Ray Hamill/HukmboldtSports.com – The Arcata boys are the overwhelming favorites to win this year’s Big 5, according to Humboldt Sports readers.

By Ray Hamill — Humboldt Sports readers have spoken.

The Arcata Tigers are the overwhelming favorites to win this year’s Big 5 championship in boys basketball.

Last week, we published a poll asking our readers who they think will top the standings when all is said and done, and the Tigers received almost half of all votes cast.

It has been a mostly positive, but far-from-dominating, start to the season for the Tigers, who will tip off conference play with a record of 11-5.

Head coach Kellen Maynard and his team have battled some injuries through the early season and had to play the first few weeks without several key players who were still playing football.

But that hasn’t dampened the enthusiasm of Humboldt Sports readers, who feel Arcata is most definitely the team to beat in conference play this year.

The Tigers received 48 percent of the votes cast, more than twice that of any other team.

The McKinleyville Panthers, who shared the conference title with the Tigers last season, are the second favorites.

The Panthers, who are 11-6, received 21 percent of the votes.

Next is the Eureka Loggers, who received 18 percent of the votes.

Humboldt Sports believes some of our readers might be under-estimating the Loggers, who look far better prepared for conference play this season after a very impressive December.

The Eureka boys have the best winning percentage of any team in the conference with a record of 11-2.

Just how much that means when conference play opens on Wednesday night remains to be seen, but the Loggers are finding ways to win close games far more effectively than in recent years.

Readers may also be under-estimating Del Norte, which received 8.5 percent of the votes, while Fortuna received 3.5 percent.

The Warriors have been every bit as impressive as any of their Big 5 rivals through the pre-conference schedule and are 12-4, while the Huskies have put a disappointing run behind them with four wins in their last six games and are now 7-9.

Regardless, it should be a fun few weeks in conference play, with not just the championship on the line.

Teams are also playing for the North Coast Section playoffs as well as one of the three conference spots in this year’s Dick Niclai tournament.

Conference play gets under way on Wednesday night when Arcata hosts Del Norte and Eureka travels to McKinleyville.

The Fortuna Huskies have a bye on opening night and will tip off their conference schedule at home to Arcata on Friday night.

A big thank you to everyone who took the time to vote in our poll.