SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Usually this space is reserved for the Blue Star Media Elite 25 boys’ basketball rankings but since there are no additions this week, I need to mention Rex Morgan.

Last Friday morning my friend and the former coach at Arlington Country Day School in Jacksonville, Fla., lost his courageous battle with cancer. He was 67.

Those plugged into the basketball community knew he was an All America at Jacksonville University, leading the Dolphins along with Artis Gilmore to the 1970 Final Four, saw his jersey (No. 24) retired by JU in 1994, played in the NBA with the Celtics, coached at Florida State and in the professional ranks. That’s a full basketball life but his greatest achievement was reserved for the latter portion of his life.

He turned his coaching passion to the youth of Jacksonville. He started coaching in the middle school ranks and ascended to the ACD, where he secured a coveted Nike contract, and guided the Apaches to five FHSAA state titles and two more in the recently launched Sunshine Independent Athletic Association. Rex was the driving force in the SIAA and wanted change. He’ll always be remembered in SIAA circles for helping it become one of the top-fight high school leagues in the nation.

Mostly though, he’ll be remembered by the countless young lives he touched. Rex reached out to all corners of the globe to help boys become fine young men while giving them a chance to hone their basketball skills and earn a college education. He always saw the good in people and gave his student-athletes second and third chances because he realized no one is perfect, Rex told me once.

And when he coached, Rex did it with passion and with a sense of purpose, reaching deep into his vast basketball knowledge to design a quick hitter or defensive scheme to flummox the opposition. His teams were fixtures in the national rankings and he never backed down from playing a challenging national schedule. He simply wanted to prepare his players for the rigors at the next levels.

So, what’s my connection with Rex?

Hit the rewind button to November 2000. I placed a call to ACD in an attempt to reach Rex for the preseason national rankings. At the time, I was compiling the Super 25 rankings as a staff writer for USA TODAY. Once Rex we connected, I asked simply, “did you play for Jacksonville in the 1970 Final Four?” At first silence, then I divulged he was speaking with a St. Bonaventure graduate and lifelong fan of the basketball program ever since my father (another Bona alum from the Class of 1952) took me to see Bob Lanier play in the late 1960s. In 1970, St. Bonaventure, JU, UCLA (the eventual national champions) and New Mexico State composed the Final Four to be played in College Park, Md. The Bonnies went to the Final Four without Lanier, who ripped up his knee (thanks to Chris Ford of Villanova) in the Eastern Regional final. Without the “Big Cat” no one in our lineup stood taller than 6-foot-5. Heck, Rex was a spry 6-5 sharpshooter himself and they had a pair of 7-footers in their starting five.

For the next hour we spoke about the 1970 Final Four and Rex told me the behind the scenes stories that rarely get out. He told me that the Bonnies were outmanned against JU in the national semifinals, but never gave up and always cherished the experience. At that moment, Rex and I forged an unbreakable bond. Think of it, a JU legend and kid from Rochester, N.Y., who watched that game on a small black and white TV with a grainy picture, wishing he could be courtside at Cole Fieldhouse.

Three weeks later in December 2000, I met Rex when ACD traveled to Lebanon, Pa., to play in the Keystone Invitational, one of the best tournaments and run by Ammon Boltz (another friend of Rex). After that I kept up with Rex and reached out for his observations and views. He was a trusted resource and friend. Our paths would cross in countless cities an courts nationwide. Knowing Rex and ACD were in the house meant it was a big-time event and afterwards we’d harken back for all those stories and recollections. Really priceless moments when Rex held court with coaches hanging on his every word.

If over the years I was guilty of showing partiality to Rex and ACD … so be it. I won’t take back any of it.

So it’s ironic or perhaps coincidental that I was at the Hoophall Classic in Springfield, Mass., the birthplace of this great sport, last weekend and just a NBA three-pointer from the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Rex was a member of several halls of fame, but today he’s the latest member of the greatest hall or pantheon known to mankind: Heaven. – Christopher Lawlor

 Preseason Blue Star Media Elite 25 boys’ rankings, Jan. 19, 2016

 1. Findlay Prep, Henderson, Nev. (18-0)

Previous rank: 1.

Low-down: The Pilots showed balance and depth this weekend in wins over Athlete Institute (Orangeburg, Ont., Canada), 73-59, and then-No. 9 St. Benedict’s (Newark, N.J.), 91-67, at the Hoophall Classic in Springfield, Mass. Junior PF Markus Howard netted 26 points in the latter game. Next up is a match with local rivals Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) in the Findlay Big City Showcase on Saturday.

2. Oak Hill Academy, Mouth of Wilson, Va. (25-1)

Previous: 2.

Low-down: Won second consecutive Bass Pro Tournament of Champions title, edging then-No. 6 Sierra Canyon School (Chatsworth, Calif.), 49-48, in the final in Springfield, Mo. Ty-Shon Alexander scored 15 points, including the game-winning 3-pointer at the horn, as the Warriors rallied down five points in the fourth quarter. The Warriors then jetted across country for a matchup on Monday at the Hoophall Classic in Massachusetts.

3. Chino Hills, Calif. (16-0)

Previous: 3.

Low-down: The Huskies averaged 110 points in wins over Los Osos (Rancho Cucamonga) and Rancho Cucamonga. They played on Monday against No. 21 High Point (N.C.) Christian at the Hoophall Classic in Springfield, Mass. Lonzo Ball, a UCLA recruit, was named to the McDonald’s All-American Game on March 30 in Chicago.

4. Montverde (Fla.) Academy (17-1)

Previous: 4.

Low-down: Thrashed Roman Catholic (Philadelphia), 74-44, at the Hoophall Classic in Massachusetts. The Eagles are prime for another national championship run.

5. DeMatha, Hyattsville, Md. (15-2)

Previous: 5.

Low-down: The Stags manhandled league foes St. Mary’s Ryken (Leonardtown), 85-44, and Archbishop Carroll (Washington, D.C.), 66-47. Also played Monday at the Hoophall Classic vs. No. 17 Chaminade (St. Louis). Markelle Fultz, a Washington recruit, was selected to play in the Jordan Brand Classic at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn in April. This week the Stags are back at it with No. 22 Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.) on Wednesday.

6. Sierra Canyon School, Chatsworth, Calif. (14-2)

Previous: 6.

Low-down: Finished second at the Bass Pro Tournament of Champions in Springfield, Mo., losing to No. 2 Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.), 49-48, in the title game at the death. Sophomore Cody Riley bucketed a game-high 18 points and cleared 15 rebounds.

7. Atascocita, Humble, Texas (25-0)

Previous: 7.

Low-down: The Eagles stayed unbeaten with wins over Summer Creek (Humble), 64-52, and Kingwood, 51-47.

8. St. Anthony, Jersey City, N.J. (10-0)

Previous: 9.

Low-down: Eastern Kentucky-bound G Asante Gist knocked down five three-balls hitting for 12 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter staking the Friars to a 60-56 win over then-No. 16 Patrick School (Elizabeth) at the Dan Finn Classic in the famed Jersey City Armory.

 9. Bishop Montgomery, Torrance, Calif. (18-0)

Previous: 10.

Low-down: The Knights defeated Serra (Gardena), 76-48, and St. Bernard (Playa del Rey), 70-57. The next huge challenge is Jan. 30 with No. 3 Chino Hills.

10. U of D Jesuit, Detroit (10-0)

Previous: 11.

Low-down: Clipped Farragut Academy (Chicago), 58-41. Also, last Friday the Cubs dropped Brother Rice (Beverly Hills, Mich.), 59-12, in a game halted in the third quarter by a power outage. The Cubs have a work light week playing once against Detroit Catholic Central (Novi) on Tuesday.

11. La Lumiere School, La Porte, Ind. (16-2)

Previous: 14.

Low-down: Beat Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.), 75-63, at Flyin’ to the Hoop in Kettering, Ohio, and No. 16 Patrick School (Elizabeth, N.J.), 62-58, in overtime at Hoophall Classic. The Lakers had a great weekend, capturing two big-time games that will look good for the postseason resume at the Dick’s Nationals.

12. Morgan Park, Chicago (14-1)

Previous: 12.

Low-down: Charlie Moore totaled 53 points in wins over Chicago Public League opponents Vocational, 63-49, and Julian, 87-27. The showdown with No. 24 Simeon (Chicago) was postponed last Saturday because of a parent protest. There’s no makeup date or site for the game.

13. DeSoto, Texas (22-1)

Previous: 13.

Low-down: G Julian Miranda contributed 22 points to lift the Eagles over Cedar Hill, 72-62, improving to 4-0 in District 8-6A.

14. St. John’s College, Washington, D.C. (16-2)

Previous: 15.

Low-down: Captured two games, including an impressive 91-66 blowout of W.T. Woodson (Washington). Maryland-bound G Anthony Cowan Jr. flipped in 27 points, canning two 3-pointers.

15. Neumann-Goretti, Philadelphia (13-2)

Previous: 20.

Low-down: Won Burger King Classic, defeating St. Michael’s (Toronto, Ont., Canada), 80-53, in the championship game. In the semifinals, the Saints stopped St. Edward (Lakewood, Ohio), 80-60. Junior Quade Green flipped in 48 points in two games, including 21 in the final. The Saints have emerged as Pennsylvania’s top team, but there’s two months to go.

16. Patrick School, Elizabeth, N.J. (8-3)

Previous: 16.

Low-down: Lost to then-No. 9 St. Anthony (Jersey City), 60-56, at the Dan Finn Classic in Jersey City. The Celtics were up seven points in the third but surrendered a late run by the Friars. The two rivals could meet again in the Non-Public B state tournament in March. Two tough losses last weekend but the Celtics stay in Elite 25 by strength of schedule.

17. Chaminade, St. Louis (16-4)

Previous: 20.

Low-down: The Red Devils took third-place at the Bass Pro Tournament of Champions, stopping Rainier Beach (Seattle), 61-39, in Springfield, Mo.

18. Stevens Point, Wis. (12-0)

Previous: 18.

Low-down: Defeated Merrill, 78-52. Trev Anderson, a UW-Green Bay recruit, is averaging a team-best 25.8 points.

19. Mater Dei, Santa Ana, Calif. (17-2)

Previous: 19.

Low-down: The Monarchs upped their mark to 4-0 in the Trinity League with a 57-48 victory over Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita).

20. St. Benedict’s, Newark, N.J. (15-1)

Previous: 8.

Low-down: The Gray Bees suffered a stinging loss to No. 1 Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.), 91-67, at the Hoophall Classic.

21. High Point (N.C.) Christian (16-3)

Previous: 21.

Low-down: The Cougars bounced back with two conference wins but still hard No. 3 Chino Hills waiting on Monday at the Hoophall Classic in Springfield, Mass.

22. Gonzaga, Washington, D.C. (13-2)

Previous: 22.

Low-down: The Eagles peeled three wins in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference and had a key matchup with Paul VI (Fairfax, Va.) on Monday night and No. 5 DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.) on Wednesday.

23. Garfield, Seattle (12-1)

Previous: 23.

Low-down: After dropping a game in a holiday tournament in December, the Bulldogs have won five straight including an 86-34 defeat of Roosevelt (Seattle). The Bulldogs played on Monday hosting Franklin (Seattle) in an MLK Showcase, but can’t afford to look ahead to a meeting with crosstown rivals Rainier Beach on Feb. 2.

24. Simeon, Chicago (14-2)

Previous: 24.

Low-down: The Wolverines slipped past two league opponents but the big one against No. 12 Morgan Park (Chicago) was postponed by a parent protest. The makeup date is unknown.

25. Peabody, Alexandria, La. (20-1)

Previous: 25.

Low-down: Crushed Bolton (Alexandria), 108-37, and Avoyelles (Moreauville), 87-31. The Warhorses can do it at both ends of the floor and should run the table in district play.

Dropped out: None.

High-Fives by Region

East

1. Cardozo, Oakland Gardens, N.Y. (16-0)
2. Sacred Heart, Waterbury, Conn. (8-1)
3. Bishop Loughlin, Brooklyn, N.Y. (10-3)
4. Archbishop Carroll, Radnor, Pa. (14-1)
5. Roman Catholic, Philadelphia (10-4)

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

Midwest

1. Hopkins, Minnetonka, Minn. (16-0)
2. Kenwood, Chicago (13-1)
3. Apple Valley, Minn. (15-1)
4. Curie, Chicago (14-3)
5. Omaha (Neb.) South (12-0)

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

Southland

1. Miller Grove, Lithonia, Ga. (17-2)
2. Hamilton Heights Christian Academy, Chattanooga, Tenn. (17-2)
3. Christian Brothers, Memphis, Tenn. (19-0)
4. Hammond, Columbia, S.C. (16-0)
5. Greenforest Christian Academy, Decatur, Ga. (17-1)

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

Far West

1. Foothills Christian, El Cajon, Calif. (11-3)
2. Prolific Prep, Napa, Calif. (16-5)
3. West Linn, Ore. (9-3)
4. Modesto (Calif.) Christian (15-1)
5. Crespi, Encino, Calif. (18-1)

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

 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 in early 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, administrators and prep sports writers. Follow him on Twitter at #clawlor.