BENSALEM, Pa. – There three key windows during each season when the Blue Star Media Elite 25 boys’ basketball rankings either take a hit or impacted in a big way.

It starts with the holiday tournaments, pre and post Christmas. This where Elite 25 teams are bracketed together with the hopes they meet up in the tournament championship game or in the semifinals of a loaded field.

Now we enter the second window when the Elite 25 teams are often paired against one another. The Martin Luther King Jr. Weekend is a national holiday and celebrates the life of a great American. There are several events nationwide where the teams congregate and I’ll be taking in the action starting Thursday at the Hoophall Classic in Springfield, Mass. It’s a bonanza of games starting for the most part on Saturday through Monday afternoon at the birthplace of basketball.

There’s more.

In Springfield, Mo., it’ll be the prestigious Bass Pro Tournament of Champions, tipping on Thursday for three days. I have been to this event on four separate occasions and it never fails to amaze me the crowds that pack Missouri State University’s JHQ Arena. Check out the quarterfinal matchups: Madison Prep (Miss.)-Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.); Republic (Mo.)-Sierra Canyon School (Chatsworth, Calif.); Kickapoo (Springfield, Mo.)-Montverde (Fla.) Academy; and East (Memphis, Tenn.)-Greenforest Christian Academy (Decatur, Ga.). Whoever wins this tournament will have earned it!

In Kettering, Ohio, there’s Flyin’ to the Hoop which advertise 37 teams, 20 games in four days starting on Friday. The tops matchups are IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)-Hamilton Heights Christian (Chattanooga, Tenn.), Friday; Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.)-Huntington (W.Va.) Prep, Sunday; and Wheeler (Marietta, Ga.)-Princeton (Cincinnati), Monday.

There’s a worthwhile event Saturday in Jersey City, N.J.—the Dan Finn Classic at the Jersey City Armory. Five games, featuring nine New Jersey school but the feature one tips at 5:45 p.m. between St. Anthony (Jersey City) and Patrick School (Elizabeth). The two teams could meet again in the Non-Public B playoffs in March.

Speaking of the playoffs that would be the third window. The state tournaments start for the most part in February but won’t finish up until late March. I realize that’s a long stretch but only the strong survive during that run. The ultimate prize, though, is qualifying and then winning the DICK’s Sporting Goods High School Invitational.

The lone newcomer to the Elite 25 is No. 10 IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.). The Ascenders will be in Ohio and Massachusetts this weekend and have a wonderful resume with one loss in 16 games—against No. 4 Montverde (Fla.) Academy.

The Elite 25 rankings are back on January 17. The Elite 25 will include the results from the numerous MLK Weekend events. Be sure to support your local high school teams and if you have a chance to attend one of the many MLK events, please do so. We hope to see you at a game soon. — Christopher Lawlor

Blue Star Media Elite 25 Boys Basketball Rankings, Jan. 10, 2017

1. La Lumiere School, La Porte, Ind. (15-0)

Previous ranking: 1.

Low-down: The Lakers sent a message last weekend. Jaren Jackson, Jr. scored a game-high 24 points as the Lakers throttled then-No. 4 Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.), 69-54, at the Cancer Research Classic in Wheeling, W.Va. Also beat Villa Angela-St. Joseph (Cleveland, Ohio), 85-44.

2. Nathan Hale, Seattle (10-0)

Previous: 4.

Low-down: Michael Porter, Jr., continues to dominate. The Washington recruit totaled 89 points in two games as the Raiders bounced Eastside Catholic (Sammamish), 91-61, and O’Dea (Seattle), 110-68. Porter popped in a season-high 52 points.

3. Chino Hills, Calif. (16-0)

Previous: 5.

Low-down: Idle. The Huskies played Damien (La Verne) on Tuesday after a nearly two-week layoff.

4. Montverde (Fla.) Academy (12-1)

Previous: 2.

Low-down: The Eagles split two games at the National Hoopfest in Memphis, Tenn. Super sophomore R.J. Barrett flipped in 32 points, making 14 of 21 shots, but it wasn’t enough in a 75-loss to then-No. 11 East (Memphis). They also beat

Bartlett (Memphis, Tenn.), 76-36

5. Sierra Canyon School, Chatsworth, Calif. (12-1)

Previous: 6,

Low-down: Junior F Marvin Bagley III scored 24 and Cody Riley added 15 to rip Bishop O’Dowd (Oakland), 84-52, at the Sierra Canyon Super Showcase. The Trailblazers return to the star-filled Bass Pro Tournament of Champions in Springfield, Mo., starting Thursday for three games.

6. Findlay Prep, Henderson, Nev. (19-1)

Previous: 3.

Low-down: The Pilots suffered their first loss to top-ranked La Lumiere School (La Porte, Ind.), 69-54, at the Cancer Research Classic in Wheeling, W.Va. They also beat First Love Christian Academy (Washington, Pa.), 99-78, as Kentucky-bound P.J. Washington scored 16 points.

7. Oak Hill Academy, Mouth of Wilson, Va. (15-2)

Previous: 7.

Low-down: Idle. The Warriors saw two games cancelled by heavy snow.

8. East, Memphis, Tenn. (12-2)

Previous: 11.

Low-down: Sophomore F Chandler Lawson (14 points) dunked home the wining basket in the waning seconds as the Mustangs averaged an earlier loss to then-No. 3 Montverde (Fla.) Academy in a 75-73 win at the National Hoopfest in Memphis. Junior G T.J. Moss had 16 points, including a trio of 3-pointers. A third meeting between the Elite 25 powers could occur this weekend This weekend at the Bass Pro Tournament of Champions in Springfield, Mo.

9. Bishop Montgomery, Torrance, Calif. (14-1)

Previous: 8.

Low-down: Ethan Thompson, an Oregon State commit, had 19 points and the Knights crushed host Westchester (Los Angeles), 71-43, at the Westchester Challenge for their 14th straight victory.

10. IMG Academy, Bradenton, Fla. (15-1)

Previous: Not ranked.

Low-down: The Ascenders play in two high-powered events this weekend at Flyin’ to the Hoop in Kettering, Ohio and Hoophall Classic in Springfield, Mass.

11. Mater Dei, Santa Ana, Calif. (17-1)

Previous: 9.

Low-down: Gary McKnight’s club opened the Trinity League with a 67-54 win over St. John Bosco (Bellflower). Additionally, the school confirmed the transfer of 7-foot, 210-pound junior Bol Bol (from Bishop Miege in Kansas), the son of former NBA center Manute Bol. When eligible Bol Bol gives the Monarchs a big presence in the post and automatically become a major player for the CIF Open Division state title.

12. DeMatha, Hyattsville, Md. (11-1)

Previous: 10.

Low-down: Defeated then-No. 24 Roselle (N.J.) Catholic, 66-61, at the Cancer Research Classic. The Stags play Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) at the Hoophall Classic on Saturday.

13. Simeon, Chicago (12-0)

Previous: 12.

Low-down: UTEP-bound G Evan Gilyard dropped in 32 points and the Wolverines topped hometown Bartlett (Memphis, Tenn.), 80-61, at the National Hoopfest in Memphis.

14. Gonzaga, Washington, D.C. (12-2)

Previous: 16.

Low-down: The Eagles have won three straight since losing in a holiday tournament, including a 76-73 decision over Westlake (Atlanta) at Cancer Research Classic in Wheeling, W.Va.

15. The Patrick School, Elizabeth, N.J. (6-2)

Previous: 17.

Low-down: The Celtics hammered previously-unbeaten Mater Dei (New Monmouth), 65-42, at the Hoop Group Boardwalk Showcase, capping a 3-0 week. Minnesota-bound G Jamir Harris pumped in a game-high 17 points, with three 3-pointers.

16. Imhotep Charter, Philadelphia (9-1)

Previous: 18.

Low-down: Defeated Washington (Philadelphia), 83-40, but had a game with Rock Creek Christian (Upper Marlboro, Md.) cancelled by the heavy snowfall. Played Constitution (Philadelphia) on Monday afternoon and big week continues with Math, Civics and Sciences (Philadelphia) on Thursday and Simon Gratz (Philadelphia) on Saturday.

17. Garfield, Seattle (11-2)

Previous: 19.

Low-down: Beat locals Roosevelt (Seattle), 78-49, and West Seattle, 39-32. Now the Bulldogs face archrivals Rainier Beach (Seattle) on Friday.

18. Shadow Mountain, Phoenix (16-0)

Previous: Idle.

19. Klein Forest, Houston (17-0)

Previous: 22.

Low-down: After a light week, the Eagles have three games this week, including a makeup on Monday.

20. Paul VI, Fairfax, Va. (10-2)

Previous: 23.

Low-down: The Panthers picked up a pair of league wins. The first WCAC showdown is Monday against No. 14 Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.). Up next is the Burger King Classic in Erie, Pa.

21. Sam Houston Math, Science and Technology, Houston (23-1)

Previous: 13.

Low-down: The Tigers have a busy schedule in District 18-6A play to close out the regular season.

22. Mount St. Joseph, Baltimore (17-1)

Previous: 14.

Low-down: The Gaels dropped their first game but rebounded with two quality wins.

23. Jefferson, Portland, Ore. (7-1)

Previous: 25.

Low-down: Oregon’s top-ranked team peeled off a league win and up next are three games this week, including Monday’s tilt with second-ranked West Linn.

24. Skyline, Dallas (18-1)

Previous: 20.

Low-down: Marcus Garrett, a Kansas recruit, threw in 20 points but the Raiders were upended by district foe Richardson, 60-56. Earlier in the week, they topped Berkner (Richardson), 42-38.

25. Greensboro (N.C.) Day School (21-2)

Previous: 15.

Low-down: The Bengals head north this weekend for a national matchup with Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia) Sunday at the Hoophall Classic in Springfield, Mass. They split two leagues games, including a 62-54 loss at Charlotte Christian.

Dropped: No. 24 Roselle (N.J.) Catholic.

High-Fives by Region

East

1. St. Anthony, Jersey City, N.J. (8-0)
2. Long Island Lutheran, Brookville, N.Y. (11-1)
3. Hillhouse, New Haven, Conn. (5-0)
4. Lincoln, Brooklyn, N.Y. (12-2)
5. Bishop Loughlin, Brooklyn, N.Y. (9-2)

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

Midwest

1. Jackson, Massillon, Ohio (8-0)
2. North Central, Indianapolis (10-0)
3. Champlin Park, Champlin, Minn. (8-0)
4. Evanston, Ill. (14-2)
5. English East Village, Detroit (5-0)

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

Southland

1. Scotlandville, Baton, Rouge, La. (16-1)
2. Greenforest Christian Academy, Decatur, Ga. (11-3)
3. McEachern, Powder Springs, Ga. (11-0)
4. Trinity, Louisville, Ky. (15-1)
5. Hamilton Heights Christian Academy, Chattanooga, Tenn. (15-5)

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

Far West

1. Prolific Prep, Napa, Calif. (14-0)
2. Wasatch Academy, Mount Pleasant, Utah (15-2)
3. Basha, Chandler, Ariz. (19-0)
4. Fairfax, Los Angeles (12-1)
5. Foothills Christian, El Cajon, Calif. (13-2)

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. 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 and prep sports writers. The final rankings will be released in April. Follow him on Twitter at #clawlor.