NEW YORK – The Blue Star Media Elite 25 boys’ basketball final rankings are complete and the No. 1 Montverde (Fla.) Academy is the National Champion after winning the GEICO High School Nationals last weekend.

This is the fourth GEICO title for the Eagles, who needed to defeat three Elite 25 teams en route to the championship. The GEICO Nationals is a fitting end to another great season. I hope more states or leagues will allow their teams to go in the future.

In the coming weeks, the club circuit starts up. I’ll be at the Jordan Brand Classic on Sunday in Brooklyn, N.Y. After it’s travel to events throughout the land.

We’ll return with the Blue Star Media Elite 25 preseason football rankings in mid-August. The boys’ basketball rankings will hit the Internet in early November and the girls follow.

Thanks again for visiting our site. We taken your comments to heart and continue to work to make the Elite 25 rankings the national standard. Having spoke with several national coaches and media members, they agree.

We hope to see you at a game soon. – Christopher Lawlor

Blue Star Media Elite 25 Boys’ Basketball Final Rankings, April 3, 2018

1. Montverde (Fla.) Academy (35-0) ** !

Previous rank: 1.

Low-down: Won the GEICO High School Nationals, defeating No. 2 University School (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), 76-58. Duke-bound RJ Barrett was tabbed Most Valuable Player as the Eagles won the prestigious event for the fourth time in the 10-year history. Kevin Boyle was named national boys’ coach of the year. The Eagles were clearly the nation’s top team.

2. University School, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (35-2)*

Previous: 3.

Low-down: The Florida Class 5A state champions advanced to the GEICO Nationals final.

3. Oak Hill Academy, Mouth of Wilson, Va. (44-2)

Previous: 2.

Low-down: Advanced to the GEICO Nationals semifinals.

4. Findlay Prep, Henderson, Nev. (32-5)

Previous: 5.

Low-down: Advanced to the GEICO Nationals semifinals.

5. DeMatha, Hyattsville, Md. (33-5)* * *

Previous: 6.

Low-down: Won the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference, Maryland Private School and Alhambra Catholic Invitational Tournament championships. That’s the rare season treble.

6. Paul VI, Fairfax, Va. (34-4)*

Previous: 7.

Low-down: Won Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association Division I

Championship and completed a rare undefeated regular season in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference.

7. Shadow Mountain, Phoenix (25-2)*

Previous: 4.

Low-down: The two-time Arizona 4A state champions played in the GEICO Nationals for the second straight year.

8. East, Memphis, Tenn. (31-3)*

Previous: 8.

Low-down: Won third consecutive Class AAA state championship. Coach Penny Hardaway left his position, taking over at University of Memphis.

9. Imhotep Charter, Philadelphia (31-2)*

Previous: 11.

Low-down: Won Class 4A state championship, defeating Sharon, 71-35, in the final. It was the Panthers sixth title in 10 years.

10. Sierra Canyon School, Chatsworth, Calif. (27-4)*

Previous: 12.

Low-down: Won CIF Open Division championship, defeating Sheldon (Sacramento), 75-62.

11. Archbishop Stepinac, White Plains, N.Y. (27-5)* *

Previous: 24.

Low-down: Won the New York State Federation Class AA championship, crushing South Shore (Brooklyn), 88-76, in the final. Alan Griffin, the tournament’s MVP, fired in 28 points and cleared 16 rebounds, RB Davis netted 25 points and Adrian Griffin Jr. had 16. In the semifinals, then-No. 19 Long Island Lutheran (Brookville), 76-72. The Crusaders sank six straight free throws in the final 10 seconds to rally from a 72-70 deficit.

12. Clarkston, Mich. (26-1)*

Previous: 11.

Low-down: Won Class A state championship, defeating West Ottawa (Holland), 81-38, in the final. The Wolves are 97-6 with two state titles in the last four years. Michigan’s Mr. Basketball Foster Loyer fired in 19 of his game-high 40 points in the second quarter, connecting on 14-of-19 shots for the game. Also defeated De La Salle (Warren), 74-49, in the semifinals and Flint Carman-Ainsworth, 52-31, in the quarterfinals.

13. Simeon, Chicago (29-4)*

Previous: 13.

Low-down: The Chicago Public League champions also advanced to the Class 4A Chicago State SuperSectional.

14. Bishop Montgomery, Torrance, Calif. (29-2)

Previous: 14.

Low-down: Advanced to the CIF-Southern California Region Open Division semifinals.

15. Garfield, Seattle (28-2)*

Previous: 10.

Low-down: The Washington Class 3A state champions played in the GEICO Nationals.

16. La Lumiere School, La Porte, Ind. (23-4)

Previous: 15.

Low-down: Advanced to the GEICO Nationals.

17. Roselle (N.J.) Catholic (29-4)* *

Previous: 16.

Low-down: Won third New Jersey State Tournament of Champions title and the Non-Public B crown.

18. Oak Ridge, Orlando, Fla. (30-4)*

Previous: 17.

Low-down: Won Class 9A championship.

19. Allen, Texas (34-5)*

Previous: 18.

Low-down: Won the Class 6A state championship.

 20. Long Island Lutheran, Brookville, N.Y. (22-3)

Previous: 19.

Low-down: Advanced New York State Federation Class AA semifinals.

21. Cox Mill, Concord, N.C. (29-3)*

Previous: 20.

Low-down: Won second consecutive 3A state championship.

22. Etiwanda, Calif. (30-4)

Previous: 22.

Low-down: Advanced to the CIF-Southern California Region Open Division final. The Eagles play in one of the nation’s strongest regions.

23.  Lone Peak, Highland, Utah (23-4)*

Previous: Not ranked.

Low-down: Won Class 6A state championship. Lost a heartbreaker to No. 1 Montverde (Fla.) Academy, 87-82, in the first round. Utah State-bound Steven Ashworth netted all 29 points after the break, making 7 of 14 threes and was named to the GEICO Nationals all-tournament team.

 24. Mater Dei, Santa Ana, Calif. (23-7)

Previous: 23.

Low-down: Won CIF-Southern Section Open Division championship.

25.  Denton (Texas) Guyer (38-2)

Previous: 25.

Low-down: Advanced to the Class 6A, Region I final.

Dropped: No. 21 Wasatch Academy, Mount Pleasant, Utah.

High-Fives by Region

East

1. Don Bosco Prep, Ramsey, N.J. (28-3)*
2. Gonzaga, Washington, D.C. (28-9)
3. St. Frances Academy, Baltimore (35-5)*
4. Notre Dame, Fairfield, Conn. (27-0)*
5. Lake Taylor, Norfolk, Va. (26-1)*

Midwest

1. Orr, Chicago (30-4)*
2. Warren Central, Indianapolis (32-0)*
3. Belleville (Ill.) West (32-2)*
4. Moeller, Cincinnati (27-3)*
5. Cretin-Derham Hall, St. Paul, Minn. (30-2)*

Geography: Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, North Dakota, South Dakota, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

Southland

1. Mountain Brook, Birmingham, Ala. (34-4)*
2. Covington Catholic, Park Hills, Ky. (35-4)*
3. Scotlandville, Baton Rouge, La. (27-5)*
4. South Garland, Garland, Texas (36-4)
5. Westlake, Austin, Texas (36-4)

Geography: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas.

Far West

1. Wasatch Academy, Mount Pleasant, Utah (24-2)
2. Sheldon, Sacramento, Calif. (29-6)
3. Salesian College Prep, Richmond, Calif. (30-2)
4. Gonzaga Prep, Spokane, Wash. (26-0)*
5. Bishop Gorman, Las Vegas (29-4)*

Geography: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.

* Won state, national or conference/league postseason tournament championship

(Note some schools have won multiple tournament titles]

** GEICO High School Nationals champions

 ! Blue Star Media Elite 25 National Champions

About: The Blue Star Media Elite 25 High School Boys’ Basketball Rankings are released weekly from November until the conclusion of the high school season. Criteria considered are the quality of the team and its players, strength of schedule, tradition, and quality of the team’s league, conference, region or district. Teams with fifth-year players cannot be ranked. The rankings are compiled by Blue Star Media’s Christopher Lawlor, who consults with a national network of coaches, talent evaluators and prep sports writers. The final rankings will be released in April. Follow him on Twitter @clawlor.