Kennedy, Xavier and Linn-Mar have emerged as the best boys basketball teams in the Metro area this season, but all three of them probably will have to upset a ranked team to reach the state tournament in Des Moines.

Kennedy has been placed in a Class 4A substate with third-ranked North Scott, Xavier finds itself in a Class 3A substate with third-ranked Dubuque Wahlert and Linn-Mar has been assigned to a Class 4A substate with top-ranked Dubuque Senior.

The postseason assignments were announced Monday by the Iowa High School Athletic Association. First-round pairings and seedings will be announced in February.

Kennedy, Jefferson and Washington are in Substate #4 with North Scott, Clinton and Pleasant Valley, with North Scott the favorite to make the state tournament.

Linn-Mar is in Substate #3 with Cedar Falls, Dubuque Hempstead, Waterloo East, Waterloo West and Dubuque Senior, with Dubuque Senior the heavy favorite in that group.

The Prairie Hawks have been assigned to Class 4A Substate #6 with fourth-ranked Iowa City West, Iowa City High, Marshalltown, Newton and Ottumwa.

The Xavier Saints and Marion Indians have both been assigned to Class 3A District #8 with Center Point-Urbana and Vinton-Shellsburg. The District #8 champion will play the District #7 champion in the substate finals for a trip to state. Dubuque Wahlert, Western Dubuque, Independence and West Delaware are in District #7.

All of the Class 4A, 3A, 2A and 1A assignments can be found at www.iahsaa.org. The Class 2A and 1A assignments were previously announced.