Blue Star Media Elite 25 boys’ rankings remain stable; Chipotle Nationals field features powerhouse programs, No. 1 Montverde Academy (FL) gets top seed

BENSALEM, Pa. – The Blue Star Media Elite 25 boys’ basketball rankings remained stable for the second week in March.

There were state championships aplenty but non affected the Elite 25. Consequently, there was no movement with the final weekends of basketball on tap.

However, the biggest news is the pairings for the CHIPOTLE High School Basketball Nationals were revealed and the tops seeds in the boys’ and girls’ tournaments are the No. 1 teams from the Blue Star Media Elite 25 boys’ rankings.

The top seeds are Montverde (Fla.) boys and Long Island Lutheran (Brookville, N.Y.) girls. Coincidentally, the teams were the preseason No. 1 teams with Montverde holding that spot the entire term. LuHi ascended to the top spot last week.

The three-day event tips off on April 4 at Brownsburg High School in Brownsburg, Ind. The semifinals are April 5 and the finals are April 6. Defending champions are Link Academy (Branson, Mo.) boys and Montverde (Fla.) Academy girls.

All eight boys teams are ranked in the Elite 25.

All games will be broadcast on the ESPN platforms (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU).

The schedules.

Boys

April 4

(All times are Eastern; seed number precedes each team)

2 p.m.: 2-St. Paul VI Catholic (Chantilly, Va.) vs. 7-IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)

4 p.m.: 4-Long Island Lutheran (Brookville, N.Y.) vs. 5-Columbus (Miami)

6 p.m.: 3-Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.) vs. 6-Link Academy

8 p.m.: 1-Montverde Academy vs. 8-AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.).

All quarterfinal games will be shown on ESPNU.

The semifinals are April 5 at 2:30 and 4:30 p.m. on ESPN2. The final is April 6 at 12 p.m. on ESPN 2.

Girls

April 4

10 a.m.: 3-IMG Academy vs. 6-Grace Christian (Sanford, N.C.)

12 p.m.: 4-Montverde Academy vs. 5-Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.)

April 5

Semifinals on ESPNU

10:30 a.m.: 1-Long Island Lutheran vs. Montverde or Sidwell

12:30 p.m.: 2-Grayson (Loganville, Ga.) vs. IMG or Grace Christian

The final is April 6 at 10 a.m. on ESPN.

It should be a great event in Indiana.

There’s another newly created event that pits New York City’s top league. The CHSAA vs. PSAL Challenge is ready to go this weekend and into next week.

The tentative schedule for Long Island University in Brooklyn:

Sunday

5 p.m.: AA Girls Game – Christ the King (Middle Village) vs. South Shore (Brooklyn)

7 p.m.: AA Boys Game – No. 8 Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains) vs. PSAL Winner

Monday

5 p.m.: A Girls Game – Kennedy Catholic (vs. PSAL Winner

7 p.m.: A Boys Game – Monsignor McClancy (East Elmhurst) vs. PSAL Winner

Tuesday

5 p.m.: B Girls Game – Cardinal Spellman (Bronx) vs. PSAL Winner

7 p.m.: B Boys Game – Regis (Manhattan) vs. PSAL Winner

Tickets will sell out fast.

The Blue Star Media Elite 25 boys’ rankings will return March 26. Thank you for your readership. I’ve looked at the bracket reveal and here is my initial Final Four on Sunday night. Here are two first-round upset specials that standout: James Madison over Wisconsin and Grand Canyon taking down Saint Mary’s. As for the winner, it’s Connecticut going back-to-back. Houston also makes it to the final but the Huskies are more balanced and deeper.

Enjoy March Madness especially the Thursday and Friday games that will come at you wall to wall. And if you live in a state with tournaments still going, get out to the games and DVR the NCAA games. Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio and Pennsylvania state championships are this week. The end of the season is upon us.

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

Blue Star Media Elite 25 Boys’ Basketball Rankings, March 19, 2024

1. Montverde (Fla.) Academy (30-0) #

Previous rank: 1.

The Low-down: Idle. Duke-bound F Cooper Flagg was tabbed the Naismith Player of the Year. He’ll suit again for the Eagles at the CHIPOTLE Nationals April 4-6 in Brownsburg, Ind.

2. Columbus, Miami (27-4)*

Previous: 2.

The Low-down: Won third straight Class 7A state championship. The CHIPOTLE Nationals are next in April.

3. St. Paul VI Catholic, Chantilly, Va. (33-2)**

Previous: 3.

The Low-down: Won a second straight Washington Catholic Athletic Conference and fourth consecutive Virginia Intendent Schools Athletic Association Division I titles. Regular season is complete and the Panthers are headed back to the CHIPOTLE Nationals in April.

4. Long Island Lutheran, Brookville, N.Y. (21-4)

Previous: 4.

The Low-down: Regular season is complete. The CHIPOTLE Nationals are next in April.

5. Prolific Prep, Napa, Calif. (33-5)*

Previous: 5.

The Low-down: Won the Grind Session World Championship for a second straight year, defeating Dream City Christian (Glendale, Ariz.), 84-74, in the final. Tyran Stokes had 18 points, 9 rebounds and 6 assists and junior A.J. Dybantsa added 24 points and 8 rebounds. In the semifinals, they defeated Royal Crown (Ontario, Canada), 95-82. Derrion Reid had 15 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals and Mikey Lewis flipped in 17 points. The Crew will play in the CHIPOTLE Nationals on April 4 in Indiana.

6. Plano (Texas) East (40-0)*

Previous: 6.

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

7. Harvard-Westlake, Studio City, Calif. (33-3)*

Previous: 7.

The Low-down: Won a second straight CIF Open Division state championship. Season complete.

8. Archbishop Stepinac, White Plains, N.Y. (25-4)*

Previous: 8.

The Low-down: Won second consecutive New York CHSAA AA Intersectional championship. The Crusaders play in the PSAL vs. CHSAA Championships on Sunday against Eagle Academy (Brooklyn).

9. IMG Academy, Bradenton, Fla. (20-8)

Previous: 10.

The Low-down: Idle. The Ascenders are headed to the CHIPOTLE Nationals.

10. La Lumiere School, La Porte, Ind. (23-5)

Previous: 10.

The Low-down: Season complete.

11. Grayson, Loganville, Ga. (30-2)*

Previous: 11.

The Low-down: Won the Class AAAAAAA state championship. Season complete.

12. Roosevelt, Eastvale, Calif. (33-4)

Previous: 12.

The Low-down: Advanced to the CIF-Southern Region Open Division final and captured the Baseline League championship. Season complete.

13. St. John Bosco, Bellflower, Calif. (28-7)*

Previous: 13.

The Low-down: Won CIF Division 1 state championship. Season complete.

14. Oak Ridge, Orlando, Fla. (27-4)

Previous: 14.

The Low-down: Advanced to the FHSAA Class 7A state final. Season complete.

15. Brewster Academy, Wolfeboro, N.H. (27-7)

Previous: 15.

The Low-down: Season complete.

16. Link Academy, Branson, Mo. (23-6)

Previous: 16.

The Low-down: Regular season is complete. Up next is the CHIPOTLE Nationals in April.

17. AZ Compass Prep, Chandler, Ariz. (27-5)

Previous: 17.

The Low-down: The Dragons will rest before the CHIPOTLE Nationals April 4-6 in Indiana.

18. McEachern, Powder Springs, Ga. (26-6)

Previous: 18.

The Low-down: Advanced to the Class 7A final. Season complete.

19. Homewood (Ill.)-Flossmoor (33-4)*

Previous: 18.

The Low-down: Won the Class 4A state championship. It is the program’s first-ever state chip. Season complete.

20. Sidwell Friends, Washington, D.C. (27-4)**

Previous: 20.

The Low-down: Won the District of Columbia State Athletic Association Class AA and Mid-Atlantic Athletic Conference championships. Season complete.

21. Notre Dame, Sherman Oaks, Calif. (31-4)

Previous: 21.

Low-down: Season complete.

22. Oak Hill Academy, Mouth of Wilson, Va. (25-6)

Previous: 2.

The Low-down: Season complete.

23. Gonzaga, Washington, D.C. (28-6)

Previous: 23.

The Low-down: Season complete.

24. Dynamic Prep, Irving, Texas (23-1)

Previous: 24.

The Low-down: Season complete.

25. Wasatch Academy, Mount Pleasant, Utah (17-7)

Previous: 25.

The Low-down: Season complete.

Dropped: None.

High-Fives by Region

East

1. Imhotep Institute Charter, Philadelphia (27-3)*
2. St. Rose, Belmar, N.J. (29-2)*
3. Don Bosco Prep, Ramsey, N.J. (29-3)*
4. Mount St. Joseph, Baltimore (36-5)*
5. Lincoln Park, Midland, Pa. (26-3)

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

Midwest

1. Curie, Chicago (31-3)*
2. DePaul Prep, Chicago (35-2)*
3. Wisconsin Lutheran, Milwaukee (30-0)*
4. St. Mary’s Prep, Orchard, Lake, Mich. (27-1)*
5. Fishers, Ind. (28-1)

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

Southland

1. Great Crossing, Georgetown, Ky. (34-1)
2. Central Cabarrus, Concord, N.C. (33-0)*
3. Kell, Marietta, Ga. (28-3)*
4. Stony Point, Round Rock Texas (38-2)
5. Independence, Thompson’s Station, Tenn. (33-6)*

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

Far West

1. Salesian College Prep, Richmond, Calif. (31-2)
2. Mater Dei, Santa Ana, Calif. (29-6)
3. Bishop Gorman, Las Vegas (24-5)*
4. Perry, Gilbert, Ariz. (24-6))*
5. Central Catholic, Portland, Ore. (27-3)*

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

Records through Sunday’s games.

 # Nike EYBL Scholastic champions

* Won state, national or conference postseason tournament championship

[Editor’s note: Each asterisk represents a separate postseason title]

About: The Blue Star Media Elite 25 Boys High School Basketball Rankings are released weekly from December until the conclusion of the high school season in April. 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 at the conclusion of the season. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) at @clawlor.