Chicago, Orlando schools land in Blue Star Media Go-To 25 boys basketball rankings

BENSALEM, Pa. – The latest Blue Star Media Go-To 25 boys’ basketball rankings have the same feel, but a different look. Sure two teams moved up and into the Top 10 and there are two new additions.

Mater Dei  (Santa Ana, Calif.) holds down the top spot for the second straight week but will have a challenge this weekend in the Nike Extravaganza Saturday on it home court. It will be a true test prior to the CIF sectional tournaments. In Florida, No. 4 Montverde Academy entertains seven teams in their own invitational tournament. Fingers are crossed that MVA and Orlando (Fla.) Christian Prep advance to Saturday’s final. Based on the bracket, both teams are virtual locks.

The Go-To 25 rankings welcome No. 17 Orlando Christian Prep and No. 23 Whitney Young (Chicago). OCP will have little trouble in the Class 2A state tournament next month while Young has quite a battle in the Illinois Class 4A draw.

What happens this week will say a lot about where teams are going.

Kudos to No. 5 White Station (Memphis, Tenn.), No. 13 St. John’s (Washington, D.C.) and No. 21 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) for recording signature weeks last week. White Station beat the buzzer to win a national game; St. John’s rallied in double overtime to knock off pesky Bishop O’Connell (Arlington, Va.) in league play; and Gorman held off neighboring rivals Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.) for the first time following six straight losses.

Shifting the focus to bubble teams or the taxi squad. Here is a fistful of teams that are on the verge of the Go-To 25 in the coming weeks: St. Edward (Lakewood, Ohio), Bishop Loughlin (Brooklyn, N.Y.), Roman Catholic (Philadelphia), Redondo Union (Redondo Beach, Calif.) and Archbishop Carroll (Radnor, Pa.). Roman and Carroll compete in the Philadelphia Catholic League, Loughlin plays in a one of the three toughest leagues in the nation, St. Edward is Ohio’s top-ranked large classification (Division I) team and nobody in the CIF Southern Section wants any part of Redondo Union in the postseason.

Will be interesting.

Again, get out and enjoy a game in your hometown. Hope to see you at a game soon.—Christopher Lawlor  

Blue Star Media Go-To 25 Boys Basketball Rankings, Jan. 27, 2014

1. Mater Dei, Santa Ana, Calif. (20-0)

Previous rank: 1.

Low-down: After disposing of JSerra (San Juan Capistrano), 69-39, the Monarchs shift focus to this weekend’s Nike Extravaganza on their home court. Saturday’s game vs. Whitey Young (Chicago) is the marquee game.

2. Curie, Chicago (18-1)

Previous: 2.

Low-down: Joseph Stamps drilled a jumper with 1 second left to avoid upset in a 60-58 win over Hyde Park (Chicago). Cliff Alexander, a Kansas commit, contributed 23 pointers, 13 rebounds and blocked 5 shots.

3. Rainier Beach, Seattle (17-0)

Previous: 3.

Low-down: The Vikings blew past three Seattle opponents. Only three games remain in the regular season.

4. Montverde (Fla.) Academy (19-1)

Previous: 4.

Low-down: The Eagles, who were shocked last Monday, rebounded toppling Evans (Orlando), 92-78. Evans is the state’s top-ranked Class 8A team. Junior Ben Simmons (LSU recruit) pumped in 22 points and D’Angelo Russell (Ohio State) added 21. Next up are three games in the Montverde Academy Invitational Tournament, starting Thursday with American Plantation. A potential matchup with No. xx Orlando Christian Prep is the dream championship game on Saturday.

5. White Station, Memphis, Tenn. (20-1)

Previous: 5.

Low-down: Illinois-bound Leron Black nailed a jumper at the buzzer to beat Sunrise Christian (Bel Aire, Kan.), 56-55, in the Penny Hardaway Hoopfest.

6. Northside Christian Academy, Charlotte, N.C. (20-1)

Previous: 6.

Low-down: Defeated Concord First Assembly Academy, 65-57.

7. Oak Hill Academy, Mouth of Wilson, Va. (26-2)

Previous: 7.

Low-down: Won twice at the Penny Hardaway Hoopfest in Tennessee. The Warriors have a huge game Wednesday against No. xx Arlington Country Day (Jacksonville, Fla.) in Beckley, W.Va.

8. Converse (Texas) Judson (26-1)

Previous: 9.

Low-down: The Rockets are 5-0 in district play after beating New Braunfels, 79-53. David Wacker had 15 points and 8 rebounds.

9. Arsenal Tech, Indianapolis (16-1)

Previous: 10.

Low-down: Thumped Howe (Indianapolis), 88-67, in the Indianapolis City Tournament semifinals. The Titans played Cathedral (Indianapolis) on Monday in final.

10. La Lumiere School, La Porte, Ind. (17-2)

Previous: 11.

Low-down: Won twice versus Ohio schools at Dunk 4 Diabetes Shootout in North Canton, Ohio.

11. Our Savior New American, Centereach, N.Y. (14-2)

Previous: 12.

Low-down: Kobie Eubanks flipped in 13 points in a 53-49 victory over National Christian (Fort Washington, Md.). The Pioneers embark on a busy week with three games, including Saturday’s tilt against Cape Henry Collegiate (Virginia Beach, Va.) at the Battle by the Bay in Atlantic City, N.J. 

12. Providence Christian, Jacksonville, Fla. (20-3)

Previous: 8.

Low-down: Routed Oldsmar Christian, 79-64, at the Vince Murray Memorial Shootout. The Mustangs have two games left in the regular season.

13. St. John’s, Washington, D.C. (15-1)

Previous: 13.

Low-down: Defeated Bishop O’Connell (Arlington, Va.), 82-80, in 2 OT; and DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.), 81-69. The Cadets rallied in the former to pull out a clutch Washington Catholic Athletic Conference win.

14. Paul VI, Fairfax, Va. (16-3)

Previous: 14.

Low-down: The Panthers crushed Good Counsel (Olney, Md.), 92-44, in their only action. They host No. 13 St. John’s (Washington, D.C.) on Thursday.

15. Cardinal Hayes, Bronx, N.Y. (16-0)

Previous: 15.

Low-down: Game with Archbishop Molloy (Briarwood) was postponed to Wednesday.

16. Lincoln, Brooklyn, N.Y. (17-3)

Previous: 16.

Low-down: The Railsplitters improved to 12-0 in PSAL play, beating South Shore (Brooklyn), 70-54. Seton Hall-bound Isaiah Whitehead dropped a double-double, with 36 points and 12 rebounds.

17. Orlando (Fla.) Christian Prep (21-0)

Previous: Not ranked.

Low-down: Central Florida-bound swingman Adonys Henriquez poured in 20 points in a 73-61 win over Lake Minneola, Florida’s top-ranked Class 6A team..

18. Huntington (W.Va.) Prep (19-4)

Previous: 17.

Low-down: Jaquan Lyle scored 17 points in a 78-36 victory over Shaker Heights at the Dunk 4 Diabetes Shootout in North Canton.

19. Arlington Country Day, Jacksonville, Fla. (15-3)

Previous: 20.

Low-down: The Apaches swept two games in the Penny Hardaway Shootout in Tennessee, defeating Christian Brothers High (Memphis), 70-39, and Sunrise Christian (Bel Aire, Kan.), 46-43.

20. Sagemont, Weston, Fla. (24-0)

Previous: 19.

Low-down: Coach Adam Ross’ crew concludes the regular season  Tuesday at Gulliver Prep (Miami).

21. Bishop Gorman, Las Vegas (17-4)

Previous: 23.

Low-down: Defeated No. xx Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.), 76-72. Noah Robotham scored 25 points and junior C Steven Zimmerman added 13 points and 9 rebounds. Nick Blair’s layup as time expired forced overtime.

22. Findlay Prep, Henderson, Nev. (21-4)

Previous: 18.

Low-down: Upended by then-No. xx Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas), 76-72, in overtime at the Findlay Big City Showcase. Kansas-bound Kelly Oubre scored 22 points and cleared 8 boards. It was the Pilots’ first loss in seven meetings to their local rivals.

23. Whitney Young, Chicago (14-4)

Previous: Not ranked.

Low-down: The Dolphins return to the rankings after impressive wins on the nation circuit. Miles Reynolds pumped in 26 points in a 69-68 win over Southwind (Memphis) in Tennessee.

24. Prime Prep, Dallas (16-5)                                            

Previous: 24.

Low-down: The Truth hangs in the rankings for another week.

25. Loyola, Los Angeles (18-1)

Previous: 25.

Low-down: Waxed El Camino Real (Woodland Hills), 67-49, in the James Sampson State Preview. Parker Jackson-Wright scored 19 points and Arizona-bound C Thomas Welsh had a double-double, with 18 points and 10 rebounds.

Dropped: No. 21 St. Benedict’s (Newark, N.J.) and No. 22 Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia).

High-Fives by Region

East

1. Bishop Loughlin, Brooklyn, N.Y. (14-3)

2. Roman Catholic, Philadelphia (13-3)

3. Archbishop Carroll (Radnor, Pa.).  (14-2)

4. Mount Vernon, N.Y. (9-1)

5. East Side, Newark, N.J. (12-0)

Geography: Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Virginia.

Midlands

1. St. Edward, Lakewood, Ohio (13-1)

2. Stevenson, Lincolnshire, Ill. (17-1)

3. Pershing, Detroit (11-1)

4. Apple Valley, Minn. (17-1)

5. Zion-Benton, Ill. (18-1)

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

South

1. Wheeler, Marietta, Ga. (17-4)

2. Scotlandville, Baton Rouge, La. (25-1)

3. DeSoto, Texas (21-3)

4. Callaway, Jackson, Miss. (17-1)

5. Putnam City West, Oklahoma City (14-2)

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

Far West

1. Redondo Union, Redondo Beach, Calif. (16-3)

2. Corona (Calif.) Centennial (16-2)

3. Corona del Sol, Tempe, Ariz. (20-1)

4. Lone Peak, Highland, Utah (12-2)

5. Etiwanda, Calif. (18-3)

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

Records through Sunday’s games. 

About: The Blue Star Media Go-To 25 Boys High School Rankings are released weekly from September 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. 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 April 7, 2014. Follow him on Twitter at #clawlor.