Go-To 25 Boys’ Basketball Rankings, Tuesday, Jan. 15, 2013

BENSALEM, Pa. — The latest Blue Star Media Go-To 25 high school boys’ basketball rankings feature two new teams. With the season hitting midway point for several teams, the Dr. Martin Luther King Weekend is crucial.

Pivotal showcase events in Springfield, Mass. (Hoophall Classic), Springfield, Mo. (Bass Pro Tournament of Champions) and Kettering, Ohio (Flyin’ to the Hoop Basketball Invitational) are the major players. These events will likely reshape the Go-To 25 rankings when they are released on Jan. 22 and 29.

The top-10 remained intact. The fastest risers were No. 14 Morgan Park (Chicago) moving up 10 slots and No. 16 Bishop Montgomery (Torrance, Calif.) jumping up six. Both earned it with quality wins with quality players and coaching.

Two national programs, No. 19 Arlington Country Day (Jacksonville, Fla.) and No. 24 Christ the King (Middle Village, N.Y.), join the Go-To 25 rankings. Both play aggressive schedules and will contend for state titles in March.

I’ll be at the prestigious Hoophall Classic in Springfield, Mass., the birthplace of basketball. Unfortunately, next Monday’s Hoophall games won’t be reflected in the next round of rankings but four national-flavored games will be televised by the ESPN family of networks. The weekly cutoff is Sunday.

Regardless, it should be an exciting weekend. Check out an event or game in your area and enjoy the stars of tomorrow. Hope to see you at a game. — Christopher Lawlor

Varsity Letters

Player of Week

Stanley Johnson, 6-7, Jr., Mater Dei, Santa Ana, Calif.: Johnson put on a stellar performance in a 79-67 win over nationally ranked St. John Bosco (Bellflower) in a Trinity League showdown last Wednesday. The monster effort included 25 points, 21 rebounds and five assists before a full house of 1,500 in Bellflower, as No. 5 Mater Dei remained undefeated and red-hot.

Johnson is known for his motor, seemingly endless. Last summer he played for the gold medal winning USA squad at the FIBA U17 World Championships in Lithuania. Johnson followed up the Bosco game with a season-high 29 points, eight boards, five steals and two blocks. He averages 19.5 points and 8.3 rebounds through 19 games. He holds college offers from several key PAC 12 schools and San Diego State, Kentucky, UNLV and Missouri.

Places To Be

Here are three places that hoop junkies will congregate this weekend.

Bass Pro Tournament of Champions, Springfield, Mo.: Three teams ranked in the Blue Star Media Go-To 25 rankings visit Missouri State’s state-of-the-art JHQ Arena. Annually tournament director Mark Fisher draws some of the top regional and national teams and this year is no different.

The three-day event tips Thursday with four games: Prestonwood Christian (Plano, Texas) vs. St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.), 5 p.m. CT; Hillcrest (Springfield, Mo.) vs. Paul VI (Fairfax, V.), 6:30; Nixa (Mo.) vs. Bullitt East (Mount Washington, Ky.), 7:30; No. 2 Montverde (Fla.) Academy vs. Hall (Little Rock, Ark.), 9. The semifinals are Friday and the championship follows Saturday at 8:30 p.m.

Flyin’ to the Hoop Basketball Invitational, Kettering, Ohio: The 11^th annual event starts Friday for four days at Trent Arena. Tournament promoters have secured nationally ranked talent and at least 75 future NCAA players, including the nation’s top-ranked senior, 6-7 Andrew Wiggins of Huntington (W.Va.) Prep.

Top games are: Friday, No. 1 Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.) vs. Thurgood Marshall (Dayton, Ohio), 6:30 p.m. ET and No. 6 Huntington Prep vs. No. 4 La Lumiere School (La Porte, Ind.), 8:15. Saturday, Our Savior New American (Centereach, N.Y.) vs. Lakota East (Liberty Township, Ohio), 4:45 p.m. Monday, OSNA vs. St. Ignatius (Cleveland), 1:15 p.m. Monday, Prime Prep (Dallas) vs. Wayne (Huber Heights, Ohio).

2013 Spalding Hoophall Classic, Springfield, Mass.: The birthplace of basketball hosts a festival of games for five days (26 games), tipping off on Thursday with a handful of local games at Springfield College’s Bender Arena. The real action starts Saturday and continues on Sunday and Monday with ESPN cameras rolling. Tournament director Greg Procino, a rising star in the industry, culled another superb field.

The Hoophall is the grandest, biggest stage showcasing schoolboy basketball at the highest level. There are 10 teams from the Blue Star Go-To 25 rankings, including nine of the top 10. The must-see matchup is No. 1 vs. No. 2.

Saturday: All games are on the Basketball Channel, Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia) vs. Orlando (Fla.) Christian Prep, 3 p.m.; No. 10 Whitney Young (Chicago) vs. No. 11 Long Beach (Calif.) Poly, 4:30; and No. 18 Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.) vs. Chester (Pa.).

Sunday: South Kent (Conn.) School vs. Brewster Academy (Wolfeboro, N.H.), noon; No. 3 St. Benedict’s (Newark, N.J.) vs. Montrose Christian (Rockville, Md.), 2 p.m. (ESPNU); No. 6 Huntington (W.Va.) vs. New Hampton (N.H.) School, 5 p.m. (ESPN).

Monday: The day tips with Hall of Fame coach Bob Hurley leading his No. 8 St. Anthony (Jersey City, N.J.) against regionally ranked Tifton County (Tifton, Ga.) at 10 a.m. The next four games are on ESPNU: No. 9 Lone Peak (Highland, Utah) vs. Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.), noon; No. 7 Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) vs. No. 15 Simeon (Chicago), 2 p.m.; No. 2 Montverde (Fla.) Academy vs. No. 1 Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.), 4 p.m.; and Hudson Catholic (Jersey City) vs. DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.), 6 p.m.

Blue Star Media Go-To 25 boys’ basketball rankings, Tuesday, Jan. 15, 2013

1. Findlay Prep, Henderson, Nev. (21-0)
Previous rank: 1.
Low-down: Christian Wood, a 6-11 UNLV recruit, contributed 19 points, five rebounds and blocked four shots in a 55-34 win over Melrose (Memphis) at the Penny Hardaway Hoop Fest in Tennessee. Nigel Williams-Goss, a McDonald’s All-American Game candidate, added 12 points and dished out five assists. The Pilots’ defense limited Melrose to four points in the final stanza.

2. Montverde (Fla.) Academy (18-0)
Previous: 2.
Low-down: Beat Boone (Orlando), 61-51. MVA participates at the Bass Pro Invitational starting Thursday for three nights in Springfield, Mo. Up next is the battle for No. 1 against Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.) Monday in Springfield, Mass.

3. St. Benedict’s, Newark, N.J. (14-0)
Previous: 3.
Low-down: The Grays Bees beat Phelps School (Malvern, Pa.), 87-31, as Syracuse-bound Tyler Ennis flipped in 29 points and handed off six assists and forward Mike Young posted a double-double, with 23 points and 11 boards. Also beat St. Andrew’s School (Barrington, R.I.), 82-44. Plays regionally ranked Montrose Christian (Rockville, Md.) Sunday at Hoophall Classic in Springfield, Mass.

4. La Lumiere School, La Porte, Ind. (18-1)
Previous: 4.
Low-down: The Lakers hosted an event in which they swept three out-of-state opponents by an average margin of victory at 20 points. Friday it’s a national matchup with No. 6 Huntington (W.Va.) Prep in Dayton, Ohio.

5. Mater Dei, Santa Ana, Calif. (18-0)
Previous: 5.
Low-down: The Monarchs left no doubt who is Southern California’s team, defeating then-No. 11 St. John Bosco (Bellflower), 79-67. Junior F Stanley Johnson (25 points) and senior G Elijah Brown (25) teamed for 50 points. Also beat Trinity League foe, Orange Lutheran, 75-59. Coach Gary McKnight’s squad plays Servite (Anaheim) Wednesday and JSerra (San Juan Capistrano) Friday before heading to the Midwest for MLK Weekend.

6. Huntington (W.Va.) Prep (17-1)
Previous: 6.
Low-down: The Express won a pair of games, setting up Friday’s pivotal game against No. 4 La Lumiere School (La Porte, Ind.) at Flyin’ to the Hoop Classic in Dayton, Ohio. F Andrew Wiggins netted 11 of his game-high 28 points in a 70-49 blowout of Cape Henry (Virginia Beach, Va.).

7. Oak Hill Academy, Mouth of Wilson, Va. (19-2)
Previous: 7.
Low-down: After a lengthy mid-semester layoff, the Warriors returned to the court with two easy wins, including an 84-59 drubbing of Johnson (Savannah, Ga.). Up next is Bearden (Knoxville, Tenn.) Thursday and Mount Zion Academy Friday before departing for the Hoophall Classic in Springfield, Mass.

8. St. Anthony, Jersey City, N.J. (10-0)
Previous: 8.
Low-down: The win streak reached a modern-day record 75, with two lopsided victories over in-state opponents.

9. Lone Peak, Highland, Utah (12-1)
Previous: 9.
Low-down: Edged Wesleyan Christian (High Point, N.C.), 63-59, at Brandon Jennings Under Armor Invitational in Milwaukee. BYU-bound Nick Emery tossed in 20 points.

10. Whitney Young, Chicago (13-1)
Previous: 10.
Low-down: The Dolphins waxed then-No. 19 White Station (Memphis), 61-40, at the Penny Hardaway Hoop Fest in Memphis.

11. Poly, Long Beach, Calif. (15-1)
Previous: 12.
Low-down: The Jackrabbits blasted three Moore League opponents. There’s only three weeks left in the regular season.

12. DeSoto, Texas (22-1)
Previous: 13.
Low-down: The Eagles needed double overtime but held off plucky Duncanville, 62-58, improving to 5-0 in District 7-5A play. Up next is a road date at Grand Prairie Tuesday.

13. Bishop O’Connell, Arlington, Va. (15-1)
Previous: 14.
Low-down: The Knights blew open a tight game with an 18-7 third-quarter surge in a 68-48 win over archrivals DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.). Melo Trimble, a 6-2 junior Maryland recruit, scored 21 points.

14. Morgan Park, Chicago (16-1)
Previous: 24.
Low-down: Defeated Brooks College Prep (Chicago), 93-45. Wednesday it’s a showdown with ranked Simeon (Chicago) at Chicago State University.

15. Simeon, Chicago (11-2)
Previous: 15.
Low-down: Duke-bound Jabari Parker posted 21 points and six boards in defeating Southwind (Memphis), 56-53, at Penny Hardaway Hoop Fest in Tennessee. Illinois-recruit Kendrick Nunn’s layup with 50 seconds left gave the Wolverines a 55-53 lead.

16. Bishop Montgomery, Torrance, Calif. (19-0)
Previous: 22.
Low-down: The Knights three games, none more important than a 74-63 victory over then-No. 11 St. John Bosco (Bellflower). Lamond Murray Jr., whose father played at UCLA and the NBA, threw in 18 points but the Knights forced 18 costly turnovers.

17. Lake Oswego, Ore. (15-0)
Previous: 16.
Low-down: Saint Mary’s-bound Calvin Hermanson, back from an injury, scored 10 his 14 points in the opening half and Colin Caslick dropped 10 as the Lakers won, 46-38.

18. Gonzaga, Washington, D.C. (12-2)
Previous: 17.
Low-down: The Purple Eagles rallied in the fourth quarter to defeat St. John’s (Washington), 65-61. Villanova-bound Kris Jenkins scored 22 points and Charles Glover added 18.

19. Arlington Country Day, Jacksonville, Fla. (19-3)
Previous: Not ranked.
Low-down: The Apaches swept two Memphis schools in the Penny Hardaway Hoop Fest. Junior F Dante Buford recorded a double-double, 28 points and 10 rebounds, in a 98-73 win over Craigmont (Memphis). Coach Rex Morgan’s squad recently added two key transfers, notably 6-4 Isaiah Lewis of New Jersey. Up next is Saturday’s game with Fort Walton Beach (Fla.) at North Florida State.

20. Blanch Ely, Pompano Beach, Fla. (15-1)
Previous: 18.
Low-down: The Tigers drubbed three local rivals. Up next is Coconut Creek Thursday.

21. Omaha (Neb.) Central (12-2)
Previous: 21.
Low-down: Defeated Lincoln High, 71-53, capped a 2-0 week. K.J. Scott flipped in 18 points. Up next is Creighton Prep (Omaha) Friday.

22. St. John Bosco, Bellflower, Calif. (11-3)
Previous: 11.
Low-down: Lost to No. 5 Mater Dei (Santa Ana), 79-67, as UTEP-bound G Isaac Hamilton scored 25 points. The Braves rebounded to stop Servite (Anaheim), 61-38, but fell to No. 16 Bishop Montgomery (Torrance), 74-63. The Braves head off the Bass Pro Tournament of Champions this week in Springfield, Mo.

23. Salesian, Richmond, Calif. (12-3)
Previous: 20.
Low-down: The Pride kept pace with two wins.

24. Christ the King, Middle Village, N.Y. (9-1)
Previous: Not ranked.
Low-down: The Royals are New York’s top-ranked team. The schedule is never easy in the New York Catholic High School Athletic Association A Brooklyn-Queens.

25. Theodore Roosevelt, Washington, D.C. (11-0)
Previous: 25.
Low-down: Edged two D.C. public schools. G Jarrell Allen averaged 14.5 points in two games.
Dropped out: No. 19 White Station, (Memphis) and No. 23 Chester (Pa.).

High-Fives by Region

East

1. Montrose Christian, Rockville, Md. (10-3)
2. Hudson Catholic, Jersey City, N.J. (13-1)
3. St. Frances Academy, Baltimore (20-1)
4. Chester, Pa. (9-3)
5. Paul VI, Fairfax, Va. (10-4)
Geography: Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Virginia.

Midlands

1. Marian Catholic, Chicago Heights, Ill. (16-1)
2. Germantown, Wis. (13-0)
3. Pershing, Detroit (9-0)
4. Proviso East, Maywood, Ill. (12-3)
5. West, Iowa City, Iowa (11-0)
Geography: Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, North Dakota, South Dakota, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

South

1. Brother Martin, New Orleans (21-2)
2. Tift County, Tifton, Ga. (12-2)
3. South Grand Prairie, Grand Prairie, Texas (24-2)
4. Southwind, Memphis (14-4)
5. Christ Presbyterian, Nashville, Tenn. (17-2)
Geography: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas.

Far West

1. Bishop Gorman, Las Vegas (16-3)
2. Bothell, Wash. (13-0)
3. Sheldon, Sacramento, Calif. (12-4)
4. Etiwanda, Calif. (12-2)
5. Jesuit, Portland, Ore. (11-2)
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.