No. 22 Wasatch Academy (UT) debuts in Blue Star Media Elite 25 boys’ basketball rankings; Tigers and several others deliver impressive showings at Hoophall Classic

BENSALEM, Pa. – Once again, the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. weekend and the cavalcade of games that were played from coast to coast did not disappoint.

When event organizers attempt to draw in the best competition, teams can no longer run or hide. Meaning: play the national competition or do not expect to be ranked. That was the case at the Hoophall Classic in Springfield, Massachusetts.

The Blue Star Media Elite 25 boys’ basketball rankings saw change with several teams yo-yoing up and down, and in one case out. Games in the Nike EYBL Scholastic also shifted the Elite 25.

The national super league saw seven full time members at Hoophall with two teams dropping two games in Springfield. No. 6 Link Academy (Branson, Mo.) claimed the Bass Pro Tournament of Championships title for the second straight year in Springfield, Missouri before large crowds.

After sifting through the national and regional events, the results yielded No. 22 Wasatch Academy (Mount Pleasant, Utah) joining the Elite 25 after a 2-0 weekend in the EYBL Scholastic.

This week there are two teams that remained the same in the Elite 25 but 14 went up, including No. 13 St. Paul Catholic (Chantilly, Va.) a plus-10 and four others rising five slots. Seven teams dipped with IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) of the EYBL Scholastic sliding 15 spots and No. 25 St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) went down 11. No surprise the descenders took it on the chin at Hoophall.

January rolls on with another packed weekend.

With MLK Weekend over, the events aren’t. The final full weekend of January has several appetizing events from Alaska to California and Illinois.

In California, there are events in Orange County and the Bay Area.

The Nike Extravaganza returns to Mater Dei High School’s Meruelo Athletic Center on Friday and Saturday, totaling 14 games. Friday’s slate features five games with No. 5 Mater Dei girls playing Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas), 7:30 PT and the Mater Dei boys play Servite (Anaheim) at 9 p.m.

Saturday’s all-day schedule (All times are Pacific Time):

9 a.m.: Dana Hills (Calif.) vs. Aliso Niguel (Calif.)

10:30 a.m.: Orange Lutheran vs. Village Christian (Calif.)

12 p.m.: Damien (La Verne) vs. San Clemente (Calif.)

1:30 p.m.: Mira Costa (Manhattan Beach) vs. De La Salle (Concord)

3 p.m.: Los Alamitos vs. Foothill (Calif.)

4:30 p.m.: Corona (Calif.) Centennial vs. St. Augustine (San Diego)

6 p.m.: Bishop (Gorman) vs. No. 3 Roosevelt (Eastvale)

7:30 p.m.: Mater Dei vs. Crean Lutheran (Irvine, Calif.)

9 p.m.: Whitney Young (Chicago) vs. Coronado (Henderson, Nev.)

Tickets for Day 1 and Day 2.

The 10^th Crush in the Valley will be held Friday through Sunday at Contra Costa College in San Pablo. No. 17 Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.) is the featured guest with mostly California schools on the agenda. Here’s the schedule. General admission tickets are $20 and sold at the door.

The Quincy (Ill.) Shootout will tip off for a two-day day run, starting Friday. The event will be held at three high school gymnasiums in Quincy and St. Louis, Mo. The schedule is here. Four boys’ teams from the Elite 25 highlight the field composed of mainly Midwest schools. Tickets are to be purchased here.

The Alaska Airlines Classic in Anchorage, Alaska is a three-day event, tipping Thursday with an eight-team bracket. Five Alaskan schools along with No. 19 Hoover (Ala.), Columbia (Decatur, Ga.) and Heritage (Brentwood, Calif.) will compete inside West Anchorage High School gymnasium. The final is Saturday at 6:30 p.m. AST.

And there was a rare in-season coaching change in the Elite 25.

Here’s the official announcement from No. 8 Utah Prep in Hurricane, Utah on hiring Keith Smart as its head coach, who replaces L.J. Yamzon:

Utah Prep Academy is thrilled to announce the appointment of Keith Smart as the new head coach of the basketball program. With a storied career that spans both collegiate and professional basketball, Coach Smart brings a wealth of experience, leadership, and a championship mindset to the Utah Prep family. His addition marks an exciting new chapter for our team and community.

“Keith Smart is a game-changer,” said team captain A.J. Dybantsa, considered the nation’s top-ranked prospect. “Having someone with his experience and knowledge is incredible. I’m excited to learn from him and grow as a player and a person. This is going to be a special season.”

Smart is best known for his iconic game-winning shot in the 1987 NCAA Championship and his extensive coaching career, which includes head coaching roles in the NBA and assistant coaching positions with various elite teams.

His proven ability to develop talent and inspire success aligns perfectly with Utah Prep’s mission to nurture student-athletes both on and off the court and be a “Launch Pad for Life for Leaders!”.

While we eagerly welcome Coach Smart, we also want to extend our heartfelt gratitude to Coach

It’s an interesting hire Utah Prep but Smart has the pedigree to handle the intensity of the highest level of schoolboy basketball. Qualifying for the CHIPOTLE High School Nationals in April is Smart’s first major hurdle. It’s simply a mandate.

Well, that’s it for the second week of January. The Blue Star Media Elite 25 boys’ basketball rankings return on Tuesday, Jan. 28.

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

According to published reports, there have been at least 27 deaths and more than 14,000 structures and homes destroyed. Think about 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.

In God We Trust.

Bye for now.

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

Blue Star Media Elite 25 Boys’ Basketball Rankings, Jan. 21, 2025

1. Columbus, Miami (16-3)

Previous rank: 1.

The Lowdown: The Explorers had two games at the Hoophall Classic in Springfield, Mass. They stopped then-No. 10 Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.), 76-53. Duke-bound forward Cameron Boozer was tabbed the game’s Most Valuable Player after finishing with 25 points, 15 rebounds and 6 assists and twin Cayden had 19 points and dished off 7 assists. The Explorers met No. fgkh Perry (Gilbert, Ariz.) on Monday, Jan. 20.

2. Montverde (Fla.) Academy (13-2)

Previous: 2.

The Lowdown: The Eagles played three games at the Hoophall Classic in Springfield, Mass., where they defeated Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.), 78-52, as Kayden Allen scored 16 points and Creighton-bound Hudson Greer had 14. Also stopped No. 8 Utah Prep (Hurricane, Utah), 74-60. C.J. Ingram scored 16 points, shooting 6 of 6 from the field. The Eagles faced AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Arizona) on Monday, Jan. 20 at Hoophall.

3. Gonzaga, Washington, D.C. (17-2)

Previous: 4.

The Lowdown: It was a perfect week in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference as the Purple Eagles went 3-0, capped by a 56-47 comeback win over Bishop O’Connell (Arlington, Va.). In that game, North Carolina-bound guard Derek Dixon scored 23 points when the Eagles went on an 18-2 run in the third quarter to erase a 10-point halftime deficit.

Hoophall Classic in Springfield, Mass.

4. Roosevelt, Eastvale, Calif. (23-2)

Previous: 3.

The Lowdown: The Mustangs defeated Corona Centennial, 78-52, as Brayden Burries bucketed 28 points and Myles Walker added 23 as they moved to 4-0 in the Big VIII League. Coach Steve Singleton’s team lost to then-No. 4 Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.) on Monday, Jan. 20 at the Hoophall Classic in Springfield, Mass.

5. Harvard-Westlake, Studio City, Calif. (20-1)

Previous: 6.

Lowdown: Defeated Crespi (Encino), 67-56, and Bishop Alemany (Mission Hills), 86-45.

6. Link Academy, Branson, Mo. (13-4)

Previous: 7.

The Lowdown: Won Bass Pro Tournament of Champions for the second straight year, defeating Oak Ridge (Orlando, Fla.), 67-55, in the final. Ohio State-bound A’mare Bynum was named player of the game after putting up 17 points (on 7 of 7 shooting), 5 rebounds and 3 blocks. Chris Cernac Jr. had 16 points and 8 rebounds.

7. Dynamic Prep School, Irving, Texas (21-3)

Previous: 9.

The Lowdown: Defeated Richmond Heights (Ohio), 76-52, at Flyin’ to the Hoop in Kettering, Ohio. Jaden Toombs scored 18 points and Christopher Nwuli added 17.

8. Utah Prep Academy, Hurricane, Utah (16-5)

Previous: 5.

The Lowdown: BYU-bound A.J. Dybantsa scored a game-high 25 points in a 74-60 loss to No. 2

Montverde (Fla.) Academy at the Hoophall Classic in Springfield, Mass. Earlier in the week, the school announced Keith Smart was named the head coach. Smart has coached in the NBA and is known for sinking the winning shot for the Indiana Hoosiers in the 1987 national title game.

9. Brewster Academy, Wolfeboro, N.H. (17-2)

Previous: 11.

The Lowdown: The Bobcats went 2-0 in the Nike EYBL Scholastic at the Hoophall Classic in Springfield, Mass. They beat then-No. 8 IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.), 55-51, and Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.), 67-60. In the latter game, junior forward Sebastian Wilkins was named game MVP with a 22-point, 8-rebound and 3-assist afternoon.

10. Long Island Lutheran, Brookville, N.Y. (11-5)

Previous: 12.

The Lowdown: Syracuse-bound Kiyan Anthony scored 17 points, earning game MVP honors when the Crusaders defeated AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.), 63-57, at the Hoophall Classic in Springfield, Mass.

11. The Patrick School, Hackettstown, N.J. (15-3)

Previous: 15.

The Lowdown: Defeated West Oaks Academy (Orlando, Fla.), 78-71, at the Grind Session in Charlotte, N.C. Santonio Waide scored 23 points and Jaysean Williams added 20. The Celtics swept both games at the session.

12. San Antonio (Texas) Brennan (23-2)

Previous: 17.

The Lowdown: The Bears rattled off two lopsided wins in District 28-6A moving to 10-0.

13. St. Paul VI Catholic, Chantilly, Va. (13-3)

Previous: 23.

The Lowdown: The Panthers defeated then-No. 14 St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.), 60-57, at the Hoophall Classic in Springfield, Mass. Game MVP Jordan Smith had 19 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists. The Panthers also won three games in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference with a showdown against DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.) on Tuesday, Jan. 21.

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

Previous: 19.

The Lowdown: Defeated Newton (Covington), 77-64, at Playing for a Change at Pace Academy in Atlanta.

Also improved to 7-0 in Region 5-AAAAAA with a pair of wins.

15. Perry, Gilbert, Ariz. (16-1)

Previous: 16.

The Lowdown: Defeated Casteel (Queen Creek), 71-44. Also played No. 1 Columbus (Miami) at the Hoophall Classic on Monday, Jan. 20.

16. Sunrise Christian Academy, Bel Aire, Kan. (11-2)

Previous: 21.

The Lowdown: Defeated South Central Prep (Tulsa, Okla.), 64-46. The Buffaloes are off to the Quincy (Ill.) Shootout for two games this weekend.

17. Prolific Prep, Napa, Calif. (18-4)

Previous: 13.

The Lowdown: Upended by AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.), 66-64, on a last-second put-back at Flyin’ To The Hoop in Kettering, Ohio. Darryn Peterson scored 19 points and Grady Winters and Nikola Bundalo each had 15. Also upset by Highland Prep (Warrenton, Va.), 61-57.

18. Fishers, Ind. (14-0)

Previous: 22.

The Lowdown: Defeated Brownsburg, 77-60, and Riley (South Bend), 89-29.

19. Hoover, Ala. (25-0)

Previous: 24.

The Lowdown: Defeated Hewitt-Trussville, 56-38, and Vestavia Hills, 60-39. The Bucs are headed this weekend to Anchorage, Alaska for Alaska Airlines Classic.

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

Previous: 18.

The Lowdown: Lost to Sierra Canyon School (Chatsworth, Calif.), 60-46, at the Hoophall Classic in Springfield, Mass. K.J. Garris scored 14 points.

21. Owasso, Okla. (12-3)

Previous: 20.

The Lowdown: Defeated Class 6A rivals Stillwater, 100-28, Ponca City, 83-29, and Westmoore (Oklahoma City), 63-47. The Rams have three games at the Bill Hanson Memorial Tournament in Pittsburg, Kan.

22. Wasatch Academy, Mount Pleasant, Utah (15-4)

Previous: Not ranked

The Lowdown: The Tigers debut in the Elite 25 after an impressive weekend at the Hoophall Classic in Springfield, Mass. They swept a pair of games in the Nike EYBL Scholastic over ranked teams. This weekend the Tigers have two games at Quincy (Ill.) Shootout.

23. IMG Academy, Bradenton, Fla. (12-5)

Previous: 8.

The Lowdown: The Ascenders slumped to 0-2 at the Hoophall Classic in Springfield, Mass.

24. DePaul Prep, Chicago (19-1)

Previous: 25.

The Lowdown: Defeated Vashon (St. Louis), 68-54. Also beat league rivals Mount Carmel (Chicago), 66-63. Ryan Woo flipped in a game-high 28 points.

25. St. John Bosco, Bellflower, Calif. (18-3)

Previous: 14.

The Lowdown: Lost to then-No. 23 St. Paul VI Catholic (Chantilly, Va.), 60-57, at the Hoophall Classic in Springfield, Mass. Chris Comin scored 16 points, sinking four 3-pointers. Also beat Servite (Anaheim, Calif.), 66-39, in Trinity League play.

 Dropped out: No. 10 Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.).

High-Fives by Region

East

1. John Marshall, Richmond, Va. (12-0)
2. St. Frances Academy, Baltimore (16-3)
3. Archbishop Stepinac, White Plains, N.Y. (13-3)
4. Thomas Jefferson, Brooklyn, N.Y. (19-1)
5. DeMatha, Hyattsville, Md. (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. (13-0)
2. Rich Township, Olympia Fields, Ill. (13-4)
3. Kenwood, Chicago (18-1)
4. Crown Point, Ind. (11-0)
5. U of D Jesuit, Detroit (11-1)

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. (11-0)
2. Reidsville, N.C. (14-0)
3. Allen, Texas (23-1)
4. Huntsville, Ala. (23-1)
5. Catholic, Baton Rouge, La. (23-1)

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

Far West

1. AZ Compass Prep, Chandler, Ariz. (8-5)
2. St. Joseph, Santa Maria, Calif. (18-1)
3. Notre Dame, Sherman Oaks, Calif. (17-3)
4. Redondo Union, Redondo Beach, Calif. (20-2)
5. Annie Wright School, Tacoma, Wash. (13-1)

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.