No. 1 Columbus Explorers (FL) cement status in Blue Star Media Elite 25 boys’ basketball rankings; No. 10 AZ Compass Prep returns after strong January showing

BENSALEM, Pa. – If there were any doubters, No. 1 Columbus (Miami) had a national TV audience to show why they are clearly en route to a fourth consecutive Florida High School Athletic Association Class 7A state championship.

Though that’s not the big picture.

For the Explorers it was business as usual on Friday, Jan. 24 when the ESPN cameras were rolling the nation’s eyeballs were tuned in during the 79-59 victory over then-No. 2 Montverde (Fla.) Academy. To sum it up, the Explorers never trailed and were up 17-7 after one quarter and wound up a blowout. Montverde had no answers.

The Explorers have beaten eight teams from the Blue Star Media Elite 25 boys’ basketball rankings and Montverde twice. The two might hook up again in April at the CHIPOTLE High School Nationals in Fishers, Ind., but that’s more than two months out. Lots can happen.

As for Kevin Boyle’s No. 5 Eagles from central Florida, it’s a tough loss but not the end of the world. The Eagles need to bounce back in a hurry and that’s exactly what happens this weekend on their campus.

The Montverde Academy Invitational Tournament (MAIT) tips off for three days, starting Thursday at 12 p.m. inside the EdgeCenter for Sportsmanship and Wellness. The eight-team tournament has three Elite 25 teams and Nike EYBL Scholastic circuit. Additionally, the nationally ranked Montverde girls’ team plays one game per day. Elite 25 teams include No. 8 Utah Prep (Hurricane, Utah) and No. 10 AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.).

Here’s the schedule and way to get tickets.

In Maryland, the third annual A Very Melo Classic will be held Saturday, Feb. 1 in the APG Federal Credit Union Arena at Harford Community College in Bel Air (outside of Baltimore). It’s five supercharged games with three Elite 25 teams at an event named for future Naismith Hall of Fame addition Carmelo Anthony, who is from Baltimore, played for Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of the Wilson, Va.) and his son Kiyan (a Syracuse recruit) plays for Long Island Lutheran (Brookville, N.Y.). The latter two tie-ins are participants Melo’s day of hoops.

The marquee matchup is No. 9 Long Island Lutheran vs. No. 14 St. Paul VI Catholic (Chantilly, Va.) in the nightcap at 7:30 p.m. That’s must-see basketball.

Here’s A Very Melo Classic schedule and ticket information.

If you drive hours west from the Baltimore area, it’s another big-time event at the rural campus of Garrett College. The Western Maryland Classic is scheduled for this week on Jan. 30, 31 and Feb. 1. It’s also an EYBL Scholastic event and the seven games will be streamed on ESPN+. There are 14 games with five Elite 25 teams at the event that tips Thursday at 12:15 p.m.

Tickets are reasonably priced $10 at the door (12 and under are free) or purchased online.

Finally, the action is fast and furious on the West Coast, the rescheduled Trinity-Mission League Showcase at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood is Saturday, Feb. 1.

Here’s the six-game lineup (All times Pacific): Chaminade (West Hills) vs. Loyola (Los Angeles), 12 p.m.; Bishop Alemany (Mission Hills) vs. Crespi (Encino), 1:30 p.m.; Mater Dei (Santa Ana) vs. No. 25 St. John Bosco Bellflower), 3 p.m.; Brentwood vs. Campbell Hall (Studio City), 4:30 p.m.; No. 3 Harvard-Westlake (Studio City) vs. St. Francis (La Canada), 6 p.m.; Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks) vs. Sierra Canyon School (Chatsworth), 7:30 p.m. Tickets are here.

Well, there are plenty of events from coast to coast to keep you entertained. Take advantage of the opportunity to view the future talent.

This week the lone addition is No. 10 AZ Compass Prep. The Dragons return after a month’s  absence and will get a chance this weekend to ascend the Elite 25 at a major tournament in Florida. There were four teams that maintained their positions, 12 dropped and eight went up. The biggest upward movement was No. 4 Brewster (Wolfeboro, N.H.) a plus-five and four dipped five slots.

The season is moving quickly and Florida is less than two weeks out from district tournaments.

Records smashed

In California, two brothers in the same contest set single-game state records on Thursday, Jan. 23. Nick and Dylan Khatchikian of Armenian Mesrobian School (Pico Rivera) recorded landmarks in a 119-25 hammering of Waverly (Pasadena). Mesrobian led 79-0 at halftime.

Nick scored 102 points in just 22 minutes, sinking 48 of 60 shots from the floor, setting the new California Interscholastic Federation mark. His brother, Dylan, had a triple-double (15 rebounds and 13 steals) but his 35 assists was the key number (31 was the previous record). It tied the National Federation record set by Andre Colbert of DeSales (Lockport, N.Y.) in 1987.

Okay, that’s it for the third week of January and we’re on the cusp of February. The Blue Star Media Elite 25 boys’ basketball rankings return on Tuesday, Feb. 4.

 In Southern California, people are in need after the wildfires continue to ravage the surrounding Los Angeles area.

According to published reports, the deaths are mounting and countless structures and homes have been incinerated. As of Monday, Jan. 27, the weather forecasts called for more rain and that means mudslides and more destruction.

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. Stay safe California.

Don’t forget it is the Lunar New Year to many from China, Japan, Philippines, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam on Wednesday, Jan. 29. FYI: it’s the Year of the Snake.

Bye for now.

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

Blue Star Media Elite 25 Boys’ Basketball Rankings, Jan. 28, 2025

1. Columbus, Miami (18-3)

Previous rank: 1.

The Lowdown: Duke-bound forward Cameron Boozer contributed 25 points, 15 rebounds and 6 assists and junior Jaxon Richardson scored 23 points in a 79-59 blowout of then-No. 2 Montverde (Fla.) Academy. The Explorers never trailed and have two games left in the regular season.

2. Gonzaga, Washington, D.C. (19-2)

Previous: 3.

The Lowdown: The Eagles led from the opening quarter in beating archrivals DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.), 74-62. Nyk Lewis scored a game-high 21 points. Also beat St. John’s College (Washington), 69-59. That’s two quality wins in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference with No. 14 St. Paul VI Catholic (Chantilly, Va.) visiting on Tuesday, Jan. 28.

3. Harvard-Westlake, Studio City, Calif. (22-1)

Previous: 5.

Lowdown: The Wolverines are 4-0 in the competitive Mission League after defeating Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks), 73-63, as Isaiah Carroll, Duke-bound Nikolas Khamenia and Joe Sterling each scored 18 points. Up next is Sierra Canyon School (Chatsworth) on Tuesday, Jan. 28 in a pivotal Mission League matchup.

4. Brewster Academy, Wolfeboro, N.H. (19-2)

Previous: 9.

The Lowdown: The Bobcats had two games at the Quincy (Ill.) Shootout over the weekend. They defeated then-No. 6 Link Academy (Branson, Mo.), 49-47. Game MVP Sebastian Wilkins, who scored 19 points and cleared 13 rebounds, sank the game-winning 3-pointer with 1.9 seconds left. Also, topped Chaminade (St. Louis), 59-53.

5. Montverde (Fla.) Academy (13-4)

Previous: 2.

The Lowdown: The Eagles lost for the second straight game 79-59 at No. 1 Columbus (Miami). They will attempt to pick up the pieces this weekend when hosting the Montverde Academy Invitational Tournament (MAIT) for three days tipping Thursday, Jan. 30.

6. Roosevelt, Eastvale, Calif. (25-2)

Previous: 4.

The Lowdown: Defeated Corona, 88-38, after losing in blowout fashion at the Hoophall Classic in Springfield, Mass. Also stopped Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas), 70-64, at the Nike Extravaganza in Santa Ana, Calif. Brayden Burries popped in 28 points and Isaac Williamson had 15 against the Nevada school.

7. Link Academy, Branson, Mo. (14-5)

Previous: 6.

The Lowdown: Lost to then-No. 9 Brewster Academy (Wolfeboro, N.H.), 49-47, on a last-second 3-pointer at the Quincy (Ill.) Shootout. The Lions rebounded to defeat Shawnee Mission (Kan.) Northwest, 65-52.

8. Utah Prep Academy, Hurricane, Utah (17-5)

Previous: 8.

The Lowdown: Idle. Prep is headed to the MAIT this weekend at Montverde Academy.

9. Long Island Lutheran, Brookville, N.Y. (13-5)

Previous: 10.

The Lowdown: The Crusaders returned to form with wins over two New York teams by 40 and 25 points over the weekend.

10. AZ Compass Prep, Chandler, Ariz. (9-5)

Previous: Not ranked.

The Lowdown: Idle. The Dragons will be rested for the MAIT this weekend in Florida.

11. The Patrick School, Hackettstown, N.J. (17-3)

Previous: 11.

The Lowdown: Defeated St. Raymond (Bronx, N.Y.), 72-70. Illinois-bound guard Brandon Lee threw in 23 points and 6-10 Kuai Deng won it at the buzzer. Also stopped Our Saviour Lutheran (Bronx), 73-58.

12. Dynamic Prep School, Irving, Texas (22-4)

Previous: 7.

The Lowdown: At the IMG Academy Ascender Classic in Bradenton, Fla., defeated Riviera Prep (Miami), 85-37, as Jermaine O’Neal Jr. scored 30 points but lost to No. 20 IMG, 78-60.

13. San Antonio (Texas) Brennan (24-2)

Previous: 12.

The Lowdown: Defeated O’Connor (Helotes), 82-33, for a 13^th consecutive victory.

14. St. Paul VI Catholic, Chantilly, Va. (15-3)

Previous: 13.

The Lowdown: Defeated WCAC rivals DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.), 61-48, and Bishop Ireton (Alexandria, Va.), 68-49. The Panthers have a huge league showdown at No. 2 Gonzaga (Washington) on Tuesday, Jan. 28.

15. Hoover, Ala. (28-0)

Previous: 19.

The Lowdown: Won the Alaska Airlines Classic beating, East Anchorage (Alaska), 62-30, in the final in Anchorage. Tennessee-bound center DeWayne Brown was named the tournament’s MVP after scoring 17 points on 6 of 7 shooting. UAB-commit Salim London and Jarett Fairley made the all-tournament team. The Bucs headed home on a 36-game win streak.

16. Wheeler, Marietta, Ga. (18-3)

Previous: 14.

The Lowdown: Overwhelmed Milton (Alpharetta), 82-52, and North Cobb (Kennesaw), 82-29.

17. Perry, Gilbert, Ariz. (17-2)

Previous: 15.

The Lowdown: Defeated Brophy Prep (Phoenix), 66-48. The Pumas have region games against Basha (Chandler) and Chandler.

18. Grayson, Loganville, Ga. (20-2)

Previous: 20.

The Lowdown: Defeated Archer (Lawrenceburg), 70-48, and Holy Innocents’ Episcopal (Atlanta), 68-66. In the latter win, Jacob Holt flipped in a team-high 20 points.

19. Wasatch Academy, Mount Pleasant, Utah (18-4)

Previous: 22.

The Lowdown: The Tigers swept two games at the Quincy (Ill.) Shootout. Impressive showing in the Heartland of America.

20. IMG Academy, Bradenton, Fla. (15-4)

Previous: 23.

The Lowdown: The Ascenders captured two games at an event on their home floor over quality competition, including Elite 25 team Dynamic Prep (Irving, Texas) by 18 points.

21. Sunrise Christian Academy, Bel Aire, Kan. (12-3)

Previous: 16.

The Lowdown: At the Quincy (Ill.) Shootout, the Buffaloes defeated Father Tolton (Columbia, Mo.), 76-40 as Jacob Walker finished with 13 points, 6 assists and 6 steals. Also fell to then-No. 22 Wasatch Academy (Mount Pleasant, Utah), 67-59. Up next is two games at the Western Maryland Classic in Nike EYBL Scholastic play on Thursday and Friday.

22. Prolific Prep, Napa, Calif. (20-4)

Previous: 17.

The Lowdown: Darryn Peterson scored 27 points and Ikenna Alozie added 19 points and 13 rebounds in a 69-52 win over Dream City Christian (Ariz.) at the Crush in the Valley Showcase in San Pablo, Calif. The next day, the Crew played without four regulars and held on to beat Rosemary Anderson (Portland, Ore.), 81-78.

23. Fishers, Ind. (16-0)

Previous: 18.

The Lowdown: Defeated Avon, 69-45, and Carroll (Fort Wayne), 72-40. In the latter win, Jason Gardner Jr. scored 15 points.

24. Owasso, Okla. (15-3)

Previous: 21.

The Lowdown: Won Bill Hanson Memorial Tournament in Pittsburg, Kan., defeating Washburn Rural (Kan.), 64-38, in the final. Jalen Montonati was named MVP and Jax Kerr and Kobe Freeman were named to the all-tournament team.

25. St. John Bosco, Bellflower, Calif. (21-3)

Previous: 25.

The Lowdown: The Braves swept three Trinity League opponents, improving to 5-1.

 Dropped out: No. 24 DePaul Prep (Chicago).

High-Fives by Region

East

1. Archbishop Stepinac, White Plains, N.Y. (15-3)
2. John Marshall, Richmond, Va. (13-1)
3. St. Frances Academy, Baltimore (18-4)
4. Thomas Jefferson, Brooklyn, N.Y. (21-1)
5. St. Peter’s Prep, Jersey City, N.J. (13-3)

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

Midwest

1. Cretin-Derham Hall, St. Paul, Minn. (16-0)
2. Kenwood, Chicago (21-1)
3. Oak Park, Kansas City, Mo. (15-1)
4. Crown Point, Ind. (12-0)
5. U of D Jesuit, Detroit (14-1)

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

Southland

1. Calvary Christian Academy, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (13-0)
2. Reidsville, N.C. (16-0)
3. Allen, Texas (25-1)
4. Huntsville, Ala. (27-1)
5. Catholic, Baton Rouge, La. (25-1)

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

Far West

1. St. Joseph, Santa Maria, Calif. (22-1)
2. Redondo Union, Redondo Beach, Calif. (22-2)
3. Notre Dame, Sherman Oaks, Calif. (18-4)
4. Annie Wright School, Tacoma, Wash. (14-1)
5. Archbishop Riordan, San Francisco (15-1)

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

Records through Sunday

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 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.