No. 14 Sunnyslope (AZ) enters Blue Star Media Elite 25 boys’ basketball rankings after bagging Panini Hoophall West chip; lineup reshuffle features 19 changes

BENSALEM, Pa. – There is no shortage of boys’ national basketball events. Just when the holiday season in December cleared, the New Year rings in with events ranging from Chicago to La Porte, Indiana to the DMV.

First, the latest additions to the Blue Star Media Elite 25 boys’ basketball rankings. No. 14 Sunnyslope (Phoenix) won the loaded Panini Hoophall West Traditional Bracket championship in Mesa, Ariz. Darius Wabbington, a talented junior center, was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player. No. 18 Webb School (Knoxville, Tenn.) entered on the strength of securing the Classic at Tennessee High School title in Bristol, Tenn., and beat No. 25 Bishop O’Connell (Arlington, Va.) in the final. Webb is considered Tennessee’s top-ranked team.

This week four teams remained the same, there were two newbies, 10 rose in the Elite 25 while nine dropped with No. 20 Millenium (Goodyear, Ariz.) going down seven and two others lost six slots.

The reshuffle meant 19 teams shifted positions with the Panini Hoophall West contributing to the movement and new look. No. 14 Sunnyslope is living proof of joining the Elite 25 after winning the Traditional Bracket with a 3-0 mark against meaningful teams.

As for big-time events, the Grind Session Mustang Madness pulls into McCracken High School in Paducah, Kentucky starting on Thursday through Sunday.

The Nike EYBL Scholastic La Porte (Ind.) Invitational runs for three days, starting Friday, for 10 games with four Elite 25 teams. The schedule is here.

In Chicagoland, the Highland (Ill.) Shootout is Saturday with several top-notch teams from the Midwest. The seven-game lineup is here. The key matchup is East St. Louis (Ill.) vs. No. 13 Principia School (St. Louis, Mo.) tips at 6 p.m. CT.

Capitol Hoops Challenge

It’s commonly known in grassroots basketball, the DMV is fertile training ground for boys and girls on the high school and club levels. So, if live near Washington, D.C., head over to DeMatha Catholic High School in Hyattsville, Maryland for Capitol Hoops Challenge on Saturday and Sunday. Select games will be shown on the Monumental Sports Network.

Saturday’s lineup
Fairfax Christian (Va.) vs Tech Prep (D.C.), 10 a.m.; Clinton Grace (Md.) vs St. John’s (College D.C.), 11:45 a.m.; No. 5 St. Paul VI Catholic (Va.) vs Davidson Day (N.C.), 1:30 p.m.; Monsignor Scanlon (N.Y.) vs. Bishop McNamara, 3:15 p.m., in the girls showcase game; St. Benedict’s (N.J.) vs. DeMatha, 5 p.m.; Largo (Md.) vs. Mount Zion Prep (Md.), 6:45 p.m.; No. 19 Montverde Academy (Fla.) vs. Eleanor Roosevelt (Md.), 8:30 p.m.

Sunday

Good Counsel (Md.) vs. Riverdale Baptist School (Md.), 9:15 a.m.; Bullis School (Md.) vs. St. Frances Academy, 11 a.m., in the girls showcase game; Bethel Academy (Va.) vs. Georgetown Prep (Md.), 12:45 p.m.; Archbishop Spalding (Md.) vs. Gonzaga (D.C.), 2:30 p.m.; Clinton Grace (Md.) vs. St. Andrew’s Episcopal School (Md.), 4:15 p.m.; Bishop McNamara (Md.) vs. Jackson-Reed (D.C.), 6 p.m.; and Fairfax Christian (Va.) vs. St. Stephen’s & St. Agnes (Va.), 7:45 p.m.

With so many events, get out and watch the game.

That’s it for the first week of January. The Blue Star Media Elite 25 boys’ basketball rankings return on Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026.

Bye for now. Happy New Year!

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

Blue Star Media Elite 25 Boys’ Basketball Rankings, Jan. 6, 2026

1. Link Academy, Branson, Mo. (15-0)

Previous rank: 1.

Lowdown: Idle. The Lions play at the Nike EYBL Scholastic LaPorte (Ind.) Invitational this weekend.

2. Spire Academy, Geneva, Ohio (12-1)

Previous: 4.

Lowdown: Won the John Wall Invitational Coby White Bracket in Raleigh, N.C. Also defeated No. 8 AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.), 72-50, and 5. Oak Cliff Faith Family (Dallas), 59-45 (15-5) at the Panini Hoophall West Nike EYBL Scholastic in Mesa, Ariz.

3. Prolific Prep, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (18-2)

Previous: 3.

Lowdown: Defeated Westtown School (West Chester, Pa.), 70-47, at the Governor’s Challenge in Maryland.

4. La Lumiere School, La Porte, Ind. (11-0)

Previous: 6.

Lowdown: Idle.

5. St. Paul VI Catholic, Chantilly, Va. (11-1)

Previous: 7.

Lowdown: St. John’s College (Washington, D.C.), 74-57, at the Behan Strong Classic in Washington. Jordan Smith Jr. scored 29 points. The Panthers face Bishop McNamara (Forestville, Md.) Tuesday in a Washington Catholic Athletic Conference early season showdown.

6. Sierra Canyon School, Chatsworth, Calif. (13-1)

Previous: 8.

Lowdown: Won Les Schwab Invitational championship in Portland, Oregon and then beat St. Mary’s (Phoenix), 77-45, at the Hoophall West in Mesa, Ariz. Brandon McCoy scored 18 and Brannon Martinsen added 17 in Arizona.

7. Brewster Academy, Wolfeboro, N.H. (13-1)

Previous: 9.

Lowdown: Idle.

8. AZ Compass Prep, Chandler, Ariz. (11-1)

Previous: 2.

Lowdown: The Dragons split two games at the Panini Hoophall West Nike EYBL Scholastic in Mesa, Ariz.

9. CIA Bella Vista Prep, Phoenix (12-3)

Previous: 5.

Lowdown: The Bears split two games at the Hoophall West and Nike EYBL Scholastic, defeating Faith Family Academy (Dallas), 66-52, and lost to No. 8 AZ Compass Prep, 63-59.

10. Dynamic Prep School, Irving, Texas (14-1)

Previous: 11.

Lowdown: Defeated Dream City Christian (Glendale, Ariz.), 62-51, at the Panini Hoophall West in Mesa, Ariz.

11. Seven Lakes, Katy, Texas (22-0)

Previous: 12.

Lowdown: Won the VYPE Holiday Classic Campbell Division. Also beat Tompkins (Katy), 75-48, in district play.

12. Archbishop Stepinac, White Plains, N.Y. (7-4)

Previous: 14.

Lowdown: Darius Ratliff, a USC signee, produced a double-double of 19 points and 12 boards in a 59-50 win over archrival Iona Prep (New Rochelle) at the Slam Dunk Showcase X Crusader Classic in White Plains, Ratliff was the game MVP. Up next is Nazareth Regional (Brooklyn) on Saturday afternoon.

13. Principia School, St. Louis (10-1)

Previous: 16.

Lowdown: Defeated Houston (Germantown, Tenn.), 72-59, at the Memphis Hoopfest.

14. Sunnyslope, Phoenix (16-1)

Previous: Not ranked.

Lowdown: Won the Panini Hoophall West Traditional Bracket championship with a 3-0 record and defeated No. 22 Wheeler (Marietta, Ga.), 61-59, in the championship game. Junior Darius Wabbington, a 6-10 center, was the MVP after contributing 23 points, 9 rebounds and 3 assists in the final.

15. Bartlett, Tenn. (13-2)

Previous: 18.

Lowdown: Won the Battle For Nashville, defeating Knoxville (Tenn.) Catholic, 78-57, in the final. Also beat then-No. 10 Southeastern Prep Academy (Orlando, Fla.), 68-62, at the Memphis Hoopfest

16. Southeastern Prep Academy, Orlando, Fla. (17-6)

Previous: 10.

Lowdown: Placed second at the John Wall Invitational Coby White Bracket. Also defeated Whitehaven (Memphis), 74-60 and lost to No. 18 Bartlett (Tenn.), 68-62, at the Memphis Hoopfest.

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

Previous: 20.

Lowdown: Idle.

18. Webb School, Knoxville, Tenn. (17-2)

Previous: Not ranked.

Lowdown: Won the Classic at Tennessee High School in Bristol, Tenn., defeating then-No. 23 Bishop O’Connell (Arlington, Va.), 61-59, in the final.

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

Previous: 19.

Lowdown: Idle.

20. Millenium, Goodyear, Ariz. (14-2)

Previous: 13.

Lowdown: Finished third in the Panini Hoophall West Traditional Bracket, defeating DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.), 70-62, in the consolation game.

21. IMG Academy, Bradenton, Fla. (11-4)

Previous: 15.

Lowdown: Went 1-2 in the John Wall Holiday Invitational Coby White Bracket. Defeated North Broward Prep (Coconut Creek, Fla.), 67-57, at Sun Bash in St. Petersburg, Fla.

22. Wheeler, Marietta, Ga. (11-3)

Previous: 21.

Lowdown: Finished second in the Hoophall West Traditional Bracket, losing to No. 14 Sunnyslope (Phoenix), 61-59, in the final.

23. Columbus, Miami (12-3)

Previous: 22.

Lowdown: Placed second at the Les Schwab Invitational in Portland, Oregon, losing to No. 8 Sierra Canyon School (Chatsworth, Calif.), 67-60, in the final.

24. Sunrise Christian School, Bel Aire, Kan. (8-2)

Previous: 24.

Lowdown: Idle.

25. Bishop O’Connell, Arlington, Va. (12-2)

Previous: 23.

Lowdown: Placed second at the Classic at Tennessee High School in Bristol, Tenn. The Knights play host DePaul Prep (Chicago) Saturday in the Steve Pappas Shootout.

Dropped: No. 17 DePaul Prep (Chicago) and No. 25 Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.).

High-Fives by Region

East

1. Christ the King, Middle Village, N.Y. (9-1)
2. Long Island Lutheran, Brookville, N.Y. (4-5)
3. Bergen Catholic, Oradell, N.J. (6-1)
4. Mount Carmel, Baltimore (15-3)
5. St. Frances Academy, Baltimore (18-3)

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

Midwest

1. Wisconsin Lutheran, Milwaukee (9-0)
2. Fishers, Ind. (10-0)
3. Benet Academy, Lisle, Ill. (17-1)
4. DePaul Prep, Chicago (14-2)
5. East Lansing, Mich. (8-0)

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

Southland

1. Forsyth Country Day, Lewisville, N.C. (18-0)
2. Greensboro (N.C.) Day (22-2)
3. Grayson, Loganville, Ga. (13-1)
4. Gadsden City, Gadsden, Ala. (21-1)
5. Oak Cliff Faith Family, Dallas (15-5)

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

Far West

1. Santa Margarita, Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif. (19-2)
2. Rainier Beach, Seattle (10-1)
3. Redondo Union, Redondo Beach, Calif. (16-3)
4. Harvard-Westlake, Studio City, Calif. (17-2)
5. Wasatch Academy, Mount Pleasant, Utah (9-4)

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 High School Boys Basketball Rankings are released weekly from October 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 in April of the 2025-26 season. Follow him on X at @clawlor.