BENSALEM, Pa. – Perhaps the busiest time on the national prep basketball circuit is over and that means a fresh look in the Blue Star Media Elite 25 boys’ rankings. Five teams have been added and a few high-profile programs were dumped for poor play and not living up to preseason expectations.

The Washington Catholic Athletic Conference made the most noise as three schools join No. 5 DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.). No. 15 St. John’s College (Washington, D.C.) leapt from the regional rankings into the national scene with an impressive run at the Beach Ball Classic in South Carolina. No. 17 Paul VI (Fairfax, Va.) rejoins the Elite 25 after crushing two ranked opponents at Slam Dunk to the Beach in Delaware. No. 18 Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.) enters following a tournament title in Florida. I’ve thought the WCAC is the nation’s top league for the last five years, supplanting New York City’s Catholic League. The talent is off the charts!

The Midwest is also represented. No. 16 U of D Jesuit (Detroit) is Michigan’s top-ranked Class A team and No. 19 Morgan Park (Chicago)—the favorite to win Chicago’s public school and Illinois Class 4A state titles—are also in.

For the most part the nation begins to settle into their local schedules, meaning league, conference and district rivalries heat up as the cold weather chokes the country. Next week the Dr. Martin Luther King Week tips off on January 7 with five days of games spread throughout the country. The Hoophall Classic in Springfield, Mass., Bass Pro Tournament of Champions in Springfield, Mo., and Flyin’ to the Hoop in Dayton, Ohio are three of the most prominent events. I’ll be traveling to the Hoophall Classic for the weekend. This is must-see basketball for all hoopheads!

The biggest news of the weekend comes from California where 6-10 Marvin Bagley III, the nation’s top-ranked sophomore and coveted big man—has enrolled at No. 6 Sierra Canyon School (Chatsworth, Calif.). It’s been a turbulent few months for Bagley, who led Corona del Sol (Tempe, Ariz.) to the Division I state title as a freshman and then transferred to Hillcrest Prep (Phoenix) but left for various concerns. Coach Ty Nichols is appealing to the California Interscholastic Federation regarding Bagley’s immediate eligibility. If Bagley plays … look out! Sierra Canyon could be the preseason No. 1 team in 2016-17 and could do some serious damage the rest of this season. We’ll provide an update when it becomes available.

The Elite 25 rankings are back next week on January 12. The girls’ rankings appear on Wednesday. Check back to www.bluestarmedia.org for the latest in basketball news and announcements. Until next time I hope to see you at a game soon. –- Christopher Lawlor

Blue Star Media Elite 25 boys’ rankings, Jan. 5, 2016

1. Findlay Prep, Henderson, Nev. (14-0)

Previous rank: 1.

Low-down: Overwhelmed O’Gorman (Sioux Falls, S.D.), 94-51, in the Mike Miller Classic in South Dakota. The Pilots played No. 6 Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.) on Monday

2. Oak Hill Academy, Mouth of Wilson, Va. (20-1)

Previous: 3.

Low-down: Won Les Schwab Invitational championship, defeating then-No. 2 DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.), 82-66, in final. Ty-Shon Alexander dropped in 24 points on 9-of-13 shooting and Braxton Key added 22 points and snared 8 rebounds. Coach Steve Smith cracked the 1,000-win barrier in the semifinals and is 1,001-56 overall. That’s Hall of Fame material in any sport!

3. Chino Hills, Calif. (13-0)

Previous: 4.

Low-down: Won MaxPreps Holiday Classic Open Division title, beating Redondo Union (Redondo Beach), 96-80, in the final.

4. Montverde (Fla.) Academy (15-1)

Previous: 5.

Low-down: Won the Beach Ball Classic in South Carolina, defeating ranked St. John’s College (Washington, D.C.), 52-48, in the final. C Micah Porter, an Ohio State signee, was named Tournament MVP. Kevin Boyle became the first coach to win the BBC title with two different schools. He previously won it with St. Patrick (Elizabeth, N.J.) in 2007.

5. DeMatha, Hyattsville, Md. (10-1)

Previous: 2.

Low-down: Lost in Les Schwab Invitational final to then-No. 3 Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.), 82-66. Tournament MVP Markelle Fultz, a Washington recruit, and D.J. Harvey finished with 20 points apiece.

6. Sierra Canyon School, Chatsworth, Calif. (9-1)

Previous: 7.

Low-down: Idle. The Trailblazers are back on the hardwood on Thursday against Windward (Los Angeles). That key transfer mentioned above could be earthshattering if approved by the CIF.

7. Atascocita, Humble, Texas (21-0)

Previous: 9.

Low-down: Won the Neosho Holiday Classic in Missouri, defeating Har-Ber (Springdale, Ark.), 86-55, in final. Carsen Edwards flipped in a game-high 29 points, making 11 of 14 shots, and Greg Shead posted a double-double, with 12 points and 11 assists. The Eagles accrued a 36-1 mark in 2015 calendar year.

8. St. Benedict’s, Newark, N.J. (12-0)

Previous: 15.

Low-down: Won two high-powered games at the Slam Dunk to the Beach in Delaware, stopping Westtown (Pa.), 51-48, and then-No. 8 La Lumiere School (La Porte, Ind.), 66-63.

9. La Lumiere School, La Porte, Ind. (14-2)

Previous: 8.

Low-down: Edged Wheeler (Marietta, Ga.), 59-57, at the Cancer Research Classic in West Virginia.

10. St. Anthony, Jersey City, N.J. (5-0)

Previous: 16.

Low-down: Georgetown-bound G Jagan Mosely scored 16 points to lift the Friars over Iona Prep (New Rochelle, N.Y.), 66-31, in the Skyline Classic in Jersey City. Also beat Pope John XXIII (Sparta), 71-48.

11. Bishop Montgomery, Torrance, Calif. (14-0)

Previous: 19.

Low-down: Won D1Bound Southern California Christmas Classic, thumping Calabasas, 73-38, in the final. David Singleton and Ethan Thompson scored 18 points apiece in the title tilt.

12. Roman Catholic, Philadelphia (8-1)

Previous: 20.

Low-down: The Cahillites opened the league slate with a 49-39 victory over Conwell-Egan (Fairless Hills, Pa.). They also play archrival and regionally ranked Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia) on Wednesday.

13. Overland, Aurora, Colo. (7-0)

Previous: 9.

Low-down: Idle.

14. High Point (N.C.) Christian (13-2)

Previous: 14.

Low-down: Won HSOT Holiday Invitational John Wall Division title in Raleigh, N.C., defeating Arlington Country Day (Jacksonville, Fla.), 75-63, in the final. Bam Adebayo was named Tournament Most Outstanding Player, putting up 24 points and 15 boards in the title game.

15. St. John’s College, Washington, D.C. (12-1)

Previous: Not ranked.

Low-down: Finished second at the Beach Ball Classic in Myrtle Beach, S.C.

16. U of D Jesuit, Detroit (6-0)

Previous: Not ranked.

Low-down: The Cubs are Michigan’s top-ranked team and has already knocked off Chicago powerhouse Morgan Park by three points and most recently edged St. John’s Jesuit (Toledo, Ohio), 63-57.

17. Paul VI, Fairfax, Va. (9-2)

Previous: Not ranked.

Low-down: The Panthers slide back into the Elite 25 after posting wins over nationally ranked teams Roselle (N.J.) Catholic, 68-58, and Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia), 77-55, at the Slam Dunk to the Beach in Lewes, Del. The tortuous schedule continues Saturday with No. 2 Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) in Roanoke, Va.

18. Gonzaga, Washington, D.C. (10-1)

Previous: Not ranked.

Low-down: Won Junior Orange Bowl Basketball Classic championship in Miami, Fla. Also knocked off then-No. 17 Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia), 71-70, at the Cancer Research Classic in Wheeling, W.Va.

19. Morgan Park, Chicago (10-1)

Previous: Not ranked.

Low-down: Won Proviso West Tournament, crushing final three opponents by an average margin of victory of 20 points. Charlie Moore totaled 60 points in the semifinals and final.

20. Chaminade, St. Louis (11-2)

Previous: 25.

Low-down: Outlasted nationally ranked Huntington (W.Va.) Prep, 84-83, at the Cancer Research Classic in Wheeling, W.Va. Duke-bound F Jayson Tatum scored 46 points, earning game MVP plaudits.

21. Mater Dei, Santa Ana, Calif. (13-2)

Previous: 6.

Low-down: Split four games at the Beach Ball Classic in South Carolina.

22. Patrick School, Elizabeth, N.J. (6-1)

Previous: 21.

Low-down: Rhode Island-recruit Cyril Langevine scored 22 points in a 62-54 at the Slam Dunk to the Beach in Delaware. Also held off feisty Hudson Catholic (Jersey City), 55-45, at the Playaz New Year’s Jump Off in Paterson. Langevine had 13 points and 13 boards and Harvard-bound G Bryce Aiken netted 17 points.

23. Garfield, Seattle (8-1)

Previous: 13.

Low-down: The Bulldogs took third place at the Les Schwab Invitational in Oregon.

24. Prolific Prep, Napa, Calif. (14-3)

Previous: 23.

Low-down: Defeated Word of God Academy (Raleigh, N.C.), 114-95, at the Gotham Showcase in New York.

25. Peabody, Alexandria, La. (16-1)

Previous: 18.

Low-down: The Warhorses were upset at the Houston Showcase Tournament in Texas, going 2-1. The attention shifts to Class 3A, District 3, which opens this week with two games.

Dropped out: No. 11 Roselle (N.J.) Catholic; No. 12 Huntington (W.Va.) Prep;  No. 17 Neumann-Goretti, Philadelphia; No. 22 Bishop Gorman, Las Vegas; No. 24 Simeon, Chicago.

High-Fives by Region

East

1. Sacred Heart, Waterbury, Conn. (4-0)

2. Neumann-Goretti, Philadelphia (4-2)

3. Cardozo, Oakland Gardens, N.Y. (10-0)

4. Bishop Loughlin, Brooklyn, N.Y. (7-2)

5. Christ the King, Middle Village, N.Y. (6-2)

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

Midwest

1. Stevens Point, Wis. (8-0)

2. Curie, Chicago (10-1)

3. Hopkins, Minnetonka, Minn. (11-0)

4. North Central, Indianapolis (9-0)

5. Apple Valley, Minn. (11-1)

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

Southland

1. DeSoto, Texas (18-1)

2. Scotlandville, Baton Rouge, La. (15-1)

3. Miller Grove, Lithonia, Ga. (12-2)

4. Hamilton Heights Christian Academy, Chattanooga, Tenn. (12-2)

5. Christian Brothers, Memphis, Tenn. (16-0)

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

Far West

1. Fairfax, Los Angeles (12-1)

2. West Linn, Ore. (6-3)

3. Rainier Beach, Seattle (6-1)

4. Redondo Union, Redondo Beach, Calif. (11-3)

5. Bishop Gorman, Las Vegas (9-4)

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.