Any coach will tell you mid-season rankings don’t matter. &uot;It’s how we finish that’s important,&uot; they’ll say.

A high ranking can lull a team into a false sense of security – sometimes invincibility – and players lose focus. That ranking can also paint a giant bullseye on the team in question. The No. 1 team is the team to beat.

Well-coached players are reticent to talk about rankings. They usually echo the sentiments of their coach. &uot;We don’t even look at the rankings,&uot; they say.

Yeah, right.

It’s a safe bet that every one of the Natchez Bulldogs knew well and good they were the second-ranked team in Mississippi according to The Clarion-Ledger boys basketball poll. They most likely knew that Friday’s opponent Lanier was the No. 1-ranked team in the same poll.

So it’s another safe bet the Natchez Bulldogs – and every basketball fan in the state – knows who’s No. 1 now.

The Bulldogs edged Lanier 72-69 Friday night in Jackson, improving their record to 19-2. That’s twice, now, Natchez has topped No. 1 Lanier.

Admittedly, a high school poll is volatile. The Clarion-Ledger does a good job, but the paper is located in Jackson, and focuses primarily on Jackson teams. The only time The Clarion-Ledger pollsters see a team like Natchez is when Natchez travels to Jackson.

So while the high ranking is nice, a greater case for Natchez’s superiority in 5A basketball can be made by its aforementioned record – and the team’s potential.

It surprises no one that tight-lipped Natchez coach Mike Martin isn’t bragging or making any predictions. With one state title already under his belt, he knows how to guard his team against the dangers of mid-season success – the most dangerous being complacency.

But being ranked No. 1 has advantages the Bulldogs have every right to enjoy.

For one, teams located &uot;in the country&uot; have a much more difficult time gaining recognition than a team in Jackson or on the coast. I understand why the Clarion-Ledger poll reflects more favorably on Jackson teams – I haven’t seen 10 5-A teams, so how could I rate the top 10? Their writers face the same dilemma.

So for Natchez to sit at No. 1 on the poll is testament to how good this team really is.

Another plus is the intimidation factor. Natchez may now be the team to beat, but every team that heads to the Miss-Lou now knows that they’re playing the best of the best. When Natchez takes an early lead, that knowledge will start to weigh in opponents’ minds.

Basketball is so often a psychological game – any mental edge is a great advantage.

But more than anything, the Bulldogs should celebrate what they’ve accomplished right now. Who knows what will happen in weeks to come? I wish them the best, but there are no guarantees.

So for this weekend, the Natchez Bulldogs are the best. No one disputes it, and no one can take it from them.

That is, until they travel to Ferriday Tuesday. Enjoy your success this weekend, Bulldogs – you’ve earned it.

But then it’s back to work. You’ve got a state title to win.

Nick Adams is sports editor of The Natchez Democrat. He can be reached at (601) 445-3632 or e-mailed at nick.adams@natchezdemocrat.com.