Blue Star Media Elite 25 boys’ basketball rankings welcome No. 23 Bishop O’Connell Knights (VA) and No. 24 Sunrise Christian Buffaloes (KS) in post-Christmas update

BENSALEM, Pa. – Two months of the season have come and gone with a handful of teams shuffling in and out of the Blue Star Media Elite 25 boys basketball rankings.

To sum it up, December started with a team from the Florida sunshine and went out with the roar of the Lions from No. 1 Link Academy (Branson, Mo.). No. 3 Prolific Prep (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) was the top-ranked team from the opening tip but dipped two slots after the grueling schedule caught up to the Crew. That’s okay because the Elite 25 teams for the most part play national schedules and with the Grind Sessions and the Nike EYBL Scholastic Conference competitions redefining schoolboy basketball, it’s the strength of schedule and resiliency that separates ranked teams from the others.

The December holiday tournament schedule had major events in Las Vegas and Fort Myers, Florida prior to Christmas and several more ongoing as the calendar approaches New Year’s Eve.

As for the lead-up to January, events in North Carolina, New York, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Maryland, Illinois, Oregon and California closed out the year with each location featuring Elite 25 teams.

So, here’s what transpired in the Elite 25 since Christmas:

Fourteen teams remained in the same position; six rose in the Elite 25 and three dropped. No. 19 Montverde (Fla.) Academy spiked six positions after splitting a pair of games in Brooklyn.

 No. 23 Bishop O’Connell (Arlington, Va.) and No. 24 Sunrise Christian Academy (Bel Aire, Kan.)  Hoover (Ala.) after a successful month of December and an impressive strength of schedule. O’Connell went to The Classic at Tennessee High School in Bristol, Tenn., and Sunrise Christian Buffaloes are toiling in the EYBL Scholastic with several events on the horizon in the national league.

Looking ahead, that major event is this weekend in Arizona.

The Panini Hoophall West Nike Tournament of Champions tips off Thursday and concludes on Saturday at Skyline High School in Mesa, Ariz. The mega field features six teams from the current Elite 25. The format is a mixture of tournament bracket play, EYBL games and round robin play. The 22-game schedule over three days can be streamed on BallerTV and the NBA app, NBA YouTube and NBA.com.

It’s power events of this ilk which usually rearranges the Elite 25.

Editor’s note: We’ll update the rankings over the next 24-48 hours to reflect any significant tournament games played on Tuesday or Wednesday afternoon.

That’s it for the month of December. The Blue Star Media Elite 25 boys’ basketball rankings return on Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026.

Happy New Year to all; may it be a healthy and prosperous one. It’s time to turn the page on 2025. Hopefully, 2026 brings better times and more stability.

Bye for now.

Stay strong. Hope to see you at a game soon. – Christopher Lawlor

Blue Star Media Elite 25 Boys’ Basketball Rankings, Dec. 30, 2025

1. Link Academy, Branson, Mo. (15-0)

Previous rank: 1.

Lowdown: The Lions won two games at the Jordan Holiday Classic in Brooklyn, New York. Gonzaga-bound Luca Foster scored 30 points, sinking 7-of-10 three-point field goals in an 85-61 win over Mount Zion Prep (Lanham, Md.). Also beat Bishop McNamara (Forestville, Md.), 72-50.

2. AZ Compass Prep, Chandler, Ariz. (10-0)

Previous: 2.

Lowdown: Idle.

3. Prolific Prep, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (17-2)

Previous: 3.

Lowdown: Idle. The Crew played Tuesday at the Governor’s Challenge in Maryland.

4. Spire Academy, Geneva, Ohio (9-1)

Previous: 4.

Lowdown: Defeated Greensboro (N.C.) Day, 62-43, in the John Wall Invitational Coby White Bracket semifinals in Raleigh, N.C. Tarris Bouie, an Alabama signee, contributed 19 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists. Spire played No. 10 Southeastern Prep Academy (Orlando, Fla.) on Tuesday for the championship.

5. CIA Bella Vista Prep, Phoenix (11-1)

Previous: 5.

Lowdown: In Beach Ball Classic Prep Division in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, the Bears defeated Winston-Salem (N.C.) Christian, 72-71, in the semifinals and St. Mark’s (Dallas), 93-38, in the first round. The championship game was Tuesday.

6. La Lumiere School, La Porte, Ind. (11-0)

Previous: 6.

Lowdown: Idle.

7. St. Paul VI Catholic, Chantilly, Va. (10-1)

Previous: 7.

Lowdown: Senior G Jordan Smith Jr. continues his torrid pace with 20 points, 8 assists, 4 blocks and 2 steals as the Panthers defeated then-No. 23 Long Island Lutheran (Brookville, N.Y.), 68-62, at the Jordan Holiday Classic in Brooklyn, New York.

8. Sierra Canyon School, Chatsworth, Calif. (11-1)

Previous: 8.

Lowdown: The Trailblazer advanced to the Les Schwab Invitational championship in Portland, Oregon after taking down Southridge (Beaverton, Ore.), 75-50, in the semifinals. They also beat Clackamas (Ore.), 79-41, in the first round and Barlow (Gresham), 79-51, in the quarterfinals. On Tuesday night, the Blazers faced No. 22 Columbus (Miami) for the title.

9. Brewster Academy, Wolfeboro, N.H. (13-1)

Previous: 9.

Lowdown: Idle.

10. Southeastern Prep Academy, Orlando, Fla. (16-4)

Previous: 10.

Lowdown: Beckham Black recorded a double-double with 15 points and 10 assists in a 76-56 win over then-No. 13 IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) in the John Wall Invitational Coby White Bracket semifinals. The final was Tuesday in Raleigh, N.C.

11. Dynamic Prep School, Irving, Texas (13-1)

Previous: 12.

Lowdown: Texas Tech-bound Dakari Spears scored 23 points and Austin Goosby and Elton Smith tallied 10 apiece in a 69-59 victory over then-No. 25 Montverde (Fla.) Academy at the Jordan Holiday Classic in New York. Also beat Roman Catholic (Philadelphia), 75-63, at the event.

12. Seven Lakes, Katy, Texas (19-0)

Previous: 14.

Lowdown: Defeated St. Francis Episcopal (Houston), 83-37, and Klein, 94-78, in the VYPE Holiday Classic Campbell Division. The final was played on Tuesday.

13. Millenium, Goodyear, Ariz. (12-1)

Previous: 15.

Lowdown: Idle. Up next is the Panini Hoophall West in Mesa, Ariz.

14. Archbishop Stepinac, White Plains, N.Y. (6-4)

Previous: 11.

Lowdown: Lost to then-No. 25 Montverde (Fla.), 74-70,  in overtime at the Jordan Holiday Classic in Brooklyn, N.Y. Fordham-bound G Hassan Koureissi produced 26 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 blocks.

15. IMG Academy, Bradenton, Fla. (10-3)

Previous: 13.

Lowdown: In the John Wall Holiday Invitational Coby White Bracket semifinals in Raleigh, North Carolina, the Ascenders lost to No. 10 Southeastern Prep (Orlando, Fla.), 75-56. Tey played in a third-place game on Tuesday.

16. Principia School, St. Louis (8-1)

Previous: 16.

Lowdown: Defeated Butler (Louisville, Ky.), 70-55, and Blair Oaks (Jefferson City, Mo.), 75-46.

17. DePaul Prep, Chicago (12-1)

Previous: 18.

Lowdown: Opened the Pontiac (Ill.) Holiday Tournament with a 75-31 victory over St. Charles (Ill.) North in the first round. Rykan Woo scored 20 points for the Rams, who faced Joliet (Ill.) West on Tuesday in the quarterfinals. The semifinals and final are both on Wednesday.

18. Bartlett, Tenn. (9-2)

Previous: 19.

Lowdown: Defeated Cane Ridge (Nashville), 101-23, in the Battle For Nashville first round. The tournament runs through Wednesday.

19. Montverde (Fla.) Academy (5-4)

Previous: 25.

Lowdown: In the Jordan Holiday Classic in Brooklyn, N.Y., the Eagles beat then-No. 11 Archbishop Stepinac, 74-70, in overtime but fell to No. 11 Dynamic Prep (Dallas), 69-59.

20. Calvary Christian Academy, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (10-1)

Previous: 20.

Lowdown: Idle.

21. Wheeler, Marietta, Ga. (9-2)

Previous: 21.

Lowdown: Idle. Up next this weekend is the Panini Hoophall West in Mesa, Ariz.

22. Columbus, Miami (12-2)

Previous: 22.

Lowdown: The Explorers opened the Les Schwab Invitational in Portland, Oregon with consecutive wins over Central Catholic (Portland, Ore.), 74-67, in the semifinals; Parkrose (Portland Ore.), 74-39, in the quarterfinals and Grant (Portland, Ore.), 75-45, in the first round. Caleb Gaskins scored 27 points in the semifinal win. They met No. 8 Sierra Canyon School (Chatsworth, Calif.) on Tuesday for the championship.

23. Bishop O’Connell, Arlington, Va. (11-1)

Previous: Not ranked.

Lowdown: The Knights return to the Elite 25, defeating Upperman (Baxter, Tenn.), 48-46, in the quarterfinals of the Classic at Tennessee High School in Bristol, Tenn. The semifinal versus St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) was played Tuesday and the final Wednesday.

24. Sunrise Christian Academy, Bel Aire, Kan. (8-2)

Previous: Not ranked.

Lowdown: Idle. The Buffaloes are 2-2 in the Nike EYBL Scholastic Conference. They resume play on Monday, Jan. 5.

25. Oak Hill Academy, Mouth of Wilson, Va. (13-4)

Previous: 24.

Lowdown: The Warriors, 3-2 in the Nike EYBL Scholastic, opened the Arby’s Classic in Bristol, Virginia, beating John Handley (Winchester, Va.), 60-43, in the first round but were upset by Tri-Cities Christian Academy (Blountville, Tenn.), 71-63, in the quarterfinals. The tournament finishes up on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Dropped: No. 17 Duncanville (Texas) and No. 23 Long Island Lutheran (Brookville, N.Y.).

High-Fives by Region

East

1. Christ the King, Middle Village, N.Y. (7-1)
2. Long Island Lutheran, Brookville, N.Y. (4-5)
3. Mount Carmel, Baltimore (15-1)
4. St. Frances Academy, Baltimore (15-3)
5. Notre Dame, West Haven, Conn. (5-1)

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

Midwest

1. Wisconsin Lutheran, Milwaukee (8-0)
2. Curie, Chicago (9-0)
3. Fishers, Ind. (7-0)
4. East Lansing, Mich. (8-0)
5. Kankakee, Ill. (10-1)

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

Southland

1. Oak Cliff Faith Family, Dallas (14-3)
2. Forsyth Country Day, Lewisville, N.C. (15-0)
3. Greensboro (N.C.) Day (19-2)
4. Grayson, Loganville, Ga. (12-0)
5. Gadsden City, Gadsden, Ala. (20-0)

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

Far West

1. Redondo Union, Redondo Beach, Calif. (14-2)
2. Sunnyslope, Phoenix (12-1)
3. Santa Margarita, Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif. (16-2)
4. Harvard-Westlake, Studio City, Calif. (16-2)
5. Rainier Beach, Seattle (6-1)

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

Records through Monday

About: The Blue Star Media Elite 25 High School Boys Basketball Rankings are released weekly from October 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 in April of the 2025-26 season. Follow him on X at @clawlor.