BENSALEM, Pa. – A longstanding win was snapped, the No. 1 team held their ground barely and two additions have shaped the Blue Star Media Go-To 25 high school boys’ basketball rankings for the first week of February.

First, No. 10 St. Anthony (Jersey City, N.J.) slipped seven spots after having its modern-day state win streak halted at 83 games by No. 2 St. Benedict’s (Newark) at the Newark National Invitational. Top-ranked Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.) held it breath as a 3-pointer rimmed out at the horn in a two-point win over Desert Pines (Las Vegas). Joining the Go-To 25 rankings are No. 21 South Grand Prairie (Grand Prairie, Texas) and No. 25 Hudson Catholic (Jersey City). SGP, No. 2 in Texas’ Class 5A rankings, have a quality win over district rivals No. 19 DeSoto. Hudson Catholic, No. 2 in New Jersey, isn’t even the best team in Hudson County but is a program on the rise. Coach Nick Marinello has transformed a moribund program—alumni include NBA players Mike O’Koren (North Carolina) and Jim Spanarkel (Duke)—into a national commodity. Marinello, a former college assistant, took Bloomfield Tech last decade to state championships, national rankings and sent several players to big-time programs (and the NBA). Hudson Catholic nearly closed a few ago but thanks to sage administrators and Marinello rebuilding the basketball brand with a Nike sponsorship deal and taking it to another level, the school is soaring.

There’s still plenty of work ahead. Florida starts its district tournaments this week and Pennsylvania, Indiana, California, Arizona, Texas and District of Columbia finish up this week. Within two weeks, over 90% of the nation will be in the postseason. And that means—in most cases—one and done: Lose and go home. Living on the edge brings out the best and worst in teams; the cream rises.

Elsewhere, the regional teams or High Fives in our parlance are making noise. Mostly regional teams have “good” dossiers but still lack something—it varies—to earn a national ranking. Strength of schedule is the main culprit. In the East, Math, Civics & Sciences (Philadelphia) was on the verge of the Go-To 25 national rankings but dropped a key intersectional game Saturday to Linden (N.J.) at the Battle by the Bay in Atlantic City. Germantown (Wis.) has built a solid resume within their state but that’s it. Would have been great if it played a game or two against Chicago area schools. Christ Presbyterian (Nashville, Tenn.) has quality wins and depending on the Go-To 25 results, could find itself soon in the mix. The West isn’t as strong as in previous years. California doesn’t have the quality depth while Arizona and Washington failed to produce teams that feature a national resume or dominance in their state. Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas), Nevada’s top-ranked team, plays a high-end national schedule, which comes in handy when the regional and state tournaments begin.

It should be another great week for schoolboy basketball. Hope to see you at a game soon. – Christopher Lawlor

Varsity Letters

Player of the Week

Kahlil Thomas, senior, No. 15 Blanche Ely, Pompano Beach, Fla.: The Rider-bound forward registered a tournament MVP performance over the weekend. Thomas, 6-foot-7, 185 pounds, scored a game-high 21 points, including the game-winner off a slam-dunk with 14 second left in a tie game, during a 65-63 win over Deerfield Beach in the BCCA Big final in Fort Lauderdale. Thomas’ heroics allowed Ely to capture a third title in four years. Coincidentally, Thomas played his first two seasons at Deerfield Beach. In the semifinals, he posted a double-double, with 16 points and 12 rebounds, during a 76-52 blowout of Pembroke Pines Charter. As a junior, his numbers were modest—7 points, 7 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game—as the Tiger won the Class 7A title and participated at the National High School Invitational. Thomas is considered a slashing, athletic frontcourt man and a steal for the MAAC school.

Places To Be

One of the nation’s oldest event, created by Jeff Hewitson in the 1970s, is still going but in a smaller venue. The Primetime Shootout, which has featured future NBA stars such as LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Sebastian Telfair, Dwight Howard and Carmelo Anthony to name a few, returns to New Jersey for a two-day run at Roselle Catholic High in Roselle, starting Saturday.

This year’s event features mostly New Jersey teams, but West Virginia, North Carolina and New York are represented. Previously it was contested at the 9,000-seat Sovereign Bank Arena in Trenton, where record crowds packed the house.

Saturday’s schedule: Bishop Kearney (Rochester, N.Y.)-Elizabeth (N.J.), noon; Atlantic City (N.J.)-Union Catholic (Scotch Plains, N.J.), 1:30 p.m.; Canisius (Buffalo, N.Y.)-St. Joseph’s (Metuchen, N.J.), 3; East Brunswick-Plainfield, 4:30; No. 10 St. Anthony (Jersey City)-Linden; 6; Christian Faith Center Academy (Creedmoor, N.C.)-No. 2 St. Benedict’s (Newark), 7:30; No. 6 Huntington (W.Va.) Prep-The Patrick School (Elizabeth), 9.

Sunday: Middle Township (N.J.)-Gill St. Bernard (Gladstone), 12:30 p.m.; Pope John XXIII (Sparta)-Faith Christian Center Academy, 2; Bishop Kearney-Roselle Catholic, 3:30; Paulsboro (N.J.)-No. 25 Hudson Catholic (Jersey City), 5; St. Peter’s Prep (Jersey City)-No. 2 St. Benedict’s (Newark), 6:30.

Here are 10 future stars, listed with their college choice (players are seniors unless noted): 6-11 sophomore Karl Towns, St. Joseph’s (N.J.), Kentucky; 6-3 Tyler Ennis, St. Benedict’s, Syracuse; 6-7 Tyler Roberson, Roselle Catholic, Syracuse; 6-7 Andrew Wiggins, Huntington (W.Va.) Prep, undecided (nation’s No. 1 recruit); 6-2 Josh Brown, St. Anthony, Temple; 6-8 sophomore Thomas Bryant, undecided (top 10 in 2015); 6-7 Reggie Cameron, Hudson Catholic (Jersey City), Georgetown; 6-2 Jared Sina, Gill St. Bernard, Northwestern; 6-10 Jermaine Lawrence, Pope John XXIII, Cincinnati; 6-8 Michael Young, St. Benedict’s, Pittsburgh.

Honored

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. –The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced today the winners of the 2013 Morgan Wootten Award for Lifetime Achievement in Coaching High School Basketball. This prestigious award is named after Morgan Wootten, who is one of two high school coaches enshrined into the Basketball Hall of Fame and earned fame at DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.).

The boys’ winner is Vito Montelli from St. Joseph (Trumbull, Conn.). Montelli was the school’s only basketball coach until his retirement at the end of last season. His last game as head coach would end with his 11th state championship and his 878th victory—the most by any New England high school basketball coach in history. Even after retirement, he remains a fixture at the school. The school’s home court is named in his honor.

The girls’ recipient is Sandra Meadows from Duncanville (Texas). For 26 years, Coach Meadows has led the Pantherettes to nearly 750 victories and four state championships, including a 134-game winning streak. Her record on the court led her to receive numerous recognitions and induction into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame. In total, she won more than 900 games, but died at 59 due to cancer. Duncanville’s gymnasium is named in her honor. 

Blue Star Media Go-To 25 boys’ basketball rankings, Feb. 5, 2013

1. Findlay Prep, Henderson, Nev. (25-0)

Previous rank: 1.

Low-down: Held off Desert Pines (Las Vegas), 64-62, at Yes! Air Conditioning and Plumbing Las Vegas Hoop Fest. Also beat Foothill (Henderson), 76-40. The Pilots used a 10-0 run in the final quarter for breathing room but needed Desert Pines to misfire on a last-second 3-pointer to avoid a monumental upset. Nigel Williams-Goss, who signed with Washington, totaled 36 points in two games as coach Todd Simon’s team has won 44 straight contests.

2. St. Benedict’s, Newark, N.J. (21-1)

Previous: 2.

Low-down: Upended No. 3 St. Anthony (Jersey City), 47-38, at the Newark National Invitational before 4,349 at the Prudential Center.  Syracuse-bound Tyler Ennis scored 14 points and hauled down three boards. The Gray Bees watched their undefeated campaign go awry in a 54-52 loss to Blair Academy on a 3-pointer in the waning seconds. Also defeated Cape Henry Collegiate (Virginia Beach, Va.), 80-58, at the Battle by the Bay in Atlantic City.

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

Previous: 4.

Low-down: Regular season complete. Up next is the National High School Invitational April 4-6 in North Bethesda, Md.

4. Lone Peak, Highland, Utah (18-1)

Previous: 5.

Low-down: Crushed Riverton, 46-27, improving to 6-0 in Class 5A Region 4 play. BYU-bound Nick Emery scored 12 points. The Knights wind down the regular season with two games in each of the next two weeks.

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

Previous: 6.

Low-down: Defeated Traders Point Christian (Whitestown), 67-58. The Lakers return to the court on Feb. 12.

6. Huntington (W.Va.) Prep (24-2)

Previous: 7.

Low-down: The Express swept two games at the Tri-State Classic in Huntington. In the opening game, Andrew Wiggins threw down an emphatic dunk on the first sequence before finishing with 21 points and Arkansas-bound F Moses Kingsley provided 11 in a 68-21 victory over Oldsmar (Fla.) Christian. Also toppled Flora Macdonald Academy (Red Springs, N.C.), 66-44.  Wiggins scored 20 points and Florida State-bound G Xavier Rathan-Mayes added nine points and seven assists.

7. Mater Dei, Santa Ana, Calif. (24-1)

Previous: 8.

Low-down: The Monarchs swept a pair of games hosting the Nike Extravaganza. Stanley Johnson scored nine of his 21 points in the fourth quarter during a 63-60 win over Westchester (Los Angeles). Butler-recruit Elijah Brown tossed in 18 points in a 78-63 victory over Eisenhower (Rialto). Freshman C M.J. Cage, whose father Michael played in the NBA, had 15 points.

8. Simeon, Chicago (19-2)

Previous: 9.

Low-down: Stopped Coronado (Henderson, Nev.), 80-33, at the Yes! Air Conditioning and Plumbing Las Vegas Hoop Fest. Jabari Parker, who says he’ll sign with Duke, scored 23 points, making 7 of 8 shots.

9. Morgan Park, Chicago (22-2)

Previous: 13.

Low-down: Kyle Davis contributed 21 points and six assists and DePaul-bound G Billy Garrett added 15 points in an 89-69 win over Bogan (Chicago).

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

Previous: 3.

Low-down: Lost to No. 2 St. Benedict’s (Newark), 47-38, at the Newark National Invitational, halting win streak at 83 games. Also beat East Brunswick, 46-37. The Friars blew open the game in the second quarter with a 17-6 spurt. Oregon State-bound Hallice Cooke pumped in a game-high 18 points for the program’s modern-day state record 83^rd straight win.

11. Bishop Montgomery, Torrance, Calif. (25-0)

Previous: 14.

Low-down: The Knights improved to 6-0 in the Del Rey League with wins over LaSalle (Pasadena) and Serra (Gardena).

12. Arlington Country Day, Jacksonville, Fla. (23-2)

Previous: 15.

Low-down: The Apaches beat rivals Providence School (Jacksonville), 73-63, before an overflow crowd. Electrifying sophomore G Damontrae Jefferson scored 25 points, fueled by four his team’s 10 made 3-pointers. Up next is at The Rock School (Gainesville) Friday and Saturday.

13. Whitney Young, Chicago (18-3)

Previous: 10.

Low-down: Game with Evangelical Christian (Cordova, Tenn.) at the Red State-Blue State in Louisville, Ky., was canceled according to event organizers. The Dolphins were upset at the buzzer by top-seeded Orr (Chicago), 50-47. The 32-team Chicago Public Schools League Red Tournament opens this week with three rounds. The final is Feb. 17 at Chicago State University.

14. Prime Prep Academy, Dallas (23-0)

Previous: 11.

Low-down: Recorded three easy wins.

15. Blanch Ely, Pompano Beach, Fla. (20-1)

Previous: 17.

Low-down: The Tigers won the BCCA Big 8 Tournament, beating Deerfield Beach, 65-63, in the final. Kahlil Thomas’ slam-dunk off a missed shot with 14 seconds left broke a 63-all tie. Up next are the District 15-7A semifinals against Monarch (Coconut Creek) Friday. The final is Saturday in Lauderdale Lakes.

16. Lake Oswego, Ore. (19-0)

Previous: 16.

Low-down: The Lakers trounced Lakeridge (Lake Oswego), 66-44. Calvin Hermanson (ankle injury), the reigning Class 6A player of the year, returned to action with a double-double, 20 points and 11 boards. Up next are Canby and Clackamas in Three Rivers League action.

17. Poly, Long Beach, Calif. (22-2)

Previous: 18.

Low-down: Defeated St. John Bosco (Bellflower), 60-54, at the Nike Extravaganza. Roshown Jordan delivered 19 points, sinking 6 of 6 free throws in the fourth quarter, and cleared 12 rebounds.

18. Gonzaga, Washington, D.C. (19-3)

Previous: 21.

Low-down: The Purple Eagles defeated DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.), 68-52, capping a 3-0 week. Up next is Bishop O’Connell (Arlington, Va.) on Tuesday at American University’s Bender Arena.

19. Oak Hill Academy, Mouth of Wilson, Va. (22-4)

Previous: 12.

Low-down: Beat Impact Academy (Las Vegas), 91-61, at the Yes! Air Conditioning and Plumbing Las Vegas Hoop Fest in Henderson, Nev. Also lost to Montrose Christian (Rockville, Md.), 54-53, at the Mountain State Coal Classic in Beckley, W.Va.

20. DeSoto, Texas (27-2)

Previous: 19.

Low-down: Takedrick Brown tossed in 16 points in a 55-50 defeat of Mansfield Timberview. Also beat Midlothian, 54-33, as Duke-bound Matt Jones scored 17 points. The regular season is down to three games. 

21. South Grand Prairie, Grand Prairie, Texas (29-3)

Previous: Not ranked.

Low-down: Virginia Tech-bound G Ben Emelogu scored 23 points in a 55-52 win over Cedar Hill. Also upset by Mansfield Timberview, 47-4, falling to 9-2 in District 7-5A.

22. Pershing, Detroit (15-0)

Previous: 22.

Low-down: Marquez Walker scored 17 and Kahlil Felder had 21 in a 71-59 win over Denby (Detroit).

23. Salesian, Richmond, Calif. (21-3)

Previous: 23.

Low-down: Jabari Bird, a California recruit, hit for 22 points and hauled down eight boards in a 69-60 victory over regionally ranked Sheldon (Sacramento).

24. Theodore Roosevelt, Washington, D.C. (18-0)

Previous: 24.

Low-down: The Rough Riders defeated Dunbar (Washington), 75-65. Tavon Alexander flipped in 22 points. It’s three games this week and the regular season is a wrap.

25. Hudson Catholic, Jersey City, N.J. (20-1)

Previous: Not ranked.

Low-down: Georgetown-bound F Reggie Cameron tossed in 17 of his 24 points after the break in a 69-52 victory over Snyder (Jersey City). PG Kavon Stewart, a Robert Morris recruit, recorded a double-double, with 13 points and 10 assists. Next big test for the Golden Hawks of coach Nick Marinello is Paulsboro Sunday at the Primetime Shootout in Roselle.

Dropped out: No. 20 Omaha (Neb.) Central and No. 25 Paul VI (Fairfax, Va.).

High-Fives by Region

East

1. Long Island Lutheran, Brookville, N.Y. (18-2)

2. Christ the King, Middle Village, N.Y. (18-2)

3. Math, Civics & Sciences, Philadelphia (21-1)

4. Chester, Pa. (16-3)

5. Paul VI, Fairfax, Va. (17-6)

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. (18-3)

2. Germantown, Wis. (18-0)

3. West, Iowa City, Iowa (17-0)

4. Munster, Ind. (19-0)

5. Walnut Hills, Cincinnati (18-1)

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

South

1. Christ Presbyterian, Nashville, Tenn. (24-2)

2. Scotlandville, Baton Rouge, La. (26-2)

3. Brandeis, San Antonio (29-2)

4. Miller Grove, Lithonia, Ga. (21-3)

5. Carver, Montgomery, Ala. (21-1)

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

Far West

1. Bishop Gorman, Las Vegas (22-3)

2. Etiwanda, Calif. (21-1)

3. Jesuit, Portland, Ore. (16-2)

4. Sheldon, Sacramento, Calif. (18-5)

5. Garfield, Seattle (19-1)

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.