Montverde (Fla.) comfortable at No. 1; Blue Star Media Go-To 25 boys’ basketball rankings

BENSALEM, Pa. – Here are the latest Blue Star Media Go-To 25 boys’ basketball rankings. Three teams enter the rankings.

Welcome, No. 16 Cardinal Hayes (Bronx, N.Y.); No. 18 Arsenal Tech (Indianapolis) and No. 22 Sagemont (Weston, Fla.). All three were elevated from regional status to national with impressive showings. Now comes the hard part: Maintaining that level with the proverbial bull’s-eye on your back.

The next rankings will appear on January 20.  The Dr. Martin Luther King Weekend is a bonanza for national tournaments and showcases. This marks the final great weekend of hoops on the national scene. After this the countdown to state tournaments begin. We’re only three weeks away from the postseason in some states. It goes fast this time of year.

In the meantime, we hope to see you at a game soon. We will be attending the Hoophall Classic in Springfield, Mass. This is undoubtedly an event that will shake the Blue Star Media Go-To 25 boys’ rankings. — Christopher Lawlor

Blue Star Media Go-To 25 Boys Basketball Rankings, Jan. 13, 2014

1. Montverde (Fla.) Academy (15-0)

Previous rank: 1.

Low-down: Wiped out Oak Ridge (Orlando), 93-57. Australian F Ben Simmons, an LSU recruit, dropped in 22 points. The Eagles will play four games this weekend in two different events. Winning all four will just distance the gap between them and the rest of the nation.

2. Mater Dei, Santa Ana, Calif. (16-0)

Previous: 2.

Low-down: Opened Trinity League play with two easy wins; now comes a test with St. John Bosco (Bellflower) on Wednesday.

3. White Station, Memphis, Tenn. (13-0)

Previous: 4.

Low-down: The Spartans are unbeaten in District 16-AA but will put it on the line this weekend at the loaded Bass Pro Tournament of Champions in Springfield, Mo.

4. Rainier Beach, Seattle (12-0)

Previous: 6.

Low-down: The Vikings wiped out Cleveland (Seattle), 103-67, for their fourth straight win of the New Year. Mike Bethea’s team hit for 100 or more points in three straight. Louisville-bound Shaqquan Aaron is averaging 22.1 points.

5. Oak Hill Academy, Mouth of Wilson, Va. (19-1)

Previous: 7.

Low-down: The Warriors blew of the rust after nearly three weeks off with two victories.

6. Paul VI, Fairfax, Va. (11-2)

Previous: 3.

Low-down: The Panthers rebounded from a loss to crush league rivals Bishop McNamara (Forestville), 99-72. This weekend is crazy with the Bass Pro Tournament of Champions in Missouri and then it’s off to the Hoophall Classic in Springfield, Mass.

7. Our Savior New American, Centereach, N.Y. (12-1)

Previous: 5.

Low-down: The Pioneers split two games the McCracken County Festival of Hoops in Paducah, Ky. Also had two games cancelled by snow.

8. Curie, Chicago (12-1)

Previous: 9.

Low-down: Beat Villa Angela-St. Joseph (Cleveland, Ohio), 66-63, at McCracken County Festival of Hoops in Kentucky. Kansas-bound post Cliff Alexander had 29 points, 17 rebounds and blocked five shots in a 75-59 win over North Chicago.

9. Northside Christian Academy, Charlotte, N.C. (12-1)

Previous: 10.

Low-down: Beat Denver (Colo.) East, 75-66, at the Under Armour Showcase in Charlotte. Charlotte-bound Keyshawn Woods had 22 points and six dimes for MVP honors.

10. Providence Christian, Jacksonville, Fla. (10-3)

Previous: 11.

Low-down: Rolled to an eighth straight win, beating Evans (Orlando), 66-60, at the Showdown in O’Town Classic in Orlando.

11. Converse (Texas) Judson (22-1)

Previous: 12.

Low-down: The Rockets have 20 straight games. Boise State-bound C David Wacker recorded a double-double, 19 points and 13 boards, in a 72-58 win over Wagner (San Antonio).

12. St. Benedict’s Prep, Newark, N.J. (10-2)

Previous: 13.

Low-down: Defeated Brookfield (Wis.) Academy, 58-52, at the Living Hope Festival in Sparta, N.J.

13. St. John’s, Washington, D.C. (10-1)

Previous: 14.

Low-down: Towson-bound Mike Morsell had 17 points and eight rebound, earning game MVP honors, in a 99-59 blowout of Math, Civics & Science (Philadelphia) at the Under Armour Showcase in Charlotte.

14. Prime Prep, Dallas (11-2)

Previous: 18.

Low-down: Recorded two quality wins last weekend over Wesleyan Christian (High Point, N.C.) and then-No. 8 Sunrise Christian (Bel Aire, Kan.).

15. Sunrise Christian Academy, Bel Aire, Kan. (10-2)

Previous: 8.

Low-down: Went 1-1 at the McCracken County Festival of Hoops in Kentucky. The Buffaloes are slipping.

16. Cardinal Hayes, Bronx, N.Y. (11-0)

Previous: Not ranked.

Low-down: The Cardinals have a brutal of five games in eight days, starting Tuesday at Holy Cross (Flushing).

17. Lincoln, Brooklyn, N.Y. (12-3)

Previous: 16.

Low-down: Defeated archrivals Boys and Girls (Brooklyn), 82-57. The Railsplitters are heavy favorites to win the PSAL AA crown.

18. Arsenal Tech, Indianapolis (12-1)

Previous: Not ranked.

Low-down: The Titans have won 11 straight and now shift their focus to Indianapolis City Tournament on Jan. 21.

19. La Lumiere School, La Porte, Ind. (13-2)

Previous: 15.

Low-down: Upended by Arsenal Tech (Indianapolis), 71-60. Heavy snowfall cancelled one game.

20. Neumann-Goretti, Philadelphia (9-2)

Previous: 22.

Low-down: The Saints beat St. Joseph’s Prep (Philadelphia), 76-60, in a key Philadelphia Catholic League contest. Junior G Lamarr Kimble flipped in a game-high 19 points. Postponed league showdown at regionally ranked Archbishop Carroll (Radnor, Pa.) will be played on Jan. 29.

21. Findlay Prep, Henderson, Nev. (19-3)

Previous: 23.

Low-down: The Pilots ripped Impact Academy (Las Vegas), 80-55, at the Las Vegas Prep Showcase. Horace Spencer had 13 points, 11 boards and blocked five shots. Senior F Rashad Vaughn, who has interest from several high major programs, will miss 10 days with an injury.

22. Sagemont, Weston, Fla. (21-0)

Previous: Not ranked.

Low-down: Coach Adam Ross’ team is on cruise control with six games left in the regular season.

23. Arlington Country Day, Jacksonville, Fla. (12-3)

Previous: 24.

Low-down: The Apaches play No. 12 St. Benedict’s Prep (Newark, N.J.) this weekend at the Hoophall Classic in Springfield, Mass.

24. Bishop Gorman, Las Vegas (14-4)

Previous: 25.

Low-down: Edged Foothill (Henderson), 66-64, at the Las Vegas Prep Showcase. PG Noah Robotham’s two free throws with 6 seconds left won it. After a shaky holiday run, the Gaels are back on track.

25. Loyola, Los Angeles (14-1)

Previous: 21.

Low-down: Lost to Chaminade (West Hills), 73-61. The teams have split their first two games, with the rubber game on Jan. 31 in Los Angeles.

Dropped: No. 17 Wheeler (Marietta, Ga.); No.  19 Roselle (N.J.) Catholic; and No. 20 Archbishop Carroll (Radnor, Pa.).

High-Fives by Region

East

1. St. Joseph, Metuchen, N.J. (8-0)

2. Christ the King, Middle Village, N.Y. (10-1)

3. Roman Catholic, Philadelphia (11-2)

4. Roselle (N.J.) Catholic (5-1)

5. Archbishop Carroll (Radnor, Pa.).  (9-2)

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

Midlands

1. Germantown, Wis. (13-0)

2. Marian Catholic, Chicago Heights, Ill. (13-1)

3. Stevenson, Lincolnshire, Ill. (13-1)

4. Whitney Young, Chicago (9-4)

5. Pershing, Detroit (6-1)

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

South

1. Orlando (Fla.) Christian Prep (18-0)

2. Scotlandville, Baton Rouge, La. (20-1)

3. DeSoto, Texas (17-3)

4. Callaway, Jackson, Miss. (13-1)

5. Columbia, Decatur, Ga. (11-0)

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

Far West

1. Corona del Sol, Tempe, Ariz. (15-1) 2

2. Chaminade, West Hills, Calif. (13-1)

3. Bishop Montgomery, Torrance, Calif. (15-1)

4. Redondo Union, Redondo Beach, Calif. (12-3)

5. Lone Peak, Highland, Utah (9-2)

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

Records through Sunday’s games.

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