BENSALEM, Pa. – Two teams from the Blue Star Media Go-To 25 high school boys’ basketball rankings lost but is spite of the negative result, there are no new additions or subtractions.

No. 23 Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) continues its free fall, dropping four slots after losing to Omaha (Neb.) Central. This is the same team that performed admirably at the City of Palms Classic in December, going 1-2—including a buzzer beater loss to ranked Poly (Long Beach, Calif.). Thusly OC earned a chance at returning to the Go-To 25 rankings, resurfacing in the Midlands Region at No. 3. When Nebraska’s large-school postseason gets underway—Class A—expect OC to be the clear-cut favorite.

California has finished its regular season while Texas and Illinois will theirs this week. Those in Illinois, the Chicago Public School League city tournament plays out this week. Should be an action packed final on Friday evening. Hope to see you at a game soon, support your local schools as countless hold their Senior Nights. – Christopher Lawlor  

Varsity Letters

Player of the Week

Kris Jenkins, senior, No. 18 Gonzaga, Washington, D.C.: The 6-6 burly forward has continually put the Purple Eagles in his back. Playing in the nation’s premier league—Washington Catholic Athletic Conference—Jenkins faces the likes of Paul VI (Fairfax, Va.), Bishop O’Connell (Arlington, Va.) and DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.) at least twice a season, up to four times, including the postseason. Its remarkable coach Steve Turner’s club is 15-0 in the WCAC! Jenkins totaled 75 points in three games. The Villanova-bound wing scored 28 points, sinking all 9 free throws, and grabbed 10 rebounds in a key 66-57 win over O’Connell. He also manufactured a double-double, with 24 point and 15 rebounds in a 67-61 win over Bishop Ireton (Alexandria, Va.). Some observers feel he’s similar to Nova’s JayVaughn Pinkston when he was a senior at Bishop Loughlin High in Brooklyn, N.Y. For the season he’s averaging 19.2 points and is shooting 85.2% from the line and the leading candidate for the All-Metro (D.C. area) Player of the Year.

Places To Be

The big cities always seem to put on the best show when it comes to city championship, which segue into the state playoffs. This is a special week in the Windy City—a.k.a. Chicago—where the four best teams will compete for the Chicago Public School League playoffs at Chicago State University. Expect sellouts on Wednesday for the semifinal doubleheader and the championship game on Friday at the same venue. What makes the week even more special is that three of the four teams still alive are ranked in the Blue Star Media Go-To 25. The semifinal matchups are: Orr vs. No. 13 Whitney Young, 5 p.m. CT and No. 8 Simeon, the defending champion, vs. Morgan Park, 7 p.m. Believe it or not Orr is the top seed, mainly because it defeated Young at the buzzer on the final day of the regular season two weeks ago.

Final 3

Three of the nation’s best seniors are the finalists for the highly prestigious award. Aaron Gordon of Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.), Jabari Parker of Simeon (Chicago) and Andrew Wiggins (Huntington Prep, Huntington, W.Va.) constitute the remaining contenders for this year’s Naismith Boy’s High School Player of the Year, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced. Parker is headed to Duke, while Gordon and Wiggins are undecided.

Wiggins and Parker play for schools ranked in the Blue Star Media Go-To 25.

Basketball writers nationwide, who form the Naismith Trophy national high school voting academy, selected the candidates. The selections were based on player performances during the 2012-2013 season. The winner will be recognized at the Atlanta Tipoff Club’s Naismith Awards Banquet on March 19.

“The competition in boy’s high school basketball becomes tougher each year, especially as the athleticism and talent of the finalists continue to reach new levels,” said Eric Oberman, Executive Director of the Atlanta Tipoff Club. “There are three extraordinarily talented contenders remaining and we know that it will be a close call to determine a winner.”

The award was first presented in 1987 to Dennis Scott of Flint Hill Prep (Oakton, Va.), who later starred at Georgia Tech and with the Orlando Magic. Other notable winners include Jason Kidd (1992, St. Joseph-Notre Dame, Alameda, Calif.), Kobe Bryant (1996, Lower Merion, Ardmore, Pa.), LeBron James (2003, St. Vincent-St. Mary, Akron, Ohio) and Derrick Favors (2009, South Atlanta in Atlanta). Last year’s winner was Shabazz Muhammad of Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas), now at UCLA.

Blue Star Media Go-To 25 boys’ basketball rankings, Feb. 12, 2013

1. Findlay Prep, Henderson, Nev. (27-0)

Previous rank: 1.

Low-down: The Pilots scored 124 and 109 points in a pair of wins. Washington-bound G Nigel Goss-Williams totaled 57 points both games, including 41 against Kingdom Prep Academy (Johnston, Iowa).

2. St. Benedict’s, Newark, N.J. (24-1)

Previous: 2.

Low-down: Tyler Ennis scored 23 points and sophomore Isaiah Briscoe added 21 in a 73-58 victory over St. Peter’s Prep (Jersey City) at the PrimeTime Shootout in Roselle, N.J. The Gray Bees open the State Prep A Tournament at home Saturday.

3. Montverde (Fla.) Academy (22-2)

Previous: 3.

Low-down: Idle. Regular season complete.

4. Lone Peak, Highland, Utah (20-1)

Previous: 4.

Low-down: The Knights clinched the Region 4 championship, beating American Fork, 75-38. The regular season is down to two games.

5. La Lumiere School, La Porte, Ind. (22-2)

Previous: 6.

Low-down: Idle. The Lakers visit state powerhouse Cathedral (Indianapolis) Saturday.

6. Huntington (W.Va.) Prep (25-2)

Previous: 6.

Low-down: The Express has an exhibition game scheduled for Hamilton, Ontario, Canada on Saturday. No doubt it’s chance for Canadian Andrew Wiggins, the nation’s top schoolboy player, to showcase his talents.

7. Mater Dei, Santa Ana, Calif. (26-1)

Previous: 7.

Low-down: The Monarchs closed out a 10-0 season in the Trinity League with a 47-37 victory over Servite (Anaheim).

8. Simeon, Chicago (22-2)

Previous: 8.

Low-down: The Wolverines advanced to the Chicago Public School League semifinals, beating Bogan (Chicago), 59-49. Up next is No. 10 Morgan Park (Chicago) on Wednesday at Chicago State University; the final follows Friday.

9. Morgan Park, Chicago (25-2)

Previous: 9.

Low-down: Eliminated Curie (Chicago), 60-58, in CPS quarterfinals. Up next is No. 8 Simeon (Chicago) Wednesday in semifinals. The final is Friday at Chicago State.

10. St. Anthony, Jersey City, N.J. (20-1)

Previous: 10.

Low-down: Defeated Medford Tech, 60-36. The Friars took a 19-4 lead after one quarter as Oregon State-bound G Hallice Cooke flipped in 14 points. Game with Linden was snowed out. The Friars have three of their final four games at home.

11. Bishop Montgomery, Torrance, Calif. (26-0)

Previous: 11.

Low-down: The Knights closed out a perfect regular season stopping St. Bernard (Playa del Rey), 74-34. Up next are the CIF-Southern Section playoffs.

12. Arlington Country Day, Jacksonville, Fla. (24-3)

Previous: 12.

Low-down: Lost to The Rock School (Gainesville), 62-58. The Apaches face Potter’s House Christian (Jacksonville) Tuesday.

13. Whitney Young, Chicago (21-3)

Previous: 13.

Low-down: Paul White scored 20 points as the Dolphins thrashed Foreman (Chicago), 72-41, in CPS quarterfinals. Up next is Orr (Chicago), a team who the Dolphins were upended at the buzzer two weeks ago. White, a difference maker in the post, did not play that day.

14. Prime Prep Academy, Dallas (24-0)

Previous: 14.

Low-down: Defeated Redemption Christian Home School (Houston), 76-52.

15. Blanch Ely, Pompano Beach, Fla. (22-1)

Previous: 15.

Low-down: The Tigers ousted Northeast (Oakland Park), 67-42, in District 15-7A final. In the semifinals, beat Monarch (Coconut Creek), 68-26.

16. Lake Oswego, Ore. (21-0)

Previous: 16.

Low-down: The Lakers pounded Canby, 56-28, and Clackamas, 78-47. Colin Caslick scored a season-high 18 points and Saint Mary’s-bound F Calvin Hermanson posted 17 points and 10 rebounds against Clackamas.

17. Poly, Long Beach, Calif. (24-2)

Previous: 17.

Low-down: The Jackrabbits closed out a 12-0 campaign in the Moore League with wins over crosstown rivals Wilson and Millikan. The postseason is on tap.

18. Gonzaga, Washington, D.C. (22-3)

Previous: 18.

Low-down: Villanova-bound F Kris Jenkins pumped in 28 points in a 65-57 win over Bishop O’Connell (Arlington, Va.). The Purple Eagles stopped St. Mary’s Ryken (Leonardtown, Md.), 95-70, and Bishop Ireton (Alexandria, Va.), 67-61, upping the league record to 15-0.

19. DeSoto, Texas (29-2)

Previous: 20.

Low-down: The Eagles dropped both Duncanville and Grand Prairie. The regular finale is Tuesday against Mansfield could clinch the District 7-5A title.

20. South Grand Prairie, Grand Prairie, Texas (31-3)

Previous: 21.

Low-down: The regular season closes Tuesday with Grand Prairie. Mark Howell threw in 25 points in a 62-61 overtime win over Duncanville.

21. Pershing, Detroit (17-0)

Previous: 22.

Low-down: Justin Tillman scored 24 points in a 70-50 win over Central (Detroit) in the Detroit Public School League quarterfinals. Up next is Douglass (Detroit) Tuesday in semifinals. Also, Martez Walker (23 points) and Khalil Felder (17) teamed for 40 points in an 84-27 blowout of Westside Academy (Detroit).

22. Salesian, Richmond, Calif. (23-3)

Previous: 23.

Low-down: Closed out regular defeating De Anza (Richmond), 91-69.

23. Oak Hill Academy, Mouth of Wilson, Va. (24-5)

Previous: 19.

Low-down: Shocked by Omaha (Neb.) Central, 70-63, at the Heartland Hoops Classic in Grand Island, Neb. PG Nate Britt, a North Carolina recruit, saw action after missing 14 games.

24. Theodore Roosevelt, Washington, D.C. (21-0)

Previous: 24.

Low-down: Playing without two starters, the Rough Riders held off Riverdale Baptist (Upper Marlboro, Md.), 76-69. Mike Warren scored a season-high 23 points, including five 3-pointers, and cleared 12 rebounds. Marvin Cyrus scored 26 points in a 75-65 victory over Cardozo (Washington).

25. Hudson Catholic, Jersey City, N.J. (23-1)

Previous: 25.

Low-down: the Golden Hawks routed Paulsboro, 77-47, at the PrimeTime Shootout in Roselle, N.J. Georgetown-bound F Reggie Cameron scored 33 points, striking for seven 3-pointers. Up next is opening round of the Hudson County Tournament on Thursday.

Dropped out: None.

High-Fives by Region

East

1. Long Island Lutheran, Brookville, N.Y. (19-2)

2. Christ the King, Middle Village, N.Y. (20-2)

3. Chester, Pa. (19-3)

4. Math, Civics & Sciences, Philadelphia (22-1)

5. Paul VI, Fairfax, Va. (19-6)

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

Midlands

1. Proviso East, Maywood, Ill. (20-3)

2. Germantown, Wis. (21-0)

3. Omaha (Neb.) Central (19-4)

4. West, Iowa City, Iowa (19-0)

5. Munster, Ind. (20-0)

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

South

1. Christ Presbyterian, Nashville, Tenn. (27-2)

2. Scotlandville, Baton Rouge, La. (28-2)

3. Brandeis, San Antonio (31-2)

4. Miller Grove, Lithonia, Ga. (22-3)

5. Carver, Montgomery, Ala. (22-1)

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

Far West

1. Bishop Gorman, Las Vegas (24-3)

2. Jesuit, Portland, Ore. (18-2)

3. Sheldon, Sacramento, Calif. (20-5)

4. Garfield, Seattle (21-1)

5. Corona (Calif.) Centennial (25-2)

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

Records are through Sunday.

About: The Blue Star Media Go-To 25 Boys Basketball Rankings are released weekly 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 league, conference, region or district. The rankings are compiled by Blue Star Media’s senior writer/evaluator Christopher Lawlor, who consults with a national network of coaches, evaluators and prep sports writers. Follow him on Twitter at clawlor or BlueStarMedia1, or www.bluestarmedia.org.