No. 16 Roman Catholic (PA) re-enters Blue Star Media Elite 25 boys’ basketball rankings

BENSALEM, Pa. – Here are the latest Blue Star Media Elite 25 boys’ basketball rankings.

No. 16 Roman Catholic (Philadelphia) re-enters the rankings following two very impressive victories.

The next Elite 25 rankings will appear on March 10. In the meantime, please support your local high school teams in the playoffs and on senior nights. There are plenty of great stories and players out there. Drop us an email if there is a story idea or special player locally. We are listening. Hope to see you at a game soon. – Christopher Lawlor

Blue Star Media Elite 25 Boys Basketball Rankings, March 3, 2015

1. Oak Hill Academy, Mouth of Wilson, Va. (44-0)**

Previous rank: 1.

Low down: Waxed Genesis Academy (Lynchburg), 100-51. The Warriors close out the regular season on Tuesday with Southwest Christian Academy (Little Rock, Ark.).

2. Montverde (Fla.) Academy (28-1)

Previous: 2.

Low down: Idle. Next up is the Dick’s High School National Tournament, an event the Eagles are the two time defending champions. Regular season complete.

3. Findlay Prep, Henderson, Nev. (28-2)

Previous: 3.

Low down: The Pilots grounded Impact Academy (Las Vegas), 110-76, in regular season finale. Before the game, former coach Michael Peck became first member of the school’s Hall of Fame. Great choice. The Pilots are off until the Dick’s Sporting Good High School National Tournament tipping on April 2 in New York. Regular season complete.

4. Cape Henry Collegiate, Virginia Beach, Va. (31-2)*

Previous: 4.

Low down: Won Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association Division I championship, shading Paul VI (Fairfax), 54-53, as Malik Marrow sank both free throws to win it with 17.6 seconds to go. In the quarterfinals, they beat Fork Union Military Academy, 67-31, and St. Christopher’s (Richmond), 75-61, in the semifinals. Now the Dolphins await their formal invitation to the Dick’s Nationals from April 2 to 4 in New York. Season complete.

5. Wheeler, Marietta, Ga. (30-2)

Previous: 5.

Low down: Defeated Tucker74-64, in the Class AAAAAA semifinals and Newton, 72-54, in the quarterfinals. The final is Saturday against Pebblebrook (Mableton) in Macon.

6. Bishop Montgomery, Torrance, Calif. (29-1)

Previous: 6.

Low down: Clipped Orange Lutheran, 69-47, in the CIF-Southern Section Open Division semifinals. Stephen Thompson Jr. dropped in 20 points to ease the Knights past Cathedral (Los Angeles), 59-47, in the quarterfinals. They will play Mater Dei (Santa Ana) or Etiwanda in the final at the Honda Center in Anaheim.

7. Plano West, Plano, Texas (28-2)

Previous: 7.

Low down: Soso Jamabo scored 22 points to lift the Wolves over Coppell, 69-60, in the Class 6A, Region 1 Area playoff game. Tyler Davis (28 points) D.J. Hogg (21) teamed for 49 points during a 64-43 win over Timber Creek (Keller) in the bi-district playoff.

8. St. Vincent-St. Mary, Akron, Ohio (22-0)

Previous: 8.

Low down: Closed out the regular season with wins over Hoover (Akron), 83-51, and Canton McKinley, 78-59. Henry Baddley totaled 34 points in two games. The Fighting Irish launch the postseason on Friday against Springfield (Akron) or Canal Fulton Northwest in the Division II Canton District quarterfinals.

9. Ely, Pompano Beach, Fla. (29-0)*

Previous: 9.

Low down: Won Class 7A state championship, pulling away in the fourth quarter from Osceola (Kissimmee), 72-60. In the semifinals, the Tigers defeated North Port, 91-59. The Dick’s National will be calling. Book it! Season complete.

10. St. Anthony, Jersey City, N.J. (24-1)

Previous: 10.

Low down: Waxed Marlboro, 87-37, Bishop Eustace (Pennsauken), 67-32, and Columbia (Maplewood), 91-44. The Friars open the Non-Public North B tournament Friday against Montclair Kimberley Academy or Newark Academy (Livingston) in the quarterfinals on Friday.

11. Corona del Sol, Tempe, Ariz. (32-1)

Previous: 11.

Low down: The Aztecs aim for a fourth straight state title after beating  Chaparral (Scottsdale), 79-70, in the Division I semifinals. Freshman C Marvin Bagley III had 19 points and 10 rebounds and Alex Barcello dropped in a game-high 23 points Bagley produced 23 points and 11 rebounds to defeat Phoenix Central, 67-61, in the quarterfinals. The season concludes Monday in the state final with Desert Vista (Phoenix). The Aztecs have won 69 straight games against Arizona competition and are 121-7 since the 2011-12 season.

12. Mater Dei, Santa Ana, Calif. (26-3)

Previous: 12.

Low down: The Monarchs host Etiwanda in the CIF-Southern Section Open Division semifinals on Tuesday. La’Vette Parker and Notre Dame-bound Rex Pflueger teamed for 45 points in a 73-62 victory over Chino Hills in the quarterfinals. The semifinal winner plays No. 6 Bishop Montgomery (Torrance) on Saturday for the hardware.

13. La Lumiere School, La Porte, Ind. (23-2)

Previous: 13.

Low down: Idle. The Lakers now hope for an invitational to the Dick’s Nationals in New York. Season complete.

14. Huntington (W.Va.) Prep (29-2)

Previous: 14.

Low down: Walloped Teays Valley Christian (Scott Depot, W.Va.), 134-57. The Irish close out the regular season with Southwest Christian Academy (Little Rock, Ark.) on Monday. Then it’s just a formality when they are extended an invite to the Dick’s Nationals from April 2 to 4 in New York.

15. Fairfax, Los Angeles (29-2)

Previous: 16.

Low down: The Lions advanced to the CIF-Los Angeles City Section Open Division final, beating El Camino Real (Woodland Hills), 67-52, in the semifinals. Awaiting them for the chip o Saturday is archrivals Westchester (Los Angeles), a team they split two games during the regular season.

16. Roman Catholic, Philadelphia (24-2)*

Previous: Not ranked.

Low down: Won first Philadelphia Catholic League championship since 2007, beating regionally ranked rivals Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia), 64-59. Also nipped Martin Luther King (Philadelphia), 58-57, in Class AAAA City Title game. Now the postseason really heats up starting Saturday in the Class AAAA first round with Downingtown West.

17. Bishop O’Dowd, Oakland, Calif. (22-4)

Previous: 19.

Low down: The Dragons defeated Alhambra, 84-51, in the CIF-North Coast Section Division III quarterfinals. Next up are the semifinals against Campolindo (Moraga) on Wednesday.

18. Muskegon, Mich. (18-1)

Previous: 20.

Low down: The Big Reds clinched the OK Black Division title, ripping Kenowa Hills (Grand Rapids), 87-40, Deyonta Davis had 22 points. Also stopped Grand Rapids Union, 74-40, as Joeviair Kennedy threw in 20 points and Davis contributed 16 points, 12 rebounds and 6 blocks.

19. Greensboro (N.C.) Day (33-2)*

Previous: 21.

Low down: Won the NCISAA 3A state championship, beating then-No. 15 Wesleyan Christian (High Point), 44-34, in final. The Bengals defeated their league rivals twice this season. Also pounded Providence Day (Charlotte), 61-44, in semifinals and Charlotte Latin, 65-49, in the quarterfinals. The Dick’s Nationals should be calling; the invite to the prestigious New York event is forthcoming. Season complete.

20. Providence School, Jacksonville, Fla. (31-1)*

Previous: 22.

Low down: Won Class 3A state championship, dropping Sagemont (Weston), 67-58. It is the program’s third overall crown. In the semifinals, the Stallions clipped The First Academy (Orlando), 60-52. Season complete.

21. Cardinal Gibbons, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (32-1)*

Previous: 23.

Low down: Won Class 5A state championship, stopping Rickards (Tallahassee), 74-58. Junior G Maverick Brown scored 26 points as Gibbons captured its first-ever state title. In the semifinals, the Chiefs ripped Gibbs (St. Petersburg), 73-38, as Brown contributed 34 points and cleared 9 rebounds. Season complete.

22.  Simeon, Chicago (24-3)

Previous: 23.

Low down: Idle. The Class 4A sectionals start this week.

23. Stevenson, Lincolnshire, Ill. (23-3)

Previous: 25.

Low down: The Patriots open the postseason Monday night in the Class 4A sectionals. In the regular season finale, they captured a third-straight Northern Suburban Conference title, beating Vernon Hills, 60-39. Jalen Brunson had 20 points and 6 dimes and Connor Cashaw added 13 points and cleared 7 boards.

24. Sierra Canyon School, Chatsworth, Calif. (22-4)

Previous: 17.

Low down: In the CIF-Southern Section Open Division quarterfinals, the Trailblazers lost to Etiwanda, 65-60, in the quarterfinals.

25. Wesleyan Christian School, High Point, N.C. (30-5)

Previous: 17.

Low down: Lost in North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association 3A state tournament final to then_No.  21 Greensboro Day School, 44-34. Beat Christ School (Arden), 79-71, in the semifinals and Rabun Gap (Ga.)-Nacoochee School, 50-38 in the quarterfinals. Season complete.

Dropped out: No. 18. DeMatha, Hyattsville, Md.

High-Fives by Region

East

1. DeMatha, Hyattsville, Md. (27-4)

2. Neumann-Goretti, Philadelphia (24-2)

3. Jefferson, Brooklyn, N.Y. (26-3)

4. Sacred Heart, Waterbury, Conn. (21-0)

5. Calvert Hall College, Baltimore (29-5)*

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

Midlands

1. East Kentwood, Kentwood, Mich. (20-0)

2. Champlin Park, Champlin, Minn. (27-0)

3. Western, Detroit (18-0)

4. Reitz, Evansville, Ind. (23-1)

5. St. Rita, Chicago (23-3)

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

South

1. Jonesboro, Ga. (31-1)

2. Callaway, Jackson, Miss. (28-3)

3. Atascocita, Humble, Texas (33-1)

4. Ballard, Louisville, Ky. (28-2)

5. Parkview, Little Rock, Ark. (21-1)

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

Far West

1. Bishop Gorman, Las Vegas (27-6)*

2. Rainier Beach, Seattle (23-2)

3. Etiwanda, Calif. (22-7)

4. Garfield, Seattle (24-2)

5. Corona (Calif.) Centennial (22-5)

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

* Won state, national or conference postseason tournament championship

** Includes forfeit victory

 About: The Blue Star Media Elite 25 High School Boys’ Basketball Rankings are released weekly from December 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. Teams with fifth-year or post-graduate players are not eligible. 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 6, 2015. Follow him on Twitter: @clawlor.