MIAMI NICE! Columbus Explorers (FL) are Blue Star Media Elite 25 Boys Basketball National Champions after winning Chipotle Nationals

BENSALEM, Pa. – The Columbus High School Explorers of Miami are the Blue Star Media 25 Boys’ Basketball National Champions.

The Explorers (30-4) won the CHIPOTLE High School Nationals on Saturday, April 5 in impressive fashion. In the final, they dismantled No. 3 Dynamic Prep (Irving, Texas), 67-49. The 10^th-seeded Dynamic had strung together a series of upsets last week at Hamilton Southeast High School in Fishers, Indiana.

The Explorers also won the Florida High School Athletic Association Class 7A state championship or the state’s largest classification  for the fourth straight year closing on a 17-game win streak. The one thing missing from the Cameron and Cayden Boozer’s dossier was the CHIPOTLE Nationals championship. Finally, they ticked that box with the next stop Duke in the fall.

With the Boozer twins leading the way, Columbus went 30-2, 26-4, 29-5 and 30-3 in their prep careers or 115-14 in four years. In their final game, Cayden scored a game-high 27 points, making 9 of 14 shots. Cameron had 11 points and 8 rebounds.

And with the CHIPOTLE Nationals concluding, it also ended the high school basketball season. Kudos to the Columbus Explorers. Coach Andrew Moran is also off to the ACC, where he was hired as an assistant coach for the Miami Hurricanes under first-year head coach Jai Lucas.

As for the final rankings, there were no additions. Seven teams remained in the same position and seven went up, including No. 3 Dynamic rising 17 slots. Eleven teams dropped with No. 16 Harvard-Westlake (Studio City, Calif.) dipping 11. A dozen teams won postseason titles with No. 1 Columbus accumulating three.

McDonald’s All-American Game

 Seven boys players who participated in the McDonald’s All-American Game on Tuesday, April 1 in Brooklyn, New York, had a quick turnaround and headed off to the CHIPOTLE Nationals.

As for the game, the West boys beat the East, 105-92, as Darryn Peterson of No. 4 Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.) was named Most Valuable Player. Peterson, a Kansas recruit, popped in a game-high 18 points, connecting on 7 of 14 shots and snared 7 rebounds.

Duke-bound Cameron Boozer of No. 1 Columbus (Miami) was East co-MVP after securing a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds. Houston commit Isiah Harwell of No. 19 Wasatch Academy (Mount Pleasant, Utah) shared the honors for the East with 16 points and 4 rebounds.

A.J. Dybantsa of Utah Prep (Hurricane, Utah), who is a BYU signee and the nation’s No. 1 recruit according to some services, had 17 points and 5 rebounds for the West.

The 22^nd McDonald’s girls’ game Sienna Betts of Grandview (Aurora, Colo.) contributed 16 points and 7 seven rebounds as the West toppled the East, 104-82, in the opening game at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

Brynn McGaughey of Central Valley (Spokane Valley, Wash.), a Washington commit, flipped in 17 points in the win.

Four McDonald’s girls also jetted out Wednesday, April 2 for the CHIPOTLE National. Two each from Montverde (Fla.) Academy and IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) pulled double duty last week.

The West jumped to an 18-0 lead in the first quarter and that was it.

Hailee Swain of  Holy Innocents’ Episcopal (Atlanta) topped the East with 13 points and ZaKiyah Johnson of Sacred Heart Academy (Louisville, Ky.) and Nyla Brooks of Bishop Ireton (Alexandria, Va.) scored 11 apiece.

Elsewhere, things are starting to take shape in southern California. Since the wildfires ravaged the surrounding Los Angeles area in early January, the locals have been displaced and are picking up the pieces of their lives.

We’ve vetted a few places that will make a difference.

Consider donating here to the Red Cross to assist the relief efforts or to The Salvation Army. No dollar amount is too small and prayers are always welcome. Here’s another one called Fire Aid.

Stay strong California.

Additionally, listen to this ditty by world renown singer Sia promoting a great cause. You should be familiar with it and it’s only 30 seconds. According to the Humane World for Animals (formerly called The Humane Society of the United States), they hope to “create a more humane world where dogs and cats are safe from cruel puppy mills and the horrific meat trade; where wild animals are protected, farm animals no longer suffer in extreme confinement, and no animals are used in painful and unnecessary lab experiments.”

If you like, donate here.

Well, that’s it for another year of the Blue Star Media Elite 25 rankings. We’ve highlighted and presented you the best of the best high school teams in football, girls volleyball and boys and girls basketball and it’s been a blast. Really!

Many thanks to our Editor-In-Chief Mike Flynn for his efforts across the board and allowing a forum for high school athletics. We attempt to bring stories of interest, breaking news, USA Basketball, McDonald’s All Americans, Nike Hoop Summit and much more. However, we hang our hat on the Elite 25 rankings. We are proud of the flagship column.

The grind of pulling off the rankings weekly from August until early April is a labor of love. Chasing football or basketball scores from the West Coast on a Saturday night in the Eastern Time Zone can be challenging. You awake Sunday morning, assess what occurred, disseminate information and it pull together for our loyal readers.

And, yes, we do it all for you. There are millions of high school sports fans nationwide and globally. Our numbers or click rates have increased during the 2024-25 school year with three months left. That’s awesome.

As we mentioned earlier in this column, there will be a new weekly column and social media posts on X. We aren’t going away but reporting national items of interest in recruiting, national summer circuit events and camps, and exploits from USA Basketball. The world of grassroots sports does not rest. It may pause occasionally but there’s always motion. Our goal is to keep the clicks coming to the site and engage and inform folks in the coming months.

Personally, it was a difficult year.

My brother, Zach, passed away unexpectedly last summer. He was my best friend. Zach loved high school sports and followed my stories and travels since my Scholastic, Inc. years. Zach loved New York sports teams Rangers, Yankees, Giants and Knicks. He was a Florida State grad and followed the Seminoles in all sports but mostly football and baseball. Zach developed a love for global soccer and was a loyal Chelsea FC supporter (like me) or “True Blue.” Zach was a strong believer in Jesus Christ and carried a Bible with him. He listened to heavy metal (Metallica, Motorhead, AC/DC, Rush, Scorpions, GNR, LA Guns, Motley Crue, Pink Floyd and Iron Maiden to name a few) and worked as a private investigator and bartender in both Rochester, N.Y., and Hollywood, Fla. In both locations, he left many broken-hearted friends.

He is missed by family and friends and has been reunited with my dad in heaven. Amen.

Thank you for another year of the Elite 25. We will return with the Elite 25 preseason football rankings in early August and the Net 25 girls’ volleyball later in the month. Keep up with me on X (@clawlor), where we pass along the latest in the world of high school sports and more.

Bye for now. Happy Easter and Happy Passover.

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

Blue Star Media Elite 25 Boys’ Basketball Final Rankings, April 7, 2025

1. Columbus, Miami (30-3)* % !

Previous rank: 1.

The Lowdown: The Blue Star Media Elite 25 National Championship won the CHIPOTLE Nationals titles. The Explorers also captured a fourth straight FHSAA state chip in the largest classification (Class 7A). The Boozer twins, Cameron and Cayden, were four-year starters and went 115-14 playing a mostly national schedule in their careers.

2. Roosevelt, Eastvale, Calif. (35-2)*

Previous: 3.

The Lowdown: Won the CIF Open Division state championship. Season complete.

3. Dynamic Prep School, Irving, Texas (34-5)

Previous: 20.

The Lowdown: Advanced to the CHIPOTLE Nationals championship game.

4. Prolific Prep, Napa, Calif. (35-6)*

Previous: 2.

The Lowdown: Won the Grind Session World Championship for the third straight year and fourth time since 2020. Also split two games at the CHIPOTLE Nationals.

5. Brewster Academy, Wolfeboro, N.H. (28-5)

Previous: 6.

The Lowdown: Advanced to the CHIPOTLE Nationals semifinals, going 1-1 at the national event.

6. Long Island Lutheran, Brookville, N.Y. (21-7)

Previous: 7.

The Lowdown: Lost in CHIPOTLE Nationals quarterfinals to No. 2 Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.), 81-80, in overtime.

7. CIA Bella Vista Prep, Phoenix (21-6)

Previous: 8.

The Lowdown: Lost in CHIPOTLE National quarterfinals in their first trip to the event.

8. Link Academy, Branson, Mo. (21-8)+

Previous: 4.

The Lowdown: Won the inaugural Nike EYBL Scholastic Conference Tournament but lost in CHIPOTLE National quarterfinals.

9. Montverde (Fla.) Academy (19-8)

Previous: 9.

The Lowdown: Played in the CHIPOTLE Nationals, losing to then-No. 20 Dynamic Prep (Irving, Texas), 67-52, in the first round. Dante Allen scored 16 points and Hudson Greer added 13.

10. Calvary Christian Academy, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (22-1)*

Previous: 10.

The Lowdown: Won the FHSAA Class 3A state championship. Season complete.

11. Archbishop Stepinac, White Plains, N.Y. (26-4)**

Previous: 17.

The Lowdown: Won a third straight New York CHSAA Intersectional AA championship. Also bagged the CHSAA vs. PSAL Challenge title for the second year in a row for the New York City title.

12. St. Paul VI Catholic, Chantilly, Va. (27-6)*

Previous: 11.

The Lowdown: Won Washington Catholic Athletic Conference regular season and tournament championships. Season complete.

13. Gonzaga, Washington, D.C. (29-5)*

Previous: 12.

The Lowdown: Won the District of Columbia State Athletic Association Class AA championship. Coach Steve Turner stepped down to take the head position at Montverde (Fla.) Academy starting in July.

14. Notre Dame, Sherman Oaks, Calif. (28-8)

Previous: 16.

The Lowdown: Advanced to the CIF-SoCal Region Open Division final.

15. Hoover, Ala. (35-0)*

Previous: 13.

The Lowdown: Won the Class 7A state championship for the third consecutive year.

16. Harvard-Westlake, Studio City, Calif. (31-3)

Previous: 5.

Lowdown: Advanced to the CIF-SoCal Region Open Division semifinals. Season complete.

17. Wheeler, Marietta, Ga. (29-3)*

Previous: 14.

The Lowdown: Won the Class AAAAAA state tournament. Season complete.

18. Perry, Gilbert, Ariz. (27-2)*

Previous: 15.

The Lowdown: Won the Arizona Open Division state championship for a fourth straight title.

19. Wasatch Academy, Mount Pleasant, Utah (25-6)

Previous: 18.

The Lowdown: Went 1-1 at the CHIPOTLE Nationals, advancing to the quarterfinals.

20. IMG Academy, Bradenton, Fla. (21-8)

Previous: 19.

The Lowdown: Lost to then-No. 18 Wasatch Academy (Mount Pleasant, Utah), 75-57, in the CHIPOTLE Nationals first round. Arkansas-bound Darius Acuff Jr., a McDonald’s All American, scored 23 points.

21. St. John Bosco, Bellflower, Calif. (26-7)

Previous: 21.

The Lowdown: Advanced to CIF-SoCal Region Open Division playoffs. Season complete.

22. Great Crossing, Georgetown, Ky. (35-4)*

Previous: 23.

The Lowdown: Won first-ever Kentucky UK Healthcare Sweet Sixteen state championship. The Warhawks closed on a 27-game win streak.

23. AZ Compass Prep, Chandler, Ariz. (19-8)

Previous: 23.

The Lowdown: The Dragons compete in the EYBL Scholastic Conference with mixed results.

24. Grayson, Loganville, Ga. (28-3)

Previous: 24.

The Lowdown: Won GHSA Region 4-AAAAAA tournament and regular season titles. Advanced to Class AAAAAA state semifinals.

25. San Antonio (Texas) Brennan (33-3)

Previous: 25.

The Lowdown: Advanced to UIL Class 6A, Division I semifinals. Season complete.

Dropped out: None.

High-Fives by Region

East

1. Mount Carmel, Baltimore (34-4)**
2. Father Judge, Philadelphia (24-7)**
3. Bullis School, Potomac, Md. (23-7)**
4. Highland School, Warrenton, Va. (38-5)**
5. Bergen Catholic, Oradell, N.J. (27-5)*

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

Midwest

1. Benet Academy, Lisle, Ill. (33-5)*
2. DePaul Prep, Chicago (33-4)*
3. Kenwood, Chicago (31-2)*
4. Sunrise Christian Academy, Bel Aire, Kan. (16-7)
5. Oak Park, Kansas City, Mo. (32-1)*

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

Southland

1. Reidsville, N.C. (31-0)*
2. St. Thomas Aquinas, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (30-2)*
3. Dallas (Texas) Kimball (28-5)*
4. Allen, Texas (34-2)
5. Christ School, Arden, N.C. (28-3)*

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

Far West

1. Utah Prep Academy, Hurricane, Utah (22-12)
2. Sierra Canyon School, Chatsworth, Calif. (27-7)*
3. Archbishop Riordan, San Francisco (29-2)
4. Bishop Gorman, Las Vegas (24-5)*
5. St. Joseph, Santa Maria, Calif. (31-2)

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

! Blue Star Media Elite 25 National Champions

%  CHIPOTLE High School Nationals Champions

* Won state, national or conference postseason tournament championship

[Editor’s note: Each asterisk represents a separate postseason title]

 + Nike EYBL Scholastic Champions

About: The Blue Star Media Elite 25 Boys’ High School Basketball Rankings are released weekly from December until the conclusion of the high school season in April. 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 Senior Writer Christopher Lawlor, who consults with a national network of coaches, talent evaluators and prep sports writers. The final rankings will be released at the conclusion of the season. Follow him on X at @clawlor.