No. 1 Montverde Academy (FL) remains atop Blue Star Media Elite 25 boys’ basketball rankings after claiming City of Palms Classic title in dominant fashion

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. – Number one was on the table Saturday and the nation’s preseason No. 1 greedily snatched the baton or actually did not allow anyone to wrestle it away.

No. 1 Montverde (Fla.) Academy improved to 14-0 and rolled to another City of Palms Classic championship on Saturday night in Fort Myers, Fla. The Eagles trounced No. 2 Long Island Lutheran (Brookville, N.Y.), 73-59, in the final.

Cooper Flagg, the nation’s No. 1 senior and Duke signee, was on cue with 21 points and 14 rebounds for a double-double against top-notch competition.

Flagg, who puts out 100 percent energy and pass from the opening tip, sees the Eagles bonding and developing a chemistry the 2019-20 team possessed.

“It starts with personalities; we’re all competitors and love to play with each other and for each other,” Flagg said. “And we’re playing at the one of the highest levels on the high school level.”

The turnover was seven teams this week and that’s normal for the pre-Christmas Elite 26 rankings. Since the preseason rankings debuted last month, several high profile programs played national schedules and did not survive the cut. That opened the door for seven program who were knocking on the door or earned their way in with positive early results.

Don’t forget, there were several states that did not tip their schedules until early December. We wait each year to accommodate them and monitor how the preseason Elite 25 are faring.

The seven additions are scattered all over the map and include: No. 12 Combine Academy (Lincolnton, N.C.); No. 13 Oak Ridge (Orlando, Fla.); No. 16 Imhotep Institute Charter (Philadelphia); No. 17 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.); No. 18 Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.); No. 19 Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.) and No. 20 Lawrence North (Indianapolis).

All seven had great pre-Christmas tournament weeks.

Finally, here’s a press release explaining the renaming of a familiar league that normally impacts the Elite 25 rankings:

The country’s top high school basketball league, the National Interscholastic Basketball Conference (NIBC), has officially teamed up with Nike to form the ultimate boys high school basketball super conference, the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League Scholastic (EYBL Scholastic), which is set to commence this fall for the 2023-24 season.

For the last three years, the NIBC has been the standard for top tier high school basketball with a preeminent collection of established high school academic institutions committed to elite, national basketball competition. The launch of EYBL Scholastic furthers Nike’s deep footprint in the high school space with its long-standing EYBL summer basketball series.

The newly formed EYBL Scholastic will retain the talented roster of hoops powerhouses from the former NIBC, including 2022-23 Conference Champion Montverde Academy (Fla.) as well as Brewster Academy (N.H.). In addition, the league welcomes four new teams into the fold: Canyon International Academy (Ariz.), Link Academy (Mo.), Orangeville Prep (Ontario, Canada) and Veritas Prep (Calif.).

Canadian power Orangeville Prep has a rich history of producing top level talent. In their first three years, the Bears produced 30 Division I players, six of which made the NBA, including reigning NBA champion, Jamal Murray.

The EYBL Scholastic will raise the bar again.

That’s it for this week. Time for last-minute Christmas shopping here in southeast Florida this afternoon and do some wrapping of presents.

The Blue Star Media Elite 25 boys’ rankings will return on Jan. 2, 2024, and will go nonstop weekly until the end of the season in mid-April. That’s a long haul ahead for the boys’ and girls’ rankings but check in regularly at the website and on X at @clawlor.

If you didn’t see them, here are the Blue Star Media Elite 25 final football rankings. The No. 1 team is pretty darn good but so are their schoolmates on the hardwood.

Finally, it is our sincere wishes that you and your family have a joyous and prosperous Happy New Year and hopefully your Christmas or Hannukah went well.

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

Blue Star Media Elite 25 Boys’ Basketball Rankings, Dec. 24, 2023

1. Montverde (Fla.) Academy (14-0)

Previous rank: 1.

The Low-down: Won the City of Palms Classic, defeating No. 2 Long Island Lutheran (Brookville, N.Y.), 73-59, in the final in Fort Myers, Fla. Duke-bound Cooper Flagg out up 21 points (11 of 12 on free throws), 14 rebounds and three assists. The Eagles went 4-0 at the prestigious tournament with three victories against Elite 25 teams, including No. 5 St. Paul VI Catholic (Chantilly, Va.), 69-62, in the semifinals. The Eagles are off until Jan. 5 when they play the first of two games at the Cross Insurance Arena in Portland, Maine as a victory tour for Flagg, the nation’s top player from the Class of 2024 Duke recruit and resident of the Pine Tree State.

2. Long Island Lutheran, Brookville, N.Y. (8-1)

Previous: 4.

The Low-down: Finished runners-up at the City of Palms Classic, falling to No. 1 Monteverde (Fla.) Academy, 73-59, in the final. V.J. Edgecombe topped the Crusaders with 20 points and Kiyan Anthony, whose dad Carmelo is a future Hall of Fame and former NBA superstar, had 14 points with two 3-pointers.

3. Prolific Prep, Napa, Calif. (16-1)

Previous: 5.

The Low-down: The Crew is 2-1 versus Elite 25 teams. This week the Crew is off to Columbia, S.C. for the Chick-fil-A Classic and talented field.

4. Harvard-Westlake, Studio City, Calif. (12-0)

Previous: 10.

The Low-down: The Wolverines have played a rigorous early season schedule and are California’s top-ranked CIF state but this week there are four straight games at the prestigious Les Schwab Invitational in Hillsboro, Oregon.

5. Paul VI Catholic, Chantilly, Va. (8-1)

Previous: 6.

The Low-down: The Panthers placed third at the City of Palms Classic, beating No. 7 Link Academy (Branson, Mo.), 74-71, in the consolation final in Fort Myers, Fla. The Panthers were up 55-42 after three quarters but held on. Darren Harris, a Duke signee, had 25 points with four 3-pointers and snared four rebounds. Garrett Sundra scored 17 points and Benjamin Hammond provided 13.

6. Gonzaga, Washington, D.C. (8-0)

Previous: 21.

The Low-down: The Purple Eagles already won the Gonzaga DC Classic and two league games in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference. This week they hit the road for the King Cotton Classic in Pine Bluff, Ark. Coach Steve Turner’s team bounced up 15 spots with a solid early December.

7. Link Academy, Branson, Mo. (10-4)

Previous: 2.

The Low-down: Went 2-2 at the City of Palms Classic, dropping the third-place game to No. 5 St. Paul VI Catholic (Chantilly, Va.), 74-71. Arkansas-recruit Jalen Shelley flipped in 21 points.

8. La Lumiere School, La Porte, Ind. (9-1)

Previous: 8.

The Low-down: The Lakers have the holidays off but host a pair of Elite 25 teams in early January, including No. 2 Long Island Lutheran (Brookville, N.Y.).

9. Grayson, Loganville, Ga. (10-0)

Previous: 16.

The Low-down: Georgia’s No. 1 team in Class AAAAAAA is unbeaten heading into this week’s three game at the Chick-fil-A Classic in South Carolina.

10. Oak Hill Academy, Mouth of Wilson, Va. (12-1)

Previous: 12.

The Low-down: The Warriors resume play on Jan. 4 in La Porte, Ind.

11. St. John Bosco, Bellflower, Calif. (10-1)

Previous: 14.

The Low-down: Finished third at the prestigious Iolani Classic in Hawaii, going 3-1 at the Honolulu event.

12. Combine Academy, Lincolnton, N.C. (14-1)

Previous: Not ranked.

The Low-down: The Goats started with an 11-0 record against intense competition and take a 3-0 mark in their last three into the Christmas break. This week sees four games at two different events.

13. Oak Ridge, Orlando, Fla. (9-2)

Previous: Not ranked.

The Low-down: Won the Iolani Classic in Honolulu, defeating Christ the King (Middle Village, N.Y.), 83-68, in the championship game. The Floridians went 4-0 in the south Pacific.

14. Brewster Academy, Wolfeboro, N.H. (12-2)

Previous: 22.

The Low-down: The Bobcats have a month off before resuming play with No. 1 Montverde (Fla.) Academy on Jan. 13 and No. 10 Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) on Jan. 14 at the Hoophall Classic in Springfield, Mass.

15. Columbus, Miami (6-4)

Previous: 3.

The Low-down: The Explorers went 1-2 at the City of Palms Classic in Florida. Up next is the Les Schwab Invitational this week in Oregon.

16. Imhotep Institute Charter, Philadelphia (7-0)

Previous: Not ranked.

The Low-down: The Panthers proved they are Pennsylvania’s top team with solid December and they beat then-No. 18 Archbishop Wood (Warminster, Pa.), 72-65, solidifying their entry to the Elite 25.

17. Mater Dei, Santa Ana, Calif. (10-1)

Previous: Not ranked.

The Low-down: Won the City of Palms Sunshine Series championship, defeating Riviera Prep (Miami), 84-68, in the final. Owen Verna threw in a game-high 34 points, sinking five 3-pointers and 13 of 21 shots. Luke Barnett added 18 points with four made 3s. The Monarchs also split a pair of game in the Bahamas prior to the COP in Fort Myers, Fla.

18. Notre Dame, Sherman Oaks, Calif. (11-0)

Previous: Not ranked.

The Low-down: The Knights are one of California’s top team and can score in bunches at nearly 87 points per game. This week they are off to the South Pasadena Tournament four game starting on Tuesday evening.

19. Don Bosco Prep, Ramsey, N.J. (4-1)

Previous: Not ranked.

The Low-down: Won the fifth-game game at the City of Palms Classic in Fort Myers, Fla., dispatching No. 21 IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.), 96-92, in overtime. Rutgers-bound G Dylan Harper, whose dad won NBA World Championship rings with the Chicago Bulls, struck for a game-high 33 points on 12 of 24 shooting, and had eight rebounds and four assists. Teammates Brady Loughlin and Isaiah Brown tossed in 18 points apiece as the Ironmen earned their way into the Elite 25 with a solid 2-1 record at the prestigious event.

20. Lawrence North, Indianapolis (7-0)

Previous: Not ranked.

The Low-down: The Wildcats are Indiana’s top-ranked team by the state basketball coaches’ association and are winning games by an average margin of 18 points and scoring at 73 points per game. Coach Chris Griffin’s team plays Franklin Central (Indianapolis) Friday and Southport (Indianapolis) Saturday.

21. IMG Academy, Bradenton, Fla. (5-6)

Previous: 7.

The Low-down: Lost in fifth-place game to No. 19 Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.)

Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.), 96-92, in overtime at the City of Palms Classic. The game was tied at 80 after regulation. Chase McCarty (26 points) and Darius Acuff Jr. (23) teamed for 49 points in the tough loss.

22. Wasatch Academy, Mount Pleasant, Utah (5-2)

Previous: 9.

The Low-down: Idle.

23. McEachern, Powder Springs, Ga. (8-3)

Previous: 11.

The Low-down: Went 2-2 at the City of Palms Classic in Florida.

24. Archbishop Stepinac, White Plains, N.Y. (6-2)

Previous: 17.

The Low-down: The Crusaders went 1-2 at the City of Palms Classic in Florida. Up next is St. Rose (Belmar, N.J.) Friday at Baruch College in New York City.

25. Sidwell Friends, Washington, D.C. (5-2)

Previous: 15.

The Low-down: Mixed up results in the first month but the Quakers remain in the Elite 25 for now. Up next are three quality, national games this week, including two in New York City with No. 7 Link Academy (Branson, Mo.) on tap Friday.

Dropped: No. 13 Myers Park (Charlotte, N.C.); No. 18 Archbishop Wood (Warminster, Pa.); No. 19 Corona (Calif.) Centennial; No. 20 AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.), No. 23 Kokomo (Ind.); No. 24 Sunrise Christian Academy (Bel Aire, Kan.) and No. 25 Richmond Heights (Ohio).

High-Fives by Region

East

1. Christ the King, Middle Village, N.Y. (4-1)
2. Roman Catholic, Philadelphia (6-0)
3. John Marshall, Richmond, Va. (7-1)
4. Mount St. Joseph, Baltimore (13-0)
5. St. Raymond, Bronx, N.Y. (6-1)

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

Midwest

1. Thornton, Harvey, Ill. (8-1)
2. De Pere, Wis. (8-0)
3. Curie, Chicago (10-1)
4. Brother Rice, Bloomfield Hills, Mich. (7-0)
5. Fishers, Ind. (8-0)

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

Southland

1. Stony Point, Round Rock Texas (17-0)
2. North Mecklenburg, Huntersville, N.C. (10-2)
3. Marshall, Fort Bend, Texas (16-0)
4. Huntsville, Ala. (16-1)
5. Myers Park, Charlotte, N.C. (6-2)

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

Far West

1. Salesian College Prep, Richmond, Calif. (10-0)
2. JSerra Catholic, San Juan Capistrano, Calif. (12-0)
3. Roosevelt, Eastvale, Calif. (12-1)
4. Sierra Canyon School, Chatsworth, Calif. (11-1)
5. Mount Spokane, Mead, Wash. (6-0)

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

Records though 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 2021 season. Follow him on X (formerlyTwitter) at @clawlor.