MAGIC KINGDOM: No. 13 Orlando Christian Prep (FL) dynasty extends win streak to 49 after winning Class 2A state crown; No. 23 Richardson (TX) enters Blue Star Media Elite 25 boys’ rankings

BENSALEM, Pa. — Two teams from the Blue Star Media Elite 25 boys’ basketball rankings won major tournament titles last weekend while four others from Georgia and Texas will go for state championships.

Kudos to No. 6 AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.) took care of business winning the Grind Sessions World Championship in Phoenix while unbeaten No. 13 Orlando (Fla.) Christian Prep captured the Florida Class 2A title for the fourth time in five seasons.

State champions were crowned in Alabama, Mississippi, Florida, Utah and Wisconsin. New Jersey concluded its season with no playoffs.

In Chicago, the Chipotle Clash of Champions tips off Friday at St. Patrick High School with eight area teams in the quarterfinals. The semifinals are Saturday morning and the final that evening at 7 p.m. CT. The tournament is in lieu of no state playoffs in Illinois.

The pairings (three are conformed), featuring two teams from the Elite 25, are (all times are Central): No. 15 Simeon (Chicago)-St. Patrick, 1 p.m.; Notre Dame (Niles)-Evanston or Glenbrook, 3 p.m.; No. 21 Whitney Young (Chicago)-DePaul Prep (Chicago), 5 p.m.; and Mundelein-Fenwick (Oak Park), 7 p.m.

Saturday’s three Clash of Champions games will be shown live on ESPN3, starting at 11 a.m., with the first of two semifinals. The final is 7 p.m.

As for this week, here’s the scoop.

The changes in the Elite 25 rankings surround two teams, including one true newbie, entering. Actually, No. 25 La Lumiere School (La Porte, Ind.) re-enters and is currently under serious consideration for the GEICO High School Nationals. Expect the Lakers to earn an invitation in spite of a the sub-.500 mark that featured mostly national games.

No. 23 Richardson (Texas), near Dallas, is a first-time addition to the Elite 25. The Eagles soared to the University Interscholastic League Class 6A, Region I championship and are back in the state tournament for the first time in 34 years. The Eagles (26-1) have won 24 straight games and are No. 3 in the Texas Class 6A rankings and play a fellow Elite 25 club in the 6A state semifinals on Tuesday night.

Finally, GEICO Nationals continue to take shape. Again, we’ll repeat what we know and perceive. It will features 10 teams (for the first time) and four rounds for seeds No. 7 through No. 10 (the top six will get direct byes to the quarterfinals). The event tips on March 31 in Fort Myers, Florida and won’t allow fans over COVID-19 concerns but all games will be shown live on the ESPN family of networks through April 3.

Slam dunks for the field of 10 are: Montverde (Fla.) Academy, Sunrise Christian Academy (Kan.), AZ Compass Prep (Ariz.), Wasatch Academy (Utah), Oak Hill Academy (Va.) and La Lumiere School (Ind.). After that it will depend on state championships. Orlando Christian Prep (Fla.) won Florida’s Class 2A title and would be a fine choice. In Georgia, Milton (Ga.) plays Saturday for the Class AAAAAAA chip. The final two could include Prolific Prep (Calif.), DeMatha (Md.), Pace Academy (Ga.) and Ypsi Prep Academy (Mich.). DeMatha would need approval from the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference.

The final word on the GEICO Nationals field is forthcoming.

Okay, that’s it for the first week in the maddening month of March.

The Elite 25 boys’ rankings are back on March 16 or Saint Patrick’s Day Eve. Don’t forget to turn your clocks ahead this Saturday night (early Sunday March 14): Spring ahead, fall back. Sunday evening the NCAA will reveal the Field of 68 for the Men’s Division I National Tournament at 6 p.m. EDT on CBS.

Until then keep safe, mask up, practice social distancing, wash your hands regularly, get vaccinated and support your local businesses. We’re almost back!

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

Blue Star Media Elite 25 Boys’ Basketball Rankings, March 9, 2021

1. DeMatha, Hyattsville, Md. (11-0)

Previous rank: 1.

Low-down: Season complete.

2. Montverde (Fla.) Academy (20-1)

Previous: 2.

Low-down: Idle. The Eagles have a rematch with No. 3 Sunrise Christian Academy (Bel Aire, Kan.) in the NIBC final on Friday in Memphis, Tenn.

3. Sunrise Christian Academy, Bel Aire, Kan. (19-2)

Previous: 3.

Low-down: Idle. The Buffaloes play No. 2 Montverde (Fla.) Academy this weekend in Memphis, Tenn. Then it’s a trip to the GEICO Nationals in Florida.

4. IMG Academy, Bradenton, Fla. (20-2)

Previous: 4.

Low-down: Regular season is complete. GEICO Nationals is the next stop in nearby Fort Myers, Fla.

5. Homestead, Fort Wayne, Ind. (25-0)

Previous: 5.

Low-down: Won the Class 4A Sectional 6 title, beating New Haven, 75-56, in the final. Purdue-bound Fletcher Loyer popped in 30 points , Andrew Leeper had 18 and Grant Simmons added 12. Earlier in the tournament, the Spartans beat South Side (Fort Wayne), 74-44, in the semifinals and Huntington North (Huntington), 62-37, in the first round. Huge test Saturday morning in Logansport against powerhouse Carmel in the 4A regional semifinals. The winner plays Jefferson (Lafayette) or Carroll (Fort Wayne) Saturday evening.

6. AZ Compass Prep, Chandler, Ariz. (27-1)*

Previous: 6.

Low-down: Won the Grind Session World Championship, defeating BFL Prep (Seattle), 70-67, on a buzzer-beating three-point shot from Joshua Uduje. TyTy Washington, a Creighton recruit, delivered the assist on Uduje’s game-winner and was named Tournament Most Valuable Player after recording 23 points, 9 assists and 4 assists. Uduje dropped in 19 points, nailing 5-of-7 shots from downtown, and earned the championship-game MVP. The Dragons will play in the GEICO Nationals later this month in April. Regular season complete.

7. Milton, Alpharetta, Ga. (27-2)

Previous: 7.

Low-down: It wasn’t easy but the Eagles are headed to the Class AAAAAAA state final after

holding off Pebblebrook (Mableton), 74-67, in the semifinals. Kanaan Carlyle scored 19 of his game-high 24 points in the opening 16 minutes. In the quarterfinals, the Eagles dusted Newnan, 70-34, as Carlyle provided 19 points and 4 assists. It comes down to one game against Berkmar (Lilburn) Saturday in Macon for the 7A chip.

8. Archbishop Wood, Warminster, Pa. (13-0)

Previous: 8.

Low-down: Marcus Randolph’s 20 points were enough and the Vikings avoided a setback by edging Bishop McDevitt (Wyncote, Pa.), 71-69, in overtime. Muneer Newton’s putback with :03 left in OT won it. Also topped Devon (Pa.) Prep, 73-48, and Archbishop Carroll (Radnor), 93-79, in a game that Connecticut-bound Rahsool Diggins became the program’s all-time leading scorer netting 25 points to surpass the previous mark of 1,386 points. His teammate, Daeshon Shepherd, went over 1,000 career points in the same game. Started last week defeating Lansdale Catholic, 70-40. The Vikings are assured of at least a share of the Philadelphia Catholic League title.

 9. Wasatch Academy, Mount Pleasant, Utah (18-6)

Previous: 10.

Low-down: Idle. The Tigers await a GEICO Nationals invitation.

10. Minnehaha Academy, Minneapolis (12-1)

Previous: 11.

Low-down:  All-American C Chet Holmgren’s monster game of 29 points, 23 rebounds, 7 assists and 6 block helped the Redhawks put away Waseca, 94-66. The Redhawks are scheduled for three games later this week to close out the regular season. Game with St. Paul Academy was postponed.

11. Duncanville, Texas (27-1)

Previous: 12.

Low-down: Won the Class 6A, Region II championship, beating then-No. 9 Waxahachie, 70-65. Damon Nicholas, a Sam Houston State recruit, scored 20 points as the Panthers are back in the Class 6A state semifinals since winning it all in 2019. The Panthers play No. 23 Richardson Tuesday in the 6A semifinals.

12. Camden, N.J. (13-0)

Previous: 13.

Low-down: The Panthers wrapped up a perfect season, sans playoffs, after defeating Life Center Academy (Burlington), 82-70. Sophomore D.J. Wagner and Jerome Brewer each poured in 22 points. They also beat Washington Township (Sewell), 81-32, and St. Augustine Prep (Richland), 68-54, as Wagner scored 22 and 23 points, respectively. Season complete.

13. Orlando (Fla.) Christian Prep (27-0)*

Previous: 14.

Low-down: Won FHSAA Class 2A state championship, beating Impact Christian (Jacksonville), 51-32, in the final. A.J. Brown scored 18 points and hauled down 5 rebounds. In the semifinals, Brown bucketed a game-high 29 points on 11-of-14 shooting, grabbed 7 rebounds and made 3 steals when the Warriors defeated Grandview Prep (Boca Raton), 71-32. Will the Warriors get an invitation to the GEICO National? They have won 47 straight games and nine state crowns in the last 14 years. If not, season complete.

14. St. Frances Academy, Baltimore (8-0)

Previous: 15.

Low-down: The Panthers swept through three MIAA A Conference opponents McDonogh School (Owings Mills, Md.), 76-47, St. Vincent Pallotti (Laurel, Md.), 79-42, and Gerstell Academy (Finksburg, Md.), 93-57. Five games are left in the regular season with a pending showdown with Mount Carmel (Baltimore) on March 15.

15. Simeon, Chicago (4-0)

Previous: 18.

Low-down: There are no nights off in the Chicago Public League. The Wolverines needed overtime in two games to beat Hyde Park (Chicago), 67-63, and Bogan (Chicago), 57-51.

Junior Jaylen Drane’s 19 points were enough to propel the Wolverines over Kenwood (Chicago), 65-54. This weekend the Wolverines are the top seed in the Chipotle Clash of Champions, meeting St. Patrick (Chicago). The semifinals and final are Saturday on ESPN3.

16. Long Island Lutheran, Brookville, N.Y. (1-0)

Previous: 16.

Low-down: Idle.

17. Archbishop Stepinac, White Plains, N.Y. (3-0)

Previous: 17.

Low-down: The Crusaders took a commanding 3-0 lead in the Brother Stoldt Best-of-Seven Series, beating Iona Prep (New Rochelle), 73-52, in Game 4. Isaiah Alexander had a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds and Boogie Fland added 13 points 8 assists and 5 rebounds. In Game 2, Boston University-bound C Malcolm Chimeze scored 12 points, grabbed 6 boards and had 2 blocks in a 61-54 win over the Gaels. Coach Patrick Massaroni’s team goes for the series sweep at home in Game 4 Friday

18. Pace Academy, Atlanta (29-1)

Previous: 19.

Low-down: Advanced to the Georgia Class AA state championship game after defeating Thomasville, 56-44, in the semifinals. Florida State-bound Matt Cleveland scored 14 points. The Knights will play Columbia (Decatur) Thursday afternoon in Macon for the 2A state crown.

19. Oak Hill Academy, Mouth of Wilson, Va. (20-8)

Previous: 21.

Low-down: Coach Steve Smith and the Warriors will break before heading down to the GEICO Nationals in Florida. They carry a five-game win streak after closing out the regular term downing Providence Academy (Johnson City, Tenn.), 94-61, and Virginia Episcopal School (Lynchburg, Va.), 113-78. Camryn Carter had a rare triple-double with 14 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists in the latter game. Regular season complete.

20. The Patrick School, Hillside, N.J. (13-1)

Previous: 22.

Low-down: Junior G Zion Cruz totaled 48 points in two victories. Cruz flipped in a game-high 25 points to beat Trenton Catholic Academy (Hamilton), 72-60. Cruz also scored 22 points and the Celtics beat Immaculate Conception (Montclair), 76-70, in the penultimate game of the season.

 21. Whitney Young, Chicago (11-0)

Previous: 23.

Low-down: The Dolphins swept three Chicago Public League opponents—Farragut (Chicago), 71-38, Orr (Chicago), 63-57, and Westinghouse (Chicago), 70-64. Additionally, Xavier Amos (23 points) and A.J. Casey (17) teamed for 40 points in a 60-52 nonleague win over St. Rita (Chicago). The Dolphins play DePaul Prep (Chicago) Friday in the Chipotle Clash of Champions first round. The semifinals and title game are Saturday.

22. St. Mary’s Prep, Orchard Lake, Mich. (8-0)

Previous: 25.

Low-down: In a Detroit area showdown, the Eaglets defeated Martin Luther King (Detroit), 59-55. Northwestern-bound Julian Roper scored 18 points and junior PG Kareem Rozier collected 16 points and 8 rebounds and made a free throw with :04 left in the game to clinch it. Also, beat De La Salle Collegiate (Warren), 44-30. Just three scheduled games remain in the regular season.

23. Richardson, Texas (26-1)

Previous: Not ranked.

Low-down: The Eagles enter the Elite 25 after qualifying for their first state tournament appearance since 1987 after defeating Jesuit (Dallas), 66-43, in the Class 6A, Region I final. Rylan Griffen netted 17 points in his team’s 24^thconsecutive win. Next up is No. 11 Duncanville in the 6A state semifinals Tuesday night in Dallas. The winner goes to Saturday’s 6A title game in San Antonio.

24. Paul VI, Chantilly, Va. (7-4)

Previous: 24.

Low-down: Season complete.

25. La Lumiere School, La Porte, Ind. (6-8)

Previous: Not ranked.

Low-down: The Lakers await the GEICO Nationals in Florida.

Dropped: No. 9 Waxahachie (Texas) and No. 20 Bergen Catholic (Oradell, N.J.).

High-Fives by Region

East

1. Neumann-Goretti, Philadelphia (9-1)
2. St. Raymond, Bronx, N.Y. (0-0)
3. Stone Bridge, Ashburn, Va. (16-1)*
4. Wilson, West Lawn, Pa. (19-1)
5. Imhotep Charter, Philadelphia (11-0)

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

Midwest

1. St. Catherine’s, Racine, Wis. (28-1)*
2. Cedar Falls, Iowa (19-0)
3. Carmel, Ind. (22-2)
4. Lawrence North, Indianapolis (25-2)
5. Huron, Ann Arbor, Mich. (8-0)

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

Southland

1. Millbrook, Raleigh, N.C. (19-0)*
2. Magnolia, Ark. (22-0)
3. Scotlandville, Baton Rouge, La. (25-3)
4. Westlake, Austin, Texas (29-1)
5. Atascocita, Humble, Texas (24-2)…TU

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

Far West

1. Sierra Canyon School, Chatsworth, Calif. (0-0)
2. Mater Dei, Santa Ana, Calif. (0-0)
3. Cherry Creek, Greenwood Village, Colo. (14-0)
4. St. Mary’s, Phoenix (16-1)
5. Davis, Kaysville, Utah (22-4)*

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

* Won state championship or major postseason tournament title

Records are through Sunday

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. Follow him on Twitter at @clawlor.