Joy of Six: Shorthanded Oregon school earns spot in Blue Star Media Go-To 25 boys’ basketball rankings

BENSALEM, Pa. – The latest Blue Star Media Go-To 25 boys’ basketball rankings have a distinctive feel of national superiority. Translation: All eight of the teams selected to play in the Dick’s Sporting Good High School National Tournament are ranked in the Top-13.

Last week the committee named Go-To 25 brethren Findlay Prep, Oak Hill Academy, Northside Christian Academy, Montverde Academy, Sagemont School, La Lumiere School, Huntington Prep and Rainier Beach to the eight-team bracket.

The most obvious omission was No. 8 Our Savior New American (Centereach, N.Y.). The small Lutheran school was overlooked and honestly, they got hosed. The Pioneers are one of the single greatest high school story of the 2013-14. The little engine that could, wasn’t given a chance in their backyard. They played a national schedule cobbled by hot assistant Eric Jaklitsch. The head coach is Rev. Ron Stelzer, a Lutheran minister who played collegiately for Lefty Driesell at Davidson College and brings God to the sidelines. The school is located about an hour from Queens, where the first two rounds will be played, and Madison Square Garden in Manhattan. They would have made a great “unofficial” home team, bringing busloads of rabid fans and congregants to Christ the King High School Gymnasium on April 3 but were pinched for a second team—and a questionable one from Florida.

Methinks there’s a hidden agenda.

Well, getting back to the Go-To 25. Two schools join the rankings, including No. 25 Jefferson (Portland, Ore.), which claimed their fifth state title in seven years. And get this, the Democrats did with only six players (six others were suspended). No. 22 Stevenson (Lincolnshire, Ill.) enters needing three wins this week to claim the Illinois Class 4A championship. The road won’t be easy with Marian Catholic (Chicago Heights) and Whitney Young (Chicago) in the way.

The rankings feature 13 state, national or conference postseason tournament champions, with more to follow.

We’re back next week for the final regular season ranking. Then off two weeks until the Dick’s Nationals are played from April 3-5 in New York City. The final rankings are April 7. The Blue Star Media National Champion will be revealed with at least nine schools still involved. Don’t sleep on top-ranked Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.), which is three wins away from perfection.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day to all. Get out and enjoy a game in your hometown—sooner than later. Hope to see you at a state playoff game soon and make plans to attend the Dick’s Nationals in April. — Christopher Lawlor 

Blue Star Media Go-To 25 Boys Basketball Rankings, March 17, 2014

1. Mater Dei, Santa Ana, Calif. (32-0)

Previous rank: 1.

Low-down: Arizona-bound Stanley Johnson paced the way with 18 points as the Monarchs overwhelmed St. Augustine (San Diego), 65-38, in the quarterfinals of the CIF Southern California Region Open Division playoffs. Next up is Etiwanda Tuesday in semifinals. The winner gets Westchester (Los Angeles) or Redondo Union (Redondo Beach) in the final Saturday in Ontario.

2. Rainier Beach, Seattle (29-0)*

Previous: 3.

Low-down: Won second straight Class 3A state championship. Regular season complete and the Vikings are off to the Dick’s Sporting Good High School National Tournament next month in New York City.

3. Montverde (Fla.) Academy (25-0)**

Previous: 3.

Low-down: Regular season complete. Now the Eagles await the Dick’s Sporting Goods High School National Tournament in April.

4. Northside Christian Academy, Charlotte, N.C. (28-1)*

Previous: 4.

Low-down: Won Class 2A Independent state championship and headed to the Dick’s Sporting Goods High School National Tournament.

5. La Lumiere School, La Porte, Ind. (23-2)

Previous: 5.

Low-down: Regular season complete. Next up is a third-straight invitation to the Dick’s Sporting Goods High School National Tournament.

6. Huntington (W.Va.) Prep (26-4)

Previous: 6.

Low-down: Regular season complete. The Dick’s Sporting Goods High School National Tournament is next.

7. Oak Hill Academy, Mouth of Wilson, Va. (39-3)

Previous: 7.

Low-down: The Warriors will play in the Dick’s Sporting High School National Tournament tipping on April 3 in New York.

8. Our Savior New American, Centereach, N.Y. (28-3)*

Previous: 8.

Low-down: Won second straight USA National Prep Championships and the National Association of Christian Athletes Division I title. Season complete.

9. Arsenal Tech, Indianapolis (25-2)

Previous: 9.

Low-down: Won the Class 4A Southport Regional, beating Pike (Indianapolis), 60-52. The Titans face Bloomington North Saturday in a 4A Semistate. The final is March 29 in Indianapolis.

10. Bishop Gorman, Las Vegas (30-3)*

Previous: 11.

Low-down: Won Division I state championship for a fifth crown in six years. Season complete.

11. Findlay Prep, Henderson, Nev. (30-4)

Previous: 12.

Low-down: Regular season complete. Dick’s Sporting Goods High School National Tournament is next.

12. Paul VI, Fairfax, Va. (31-6)*

Previous: 13.

Low-down: Won Alhambra Catholic Invitational Tournament, stopping DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.), 48-35. Defeated Bishop O’Connell (Arlington, Va.), 75-52, in semifinals and Benedictine (Richmond, Va.), 69-58, in the quarterfinals. The Panthers also won the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference tournament title. Season complete.

13. Sagemont, Weston, Fla. (33-0)*

Previous: 10.

Low-down: Won Class 3A state championship. Unexpectedly will play in the Dick’s Nationals in New York.

14. Corona del Sol, Tempe, Ariz. (33-1)*

Previous: 14.

Low-down: Won third consecutive Division I state championship. Season complete.

15. Arlington Country Day, Jacksonville, Fla. (30-5)*

Previous: 15.

Low-down: Won the SIAA championship. Season complete.

16. North Shore, Galena Park, Texas (35-3)*

Previous: 16.

Low-down: Won Class 5A state championship. Season complete.

17. Orlando (Fla.) Christian Prep (30-1)*

Previous: 17.

Low-down: Won Class 2A state championship for the program’s fifth title in the last seven years. Season complete.

18. St. Edward, Lakewood, Ohio (24-2)

Previous: 18.

Low-down: Throttled Mansfield Senior, 74-47, in Division I Akron Regional final. Tony Vuyancih flipped in 19 points as the Eagles are back in the state semifinals for the second time in three years. Malcolm Walters scored 16 points during a 70-59 win over archrivals St. Ignatius (Cleveland) in the semifinals. Up next is East Tech (Cleveland) Friday at the Schottenstein Center in Columbus. The winner gets Trotwood-Madison or Upper Arlington in the final on Saturday.

19. Neumann-Goretti, Philadelphia (25-4)*

Previous: 19.

Low-down: Miami-bound G Ja’Quan Newton netted a game-high 20 points as the Saint eliminated Allentown Central Catholic, 60-50, in the Class AAA quarterfinals. Now they play Tuesday against Philadelphia Electrical and Technology. The winner goes for the trophy Friday vs. Susquehanna Township or Central Valley at the GIANT Center in Hershey.

20. Callaway, Jackson, Miss. (32-1)*

Previous: 22.

Low-down: Malik Newman’s 25 points were enough in a 49-33 win over Vicksburg, in Class 5A final. The Chargers have won three straight state titles and seven overall.

Also defeated Laurel, 79-75, in semifinals. Season complete.

21. Christ the King, Middle Village, N.Y. (23-6)*

Previous: 23.

Low-down: Idle. The Royals are headed to Albany this weekend, where as defending New York State Federation Class AA champions they play PSAL champion Cardozo (Oakland Gardens) in the semifinals Friday at the Times Union Center. The winner gets Long Island Lutheran (Brookville) or Green Tech Charter (Albany) Saturday for the Fed title.

22. Stevenson, Lincolnshire, Ill. (30-1)

Previous: Not ranked.

Low-down: Jalen Brunson’s 27 points in the Lake Zurich Sectional final propelled his club to a 63-48 win over previously unbeaten Fremd (Palatine). The Patriots play Auburn (Rockford) Tuesday in the Class 4A SuperSectional. A win means the Patriots advance to Friday’s 4A state semifinals at Carver Arena in Peoria.

23. Converse (Texas) Judson (37-2)

Previous: 24.

Low-down: Advanced to Class 5A final. Season complete.

24. Lincoln, Brooklyn, N.Y. (26-4)

Previous: 25.

Low-down: The Brooklyn Borough champions advanced to the New York PSAL AA semifinals. Seton Hall-bound guard Isaiah Whitehead will play in the Jordan Brand Classic at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center on April 18 and was named New York’s Mr. Basketball. Season complete.

25. Jefferson, Portland, Ore. (26-1)*

Previous: Not ranked.

Low-down: The Democrats won their second straight Class 5A state championship, upending Churchill (Eugene), 69-64, in the final. What’s so amazing is that coach Pat Strickland’s team did it with only six players after six others were suspended for conduct detrimental to the team. Silas Melson, a Gonzaga signee, tossed in 24 points, sinking 9 of 15 shots. In spite of playing shorthanded, the Dems led, 47-25, at halftime and rolled to their fifth title in seven years. Lone loss was to No. 2 Rainier Beach (Seattle). Season complete.

Dropped: No. 20 (Moeller, Cincinnati) and  No. 21 Scotlandville (Baton Rouge, La.).

High-Fives by Region

East

1. Cardozo, Oakland Gardens, N.Y. (30-2)*

2. Potomac, Dumfries, Va. (28-1)*

3. East Side, Newark, N.J. (29-1)*

4. Cardinal Hayes, Bronx, N.Y. (26-2)

5. Mount St. Joseph, Baltimore (34-5)*

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

Midlands

1. Whitney Young, Chicago (26-5)

2. Muskegon, Mich. (25-0)

3. Marian Catholic, Chicago Heights, Ill. (28-2)

4. Germantown, Wis. (26-2)*

5. De La Salle, Minneapolis (26-3)*

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

South

1. Prime Prep, Dallas (22-6)                                               

2. Greater Atlanta Christian, Norcross, Ga. (32-0)*

3. Norland, Miami (27-5)*

4. Natchitoches (La.) Central (31-3)*

5. Miller Grove, Lithonia, Ga. (28-5)*

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

Far West

1. Bishop O’Dowd, Oakland, Calif. (26-4)

2. Etiwanda, Calif. (27-4)

3. Redondo Union, Redondo Beach, Calif. (25-5)

4. Monte Vista, Danville, Calif. (30-1)

5. Loyola, Los Angeles (27-3)

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

* Won state, national or postseason conference tournament championship

** Includes forfeits

About: The Blue Star Media Go-To 25 Boys High School Rankings are released weekly from September 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 April 7, 2014. Follow him on Twitter at #clawlor.