:30 tonight.

Last season, the Warriors finished 15-8, 10-4 in Region 5-A and lost in the first round of the playoffs to Burke.

The Whale Branch (9-3) girls are ranked fifth in the girls Class 1-A poll. The next poll will be released Monday, Jan. 14.

BOYS

Class 4-A: 1. Irmo, 2. Richland Northeast, 3. Dorman, 4. Hillcrest, 5. T.L. Hanna, 6. West Ashley, 7. South Pointe, 8. Laurens, 9. Easley, 10. Gaffney.

Class 3-A: 1. Hartsville, 2. Eastside, 3. Dreher, 4. Darlington, 5. North Myrtle Beach, 6. Southside, 7. Travelers Rest, 8. Seneca, 9. Berea, 10. Daniel.

Class 2-A: 1. Lake Marion, 2. Newberry, 3. Keenan, 4. Landrum, 5. Mullins, 6. Marion, 7. Indian Land, 8. Fairfield Central, 9. Andrew Jackson, 10. Batesburg-Leesville.

Class 1-A: 1. Whale Branch, 2. Allendale-Fairfax, 3. C.E. Murray, 4. Carvers Bay, 5. Johnsonville, 6. Great Falls, 7. C.A. Johnson, 8. Williston-Elko, 9. Southside Christian, 10. Calhoun Falls.

GIRLS

Class 4-A: 1. Dutch Fork, 2. Greenwood, 3. West Ashley, 4. Goose Creek, 5. Colleton County, 6. Wade Hampton, 7. Spring Valley, 8. Northwestern, 9. Aiken, 10. J.L. Mann.

Class 3-A: 1. Orangeburg-Wilkinson, 2. Lower Richland, 3. Daniel, 4. Dreher, 5. Wren, 6. Seneca, 7. North Myrtle Beach, 8. Crestwood, 9. Berea, 10. Stall.

Class 2-A: 1. Fairfield Central, 2. Mullins, 3. Lake City, 4. Cheraw, 5. Bishop England, 6. Landrum, 7. Ninety-Six, 8. Andrew Jackson, 9. Buford, 10. Aynor.

Class 1-A: 1. Timmonsville, 2. Hemingway, 3. C.E. Murray, 4. Denmark-Olar, 5. Whale Branch, 6. McCormick, 7. Latta, 8. St. Joseph, 9. Christ Church, 10. McBee.