No. 15 St. Paul VI (VA) secures 2nd title with Alhambra Invitational tipping off this weekend; No. 22 Beaumont United (TX), No. 24 Columbus (FL) enters Blue Star Media Elite 25 boys’ rankings

BENSALEM, Pa. – Think No. 15 St. Paul VI of Chantilly, Virginia is running on fumes? That what happens when the stakes are raised not once but twice in the same week.

Understand the Panthers pulled off the rare double in one week by winning the uber competitive Washington Catholic Athletic Conference on Feb. 28 and then turned around two days, wiping the delirium from their eyes, and hit restart in the quarterfinals of the Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association Division 1 state championship. That’s two high pressure events within five days.

Rewind to the WCAC final. The Panthers (29-4) needed a tip-in at the buzzer by freshman Jaquan Womack to edge Bishop McNamara (Forestville, MD.), 43-42. Two days later, Ben Hammond drained a 3-pointer with 20 seconds left to break a 56-all tie en route to a 59-56 win over Catholic (Virginia Beach).

Phew!

The Panthers then clinched their sixth VISAA state title on Saturday with the last one was in 2020 (joining ones from 2009, ’12, ’14 and ’18).

But wait there’s more. PVI has one more mountain to climb this weekend at the 60^th Alhambra Catholic Invitational Tournament in Cumberland, Md. The Alhambra might be the nation’s most prestigious postseason tournament. It’s played over three days, tipping off on Thursday, at Bobcat Arena on the campus Frostburg State University. PVI has three games against national competition, making it more treacherous than every state tournament. Eight teams with big-time pedigrees compose the field. Everyone plays three games.

Here’s the quarterfinal draw for Thursday (All times Eastern):

St. Frances Academy (Baltimore) vs. Bishop McNamara (Forestville, Md.), 4 p.m.

Bishop Walsh (Cumberland, Md.) vs. DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.), 5:45 p.m.

Long Island Lutheran (Brookville, N.Y.) vs. Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.), 7:30 p.m.

St. Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.) vs. Mount St. Joseph (Baltimore), 9:15 p.m.

The semifinals are Friday and the final is Saturday at 8:15 p.m.

PVI’s draw, Mount St. Joseph, is no slouch. The Gaels won the Baltimore Catholic League title on Sunday and the previous week, they annexed the MIAA A Conference crown. So, both teams are double winners. Should be a heck of a game.

With all the state championship clinched and the ones that are on the cusp, there were two teams added to the Elite 25 rankings from the power states of Florida and Texas.

In Florida, No. 24 Columbus (Miami) captured the Class 7A state championship last weekend, knocking off defending 7A title holders Dr. Phillips (Orlando), 46-45, in an exciting final in Lakeland. What’s so interesting about the Columbus Explorers is the entire starting lineup will return next season. When the Explorers won their 29^th game over a battle-tested, experienced squad, they did it with three precocious freshmen, a sophomore and a junior in the starting five.

Two notable freshmen include 6 feet 4 inch twins Cayden and Cameron Boozer, whose father played in the NBA with the Cavaliers, Lakers, Bulls and Jazz. Expect the Explorers to be a fixture in the 2022-23 Elite 25 preseason rankings.

They also have a shot at participating in the GEICO High School State Champions Nationals in April. Beating Dr. Phillips certainly opens the door for that possibility.

No. 22 Beaumont (Texas) United re-enters the rankings after reaching the University Interscholastic League Class 5A state tournament for the second straight season. A year ago, the Timberwolves won the 5A title and now they go for the repeat. They play Kimball (Dallas), a team they beat for the title in 2021, on Thursday in the semifinals at the Alamodome in San Antonio.

At the same venue, No. 7 Duncanville (Texas) is going for a rare three-peat in Class 6A or the state’s largest classification. The Panthers play Atascocita (Humble) Friday in the semifinals with the winner meeting Westlake (Austin) or McKinney for the title on Saturday.

This week’s rankings feature four teams that have won at least one postseason tournament title. Eight teams moved up one slot and eight more received a two-spot bump up. Ten teams are going for state or major tournament championships this week. No. 23 Richardson (Texas) tumbled 18 positions after a shock loss in the region quarterfinals and remaining in the Elite 25 final ranking is dicey at best.

GEICO Nationals

As for the GEICO High School Nationals, the eight boys’ academy teams will be revealed on March 15 or 16. This is the most likely scenario: Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.). La Lumiere School (La Porte, Ind.), IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.), Sunrise Christian Academy (Bel Aire, Kan.), Montverde (Fla.) Academy, Link Academy (Branson, Mo.) and AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.). The final team could be St. Benedict’s Prep (Newark, N.J.), Southern Cal Academy (Los Angeles) or Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.).

The star-studded tournament will be played in Fort Myers, Florida from March 31-April 2. The girls’ four-team field will be announced at the same time as will the newly-formed GEICO Public State Champions Nationals brackets. Last week, it appeared to be clear but a series of upsets in state tournaments threw a spanner in the gears.

The likely four boys teams will come from Utah, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Washington, District of Columbia and Nevada. Calvary Christian Academy (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), Columbus (Miami), Berkmar (Lilburn, Ga.), Perry (Gilbert, Ariz.) and Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.) are solid candidates. The picture will be crystal clear by Sunday.

Once the GEICO Nationals’ brackets are released, we’ll have it.

Shooting Stars

More good news out of Portland, Oregon as it was announced the Nike Hoop Summit is back after a two-year absence.

The high school boys’ senior all-star game with Americans taking on 19-and-under international players is slated for the Moda Center in Portland, at 10 p.m. EDT on April 8. Tipoff is scheduled for 10 p.m. EDT.

Selected by the USA Basketball Men’s Developmental National Team Committee, the 2022 USA Nike Hoop Summit Team features 12 top-recruited athletes from across the country. The U.S. will be led by head coach Joe Mantegna of Blair Academy (N.J.), and assistant coaches Scott Fitch of Fairport (N.Y.) and Chet Mason of Brush (Ohio).

Nine of the top 10 prospects headline the USA’s roster, including No. 1 recruit Dereck Lively , a 7-foot center from Westtown School (Pa.). Lively, who has committed to Duke, will play alongside fellow future Blue Devil Dariq Whitehead of Montverde (Va.) Academy and Kyle Filipowski of Wilbraham & Monson (Mass.).

Teammates at North Little Rock High School (Ark.), Nick Smith Jr. and Kel’el Ware the seventh set of high school teammates to make a USA Nike Hoop Summit Team. Amari Bailey of Sierra Canyon School (Chatsworth, Calif.) was a member of the U.S. team that went 6-0 en route to the 2019 FIBA Americas U16 title.

Along with Filipowski, Gradey Dick of Sunrise Christian Academy (Bel Aire, Kan.) and Keyonte George of IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) won gold at the 2021 FIBA 3×3 U18 World Cup last summer.

The U.S. roster also includes Dillon Mitchell of Montverde Academy, Jarace Walker of IMG Academy, JJ Starling of La Lumiere School (Ind.) and Cam Whitmore of Archbishop Spalding (Severn, Md.).

It was announced on March 7 that Cason Wallace of Richardson (Texas) will no longer participate in the Nike Hoop Summit.

The entire USA roster is here. The 2022 World Select Team will be announced at a later date and will draw players from FIBA Africa, FIBA Americas, FIBA Asia, FIBA Europe and FIBA Oceania, with approved sanction of FIBA, the governing body of international basketball.

That’s it for the first week in March. Thankfully, we’ve reached March and every weekend there will be new state champions crowned.

The Blue Star Media Elite 25 boys’ rankings will return on March 15.

Stay safe and make sure your vaccines are up to date. Don’t forget to turn your clocks ahead on Saturday for daylight savings time and on Selection Sunday the March Madness NCAA Men’s Basketball brackets will be revealed. Good luck filling out those brackets.

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

Blue Star Media Elite 25 Boys’ Basketball Rankings, March 8, 2022

1. Sunrise Christian Academy, Bel Aire, Kan. (25-1)

Previous rank: 1.

The Low-down: Idle. Up next is the GEICO Nationals quarterfinals on March 31 in Fort Myers, Fla.

2. Link Academy, Branson, Mo. (30-1)

Previous: 2.

The Low-down: The Lions will play two high-powered games at the Top Gun Showcase on Saturday and Sunday.

3. IMG Academy, Bradenton, Fla. (22-4)

Previous: 3.

The Low-down: Idle. Up next is a trip to the GEICO Nationals.

4. Montverde (Fla.) Academy (21-4)

Previous: 4.

The Low-down: Idle. The Eagles await the GEICO Nationals on March 31 in Fort Myers, Fla.

5. La Lumiere School, La Porte, Ind. (20-4)

Previous: 6.

The Low-down: Idle. On Monday, March 7, Notre Dame-bound guard JJ Starling was added to the 2022 USA Nike Hoop Summit Team. Starling previously participated in the 2019 USA Junior National Team April minicamp.

6. AZ Compass Prep, Chandler, Ariz. (24-3)

Previous: 7.

The Low-down: Idle. The Dragons won’t play again until this weekend at the Top Gun Showcase. After that it’s the GEICO Nationals on March 31 in Fort Myers, Fla.

7. Duncanville, Texas (33-1)

Previous: 8.

The Low-down: Won the Class 6A, Region II championship, beating Garland, 61-38, in the final. It was the Panthers’ 24^thstraight postseason victory. Junior Ashton Hardaway knocked down five 3-pointers for a team-high 15 points. Ron Holland also scored 15. The Panthers also defeated Cypress Ranch (Houston), 72-59, in the semifinals. Now they will play Atascocita (Humble) Friday in the Class 6A semifinals inside the Alamodome in San Antonio.

8. Corona (Calif.) Centennial (31-1)

Previous: 9.

The Low-down: In the CIF-Southern Region Open Division semifinals, the Huskies topped Bishop Montgomery (Torrance), 76-55. The Huskies play No. 12 Sierra Canyon School (Chatsworth) in the Region final. The state final is Saturday inside the Golden 1 Arena in Sacramento.

9. Oak Hill Academy, Mouth of Wilson, Va. (33-7)

Previous: 10.

The Low-down: Closed out the regular season, defeating First Love Christian (Washington, Pa.), 81-65. Judah Mintz and Devin Ree scored 18 points apiece. It was the final home game at Turner Gymnasium for coach Steve Smith, who after 37 years is retiring. The Warriors will rest up for a few weeks before the GEICO Nationals on March 31 in Fort Myers, Fla.

10. Calvary Christian Academy, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (24-2)*

Previous: 11.

The Low-down: Won FHSAA Class 4A state championship, beating Jackson (Jacksonville), 74-58, in the final. Gregg Glenn had 19 points and 7 rebounds and Carl Cherenfant scored 16. In the semifinals, the Eagles edged Lake Highland Prep (Orlando), 62-60. Marvel Allen scored 19 points. The regular season is complete but an invitational to GEICO Nationals in April is in the works.

11. Camden, N.J. (27-2)

Previous: 12.

The Low-down: The Panthers downed Manchester Township, 92-42, in the Group 2, South Jersey semifinals, Medford Tech, 98-64, in the quarterfinals and Oakcrest (Mays Landing), 105-51, in the first round. They played Haddonfield Monday in the sectional final. The state semifinals are Wednesday and the Group 2 final is Sunday afternoon.

12. Sierra Canyon School, Chatsworth, Calif. (26-4)

Previous: 14.

The Low-down: Defeated then-No. 13 Harvard-Westlake (Studio City), 72-55, in the CIF-Southern Region Open Division semifinals. In the first round, they stopped St. Augustine (San Diego), 80-74. The Blazers play No. 9 Corona Centennial in the Region final on Tuesday. The state final is Saturday in Sacramento.

13. Glenbard West, Glen Ellyn, Ill. (34-1)

Previous: 15.

The Low-down: Won the Class 4A Sectional title, beating Wheaton-Warrenville South, 68-41, in the final. In the semifinals, the Hilltoppers beat Naperville North, 59-30. They faced Larkin Monday in the SuperSectional. The 4A state tournament will be played Friday and Saturday in Champaign.

14. Roselle (N.J.) Catholic (24-2)

Previous: 16.

The Low-down: Jamarques Lawrence  and Simeon Wilcher scored 18 points apiece in a 109-56 blowout of Wardlaw-Hartridge (Edison) in the Non-Public B North quarterfinals. The Lions played Morris Catholic (Denville) Monday in the semifinals. The North final is Wednesday and the state championship is Saturday.

15. St. Paul VI, Chantilly, Va. (29-4)**

Previous: 17.

The Low-down: The Washington Catholic Athletic Conference champions added the Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association Division 1 championship after beating St. Stephen’s & At. Agnes (Alexandria), 56-52, in the final and Episcopal (Alexandria), 70-49, in the semifinals. DeShawn Harris-Smith contributed 14 points and sophomore Ben Hammond added 12 in the title tilt. In the quarterfinals, Ben Hammond drilled a long 3-pointer with 26 seconds left to break a 56-all tie and the Panthers held off Catholic (Virginia Beach), 59-58. The action reignites on Thursday against Mount St. Joseph (Baltimore) at the Alhambra Catholic Invitational Tournament quarterfinals in Cumberland, Md. That’s a tortious first assignment at one of the nation’s most prestigious events.

16. Centerville, Ohio (26-0)

Previous: 18.

The Low-down: The Elks defeated Lakota West (West Chester), 80-53, in the Division 1 district final. They are off the to the regionals meeting Fairmont (Kettering) on Wednesday.

17. Archbishop Stepinac, White Plains, N.Y. (25-3)

Previous: 19.

The Low-down: At the CHSAA Class AA intersectional quarterfinals, the Crusaders clubbed St. Raymond (Bronx), 86-51. Sophomore guard Boogie Fland bucketed a game-high 33 points with 7 rebounds and 2 steals and Isaiah Alexander added 14 points and 5 rebounds. Up next is Bishop Loughlin (Brooklyn) Wednesday in the AA semifinals and the championship game is Friday. Both rounds will be played at Hofstra University’s Mack Sports Complex in Hempstead.

18. North Little Rock, Ark. (27-3)

Previous: 20.

The Low-down: Defeated Central (Little Rock), 58-40, in the Class 6A semifinals and Springdale, 79-40, in the quarterfinals. Arkansas-bound Nick Smith scored 24 points in the semifinals and the Charging Wildcats play for the 6A state title on Thursday in Hot Springs.

19. St. Benedict’s, Newark, N.J. (25-1)*

Previous: 21.

The Low-down: The Gray Bees doubled up Prestige Prep (Linden), 122-61. Everton Browne had a career night, scorching the nets for 50 points, sinking 12 3-pointers, and handing out 6 assists. Omarion Jett-Dobbs had 20 points and 10 assists and Jahlijah Grant added a double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds. Now coach Mark Taylor’s club waits for an invitation to the GEICO Nationals. Season complete.

20. Prolific Prep, Napa, Calif. (25-5)…M12-Grind

Previous: 22.

The Low-down: Idle.

21. Cardinal Hayes, Bronx, N.Y. (24-3)

Previous: 25.

The Low-down: At the CHSAA Class AA Intersectional quarterfinals, the Cardinals downed Christ the King (Middle Village), 70-47. Coach Joe Lods takes his team into the semifinals, where they will face St. Francis Prep (Fresh Meadows) Wednesday at Hofstra University in Hempstead.

22. Beaumont (Texas) United (34-3)

Previous: Not ranked.

The Low-down: The Timberwolves return to the Elite 25 rankings after advancing to the Class 5A state tournament, where they will continue their title defense on Thursday versus Kimball (Dallas) in the semifinals at the Alamodome in San Antonio. In the Region III final, the Wolves knocked off Crosby, 63-57.

23. Richardson, Texas (32-2)

Previous: 5.

The Low-down: Upset by McKinney, 54-52, in the UIL Class 6A, Region I quarterfinals. Alabama-bound Rylan Griffen scored 25 points and Cason Wallace closed with 20. Season complete.

24. Columbus, Miami (29-2)*

Previous: Not ranked.

The Low-down: Won the FHSAA Class 7A state championship, edging Dr. Phillips (Orlando), 45-44, in the final. Cameron (17 points, 8 rebounds) and Cayden (9 points, 2 rebounds) Boozer combined for 26 points and 10 rebounds. The Boozers are freshman twin sons of former NBA and Duke University star Carlos Boozer. In the semifinals, Cameron Boozer totaled 18 points, 16 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 blocks in a 69-54 win over Lake Worth. The Explorers are eligible for the GEICO Nationals State Public champions event in April. Regular season is complete.

25. Bishop Gorman, Las Vegas (30-1)

Previous: 23.

The Low-down: Advanced to Class 5A final. Season complete.

Dropped out: No. 24 Westfield (Houston) and No. 25 Harvard-Westlake (Studio City, Calif. ).

High-Fives by Region

East

1. Long Island Lutheran, Brookville, N.Y. (18-5)
2. Imhotep Prep Charter, Philadelphia (23-4)
3. Mount St. Joseph, Baltimore (31-5)**
4. Sidwell Friends, Washington, D.C. (29-1)*
5. St. Francis Prep, Fresh Meadows, N.Y. (22-3)

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

Midwest

1. Glenbrook South, Glenview, Ill. (33-2)
2. Whitney Young, Chicago (24-9)*
3. Chesterton, Ind. (26-0)
4. Simeon, Chicago (27-5)
5. Grand Rapids (Mich.) Catholic Central (19-1)

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

Southland

1. Westlake, Austin, Texas (38-1)
2. Berkmar, Lilburn, Ga. (26-4)
3. George Rogers Clark, Winchester, Ky. (31-1)
4. Weddington, Matthews, N.C. (30-0)
5. Carmel Christian, Matthews, N.C. (26-3)*

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

Far West

1. Campolindo, Moraga, Calif. (28-1)
2. Perry, Gilbert, Ariz. (25-5)*
3. Liberty, Henderson, Nev. (22-4)*
4. Tualatin, Ore. (23-2)
5. Modesto (Calif.) Christian (29-5)

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

Records through Sunday’s games

 * Won state, national or recognized conference/league postseason tournament championship [Note: Multiple asterisks indicate a school has won at least two postseason titles]

About: The Blue Star Media Elite 25 High School Boys’ Basketball 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 in April. Follow him on Twitter at @clawlor.