Go-To 25 Boys’ Basketball Rankings, Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2013

BENSALEM, PA – The latest Blue Star Media Go-To 25 high school boys’ basketball rankings feature three additions and same top-10, save a few slots that changed hands.

All teams are preparing for league, conference, region, or district play, with the following week many of the heavyweights playing at premier showcases on the Dr. Martin Luther King Weekend. Many of the top squads will appear at the Hoophall Classic in Springfield, Mass., where Blue Star Media will have a presence. Next week, we’ll an advance of what you need to know and a TV guide for games on fourth day of the event, Jan. 21.

The game of the week is Wednesday when No. 5 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) visits No. 11 St. John Bosco (Bellflower) in a Trinity League clash. Elsewhere, No. 4 La Lumiere School (La Porte, Ind.) hosts a two-day, four-team round robin tournament. All teams play once Friday and twice Saturday. La Lumiere coach Alan Huss is becoming once of the nation’s best and is attracting off-the-hook talent. Will be interesting when the Lakers participate in the Montverde (Fla.) Academy Invitational Tournament, Jan. 24-26, with an anticipated championship pitting them against the host school (ranked No. 2 in the Blue Media Go-To 25).

Hope to see you at a game soon. – Christopher Lawlor 

1. Findlay Prep, Henderson, Nev. (18-0)
Previous rank: 1.
Low-down: Routed Redemption Christian Academy (Troy, N.Y.), 76-51, at Las Vegas Prep Showcase. The Pilots have won 36 straight games. Washington-recruit Nigel Williams-Goss contributed 18 points, six rebounds and six assists in victory.

2. Montverde (Fla.) Academy (16-0)
Previous: 2.
Low-down: After blowing out two New Jersey schools, coach Kevin Boyle’s squad traveled to Wheeling, W.Va., for an easy 82-53 win over Simeon (Chicago) at the Cancer Research Classic. Elsewhere, senior C Dakari Johnson committed to Kentucky over the weekend and word is Montverde will play Huntington (W.Va.) Prep at Louisville’s Freedom Hall in March.

3. St. Benedict’s, Newark, N.J. (12-0)
Previous: 4.
Low-down: The Grays Bees toppled Teaneck, 86-64, at the Playaz Club New Year’s Jump Off in Hackensack, N.J. In a 104-49 blowout of Life Center Academy (Burlington), five players struck for double figures, including Pittsburgh-bound PF Mike Young (26 points) and Isaiah Briscoe (20).

4. La Lumiere School, La Porte, Ind. (16-1)
Previous: 5.
Low-down: In spite of sloppiness and questionable calls, defeated Detroit Country Day (Beverly Hills, Mich.), 51-46.

5. Mater Dei, Santa Ana, Calif. (16-0)
Previous: 6.
Low-down: Two wins in the Trinity League sets up a showdown at No. 11 St. John Bosco (Bellflower) Wednesday in one of the nation’s most anticipated games this week.

6. Huntington (W.Va.) Prep (15-1)
Previous: 3.
Low-down: The Express suffered from a slow start, shooting 22% in the opening half, and lost to Prime Prep (Dallas), 59-46, at Cancer Research Classic. Senior F Andrew Wiggins scored 18 points. At the Chance Herman Classic in Floyd, Va., Wiggins responded with 29 points as the Express bounced back in a 46-41 victory over Wesleyan Christian (High Point, N.C.).

7. Oak Hill Academy, Mouth of Wilson, Va. (17-2)
Previous: 7.
Low-down: Coach Steve Smith’s team was off nearly three weeks before returning to the hardwood against Toronto Academy of Canada on Friday.

8. St. Anthony, Jersey City, N.J. (8-0)
Previous: 8.
Low-down: Wiped out Curtis (Staten Island, N.Y.), 61-31, and East Side (Newark, N.J.), 35-15, (yes, this score is correct) as the win steak hit 73 games. Message: stifling man defense wins championships.

9. Lone Peak, Highland, Utah (10-1)
Previous: 9.
Low-down: Idle. The Knights had off two weeks, resuming action on Wednesday.

10. Whitney Young, Chicago (11-1)
Previous: 10.
Low-down: The Dolphins earned a quality lopsided win, defeating then-No. 25 Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia), 78-49, at Cancer Research Classic. At 6-11, junior Jahlil Okafor played like a monster, scoring 32 points (on 14 of 18 shooting) and Paul White added 19. With the score tied at 22, the Chicagoans closed the half on an 18-5 run.

11. St. John Bosco, Bellflower, Calif. (10-1)
Previous: 12.
Low-down: The Braves are 2-0 in Trinity League heading into Wednesday’s clash with ranked Mater Dei (Santa Ana).

12. Poly, Long Beach, Calif. (12-1)
Previous: 14.
Low-down: Idle for eight days after capturing Whataburger Tournament in Texas. The Jackrabbits return to action this week.

13. DeSoto, Texas (20-1)
Previous: 15.
Low-down: Matt Jones tossed in 18 points in the Eagles’ 68-50 win over local powerhouse Mansfield Timberview.

14. Bishop O’Connell, Arlington, Va. (12-1)
Previous: 16.
Low-down: Held off then-No. 21 Paul VI (Fairfax, Va.), 53-50, as a PVI three-pointer rimmed out at the buzzer. The Knights host WCAC rivals DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.) Friday.

15. Simeon, Chicago (9-2)
Previous: 11.
Low-down: The Wolverines took one on the chin, falling hard to
No. 2 Montverde (Fla.) Academy, 82-53, at Cancer Research Classic.

16. Lake Oswego, Ore. (13-0)
Previous: 19.
Low-down: The Lakers stayed perfect, taking out Central Catholic (Portland), 59-45. Saint Mary’s-bound Calvin Hermanson didn’t play after an injury in practice last Thursday. A day earlier, he pumped in 37 points in a 72-57 win at North Salem. Hermanson, the reigning Oregon Class 6A player of the year, is expected to play Tuesday against Canby.

17. Gonzaga, Washington, D.C. (10-2)
Previous: 20.
Low-down: Defeated then-No. 18 Salesian (Richmond, Calif.), 65-59, at Cancer Research Classic. Villanova-bound F Kris Jenkins posted a double-double, with 31 points (on 9-of-9 free throws) and 12 rebounds. Earlier last week, Jenkins pumped in a game-high 23 points as 12 players made the score sheet in an 82-45 victory over league rivals Archbishop Carroll (Washington).

18. Blanch Ely, Pompano Beach, Fla. (12-1)
Previous: 21.
Low-down: Idle. The Tigers resume play hosting rivals Boyd Anderson (Lauderdale Lakes) Tuesday.

19. White Station, Memphis (13-1)
Previous: 22.
Low-down: Edged Memphis East, 69-67, and opened district play beating Memphis Central, 51-49. Eight of the Spartans’ final 10 games are in the district. Also, junior F Leron Black de-committed from Baylor last week. He is now considering Connecticut, Louisville, Memphis, Kansas, Missouri, Florida, Kentucky, Vanderbilt, North Carolina State and Tennessee, along with the Bears.

20. Salesian, Richmond, Calif. (10-3)
Previous: 18.
Low-down: Lost to then-No. 20 Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.), 65-59, at Cancer Research Classic.

21. Omaha (Neb.) Central (10-2)
Previous: 23.
Low-down: Won second straight Metro Conference Tournament, defeating Omaha South, 64-51, before 3,200 at the Omaha Civic Auditorium. Senior G Deandre Hollins-Johnson pumped in 20 points in the final. Also, Tra-Deon scored 14 points in holding off Omaha North, 70-68, in the regular season.

22. Bishop Montgomery, Torrance, Calif. (16-0)
Previous: Not ranked.
Low-down: The Knights have a date with No. 11 St. John Bosco (Bellflower) Saturday. Also, Lamond Murray Jr., whose father played at UCLA and the NBA, scored 20 of his 31 points in the first half in an 87-51 win over Narbonne (Harbor City).

23. Chester, Pa. (7-2)
Previous: 17.
Low-down: Hammered Reading Central, 82-43, for 58^th win versus in-state competition. The Clippers have four league games before their rematch with No. 10 Whitney Young (Chicago) on Jan. 19.

24. Morgan Park, Chicago (15-1)
Previous: Not ranked.
Low-down: After winning the Proviso West Tournament post-Christmas, the Mustangs gallop into 2013 with an 81-51 blowout of University (Normal) as DePaul-bound senior G Billy Garrett had 19 points and six dimes.

25. Theodore Roosevelt, Washington, D.C. (9-0)
Previous: Not ranked.
Low-down: Thumped then-No. 13 Montrose Christian (Rockville, Md.), 77-66. The Rough Riders sank 12 three-pointers and Tavon Alexander scored 17 points.

Dropped out: No. 13 Montrose Christian (Rockville, Md.); No. 22 Paul VI (Fairfax, Va.) and No. 25 Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia).

High-Fives by Region

East

1. Christ the King, Middle Village, N.Y. (7-1)
2. Hudson Catholic, Jersey City, N.J. (10-1)
3. Montrose Christian, Rockville, Md. (9-3)
4. Paul VI, Fairfax, Va. (8-3)
5. Bishop Loughlin, Brooklyn, N.Y. (9-1)
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. (10-3)
2. Pike, Indianapolis (9-0)
3. Germantown, Wis. (12-0)
4. Pershing, Detroit (6-0)
5. Toledo (Ohio) Central Catholic (7-0)
Geography: Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, North Dakota, South Dakota, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

South

1. Southwind, Memphis (12-3)
2. Brother Martin, New Orleans (19-2)
3. Tift County, Tifton, Ga. (10-2)
4. South Grand Prairie, Grand Prairie, Texas (22-2)
5. Christ Presbyterian, Nashville, Tenn. (14-2)
Geography: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas.

Far West

1. Jesuit, Portland, Ore. (10-1)
2. Bishop Gorman, Las Vegas (15-2)
3. Bothell, Wash. (11-0)
4. Sheldon, Sacramento, Calif. (9-4)
5. Etiwanda, Calif. (9-2)
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.