No. 23 Whitney Young (IL) becomes second Chicago school in Blue Star Media Elite 25 boys’ rankings; No. 14 Orlando Christian Prep (FL) two wins from Class 2A state title

BENSALEM, Pa. — Well, we made it to the month of March. And that should ring in the madness for the most part.

March usually means state championships and the end of seasons. It also includes the GEICO High School Nationals. The release of the 10-team bracket and location of the event is forthcoming and once the event should feature a loaded field with several Blue Media Elite 25 boys’ teams.

If the event were played now Monteverde (Fla.) Academy, IMG Academy (Fla.), AZ Compass Prep (Ariz.), Sunrise Christian Academy (Kan.), Wasatch Academy (Utah), La Lumiere School (Ind.) are in. The last four figure to feature Georgia state champions Milton and/or Pace Academy, Orlando Christian Prep (Fla.). Prolific Prep (Calif.), Combine Academy (N.C.), Lake Norman Christian (N.C.) and Ypsi Prep Academy (Mich.) are also in the mix.

So, back to the Elite 25 boys’ rankings.

We circle back to the Windy City and the nation’s premier public basketball league to add the most recent newcomer to the Elite 25 boys’ rankings. No. 23 Whitney Young (Chicago) debuts this week, joining No. 18 Simeon (Chicago) in the Elite 26. The Dolphins had a busy opening week registering six wins.

McDonald’s All Americans

In case you missed it, here are the 2021 McDonald’s All American players (listed alphabetically) that would have participated in the annual senior all-star game but for second year it was canceled due to COVID-19 concerns. Eight players are from teams currently in the Elite 25 rankings:

Patrick Baldwin, Jr, Hamilton (Sussex, Wis.); Paolo Banchero, O’Dea (Seattle); Nate Bittle, Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.); Kendall Brown, Sunrise Christian Academy (Bel Aire, Kan.); Kobe Bufkin, Grand Rapids (Mich.) Christian; Kennedy Chandler, Sunrise Christian Academy (Bel Aire, Kan.); Max Christie, Rolling Meadows (Ill.); Daimion Collins Atlanta (Texas); J.D. Davison, Calhoun (Ala.); Moussa Diabaté, IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.); Michael Foster, Hillcrest Prep (Phoenix); Jackson Grant, Olympia (Wash.); A.J. Griffin, Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains, N.Y.); Jaden Hardy, Coronado (Las Vegas); Nolan Hickman, Wasatch Academy (Mount Pleasant, Utah); Chet Holmgren, Minnehaha Academy (Minneapolis); Caleb Houstan, Montverde (Fla.) Academy; Harrison Ingram, Saint Mark’s School (Dallas); Trevor Keels, Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.); Aminu Mohammed, Greenwood Laboratory School (Mo.); Daeshun Ruffin, Callaway (Jackson, Miss.); Hunter Sallis, Millard North (Omaha, Neb.); Jabari Smith, Sandy Creek (Ga.); and Peyton Watson, Poly (Long Beach, Calif.).

Okay, that’s it for the final week in February. Hard to believe that two months have passed since the holidays but we’re knee-deep month of madness.

The Elite 25 boys’ rankings are back on March 9.

Until then keep safe, mask up, practice social distancing, wash your hands regularly and support your local businesses.

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

Blue Star Media Elite 25 Boys’ Basketball Rankings, March 2, 2021

1. DeMatha, Hyattsville, Md. (11-0)

Previous rank: 1.

Low-down: Season complete.

2. Montverde (Fla.) Academy (20-1)

Previous: 2.

Low-down: Idle. The Eagles have a rematch with No. 3 Sunrise Christian Academy (Bel Aire, Kan.) in the NIBC final on March 12 in Memphis, Tenn. Coach Kevin Boyle’s team will be the favorites to win the GEICO Nationals in April.

3. Sunrise Christian Academy, Bel Aire, Kan. (19-2)

Previous: 3.

Low-down: Idle. Teammates Kennedy Chandler and Kendall Brown were named to the McDonald’s All American Game. The Buffaloes are ticketed for the GEICO Nationals later this month but will play No.2 Montverde Academy next weekend.

4. IMG Academy, Bradenton, Fla. (20-2)

Previous: 4.

Low-down: Regular season is complete. GEICO Nationals will be the next one for the Ascenders.

5. Homestead, Fort Wayne, Ind. (22-0)

Previous: 5.

Low-down: Idle. The Spartans meet Huntington North (Huntington) Tuesday in the Class 4A Wayne Sectional first round. The semifinals are Friday and the final is Saturday.

6. AZ Compass Prep, Chandler, Ariz. (24-1)

Previous: 6.

Low-down: Javon Small had 15 points, 7 assists and 4 steals in defeating Balboa School (Escondido, Calif.), 84-59. Dayton-bound DaRon Holmes threw in 18 points when the Dragons defeated Glenview College Prep (Glendale), 92-38.

7. Milton, Alpharetta, Ga. (25-2)

Previous: 7.

Low-down: Bruce Thornton bucketed 20 points and the Eagles cruised by Archer (Lawrenceville), 63-42, in the Class AAAAAAA second round. Also beat Mill Creek (Hoschton), 89-47, in the first round. The Eagles host Newnan in the quarterfinals.

8. Archbishop Wood, Warminster, Pa. (9-0)

Previous: 8.

Low-down: Rahsool Diggins scored 48 points in two Philadelphia Catholic League wins. Diggins, a Connecticut recruit, netted 25 points and La Salle-bound Daeshon Shepherd scored 10 and the Vikings clocked St. Joseph’s Prep (Philadelphia), 69-52. Shepherd cracked the 1,000-point career barrier. Diggins was the top scorer in an 88-53 blowout of Cardinal O’Hara (Springfield).

9. Waxahachie, Texas (19-2)

Previous: 9.

Low-down: Defeated Killeen Ellison, 78-67, in the Class 6A, Region II quarterfinals. Elsewhere, Montez Young scored a game-high 19 points and Oklahoma-bound C.J. Noland added 15 as the Indians defeated Rockwall, 74-62, in the Class 6A Area playoffs. They also topped Belton, 99-62, in the bi-district playoffs. The Indians played Monday vs. Cypress Woods (Cypress) in the Region II semifinals.

10. Wasatch Academy, Mount Pleasant, Utah (18-6)

Previous: 10.

Low-down: Idle. The Tigers should get a GEICO Nationals invitation.

11. Minnehaha Academy, Minneapolis (11-1)

Previous: 11.

Low-down: The Redhawks are nearing the end of the season with six scheduled games over two weeks. More recently they clobbered Hibbing, 98-54, and Hopkins (Minnetonka), 78-59, as McDonald’s All American C Chet Holmgren tossed in 19 points in the latter game.

12, Duncanville, Texas (25-1)

Previous: 12.

Low-down: Five players hit for double figures as the Panthers pounded Mansfield, 73-53, in the Class 6A, Region II quarterfinals. Damon Nicholas, a Sam Houston State recruit, scored 15 points. They bounced Sachse, 61-51, in the Class 6A Area playoffs and Bryan, 72-54, in the bi-district round. The region semifinals were Monday vs. Cypress Park (Cypress).

13. Camden, N.J. (10-0)

Previous: 13.

Low-down: Devin Benson scored a season-high 22 points, drilling a half-dozen 3-pointers and sophomore D.J. Wagner added 20 when the Panthers downed Lenape (Medford), 78-56, pushing the win streak over two seasons to 35 games. Also beat Cherry Hill East, 85-53, and Paul VI (Haddonfield), 66-50. Three games remain and that’s a wrap in New Jersey.

14. Orlando (Fla.) Christian Prep (25-0)

Previous: 14.

Low-down: Won the Class 2A, Region 3 championship, beating Central Florida Christian Academy (Ocoee), 57-44, in the final. They also topped City of Life Christian Academy (Kissimmee), 67-38, in the semifinals. The Warriors return to the Class 2A state tournament this week in Lakeland, facing Grandview Prep (Boca Raton) Wednesday in the semifinals. The final is Saturday morning.

15. St. Frances Academy, Baltimore (5-0)

Previous: 15.

Low-down: The Panthers are 5-0 in the MIAA A Conference and close out a four-win week with an 80-51 blowout of Gilman School (Baltimore). Three more league games on tap this week.

16. Long Island Lutheran, Brookville, N.Y. (1-0)

Previous: 16.

Low-down: Jayden Reid and Paul Jordan scored 11 points apiece to pace a balanced attack during an 85-47 victory over Portledge School (Locust Valley) in the long awaited season opener on Long Island.

17. Archbishop Stepinac, White Plains, N.Y. (1-0)

Previous: 17.

Low-down: Hark, there’s a game from the New York Catholic High School Athletic Association between two teams using creativity. In what is billed as the Brother Stoldt Best-of-Seven Series, the Crusaders defeated archrival Iona Prep (New Rochelle), 56-47, in Game 1.Boogie Fland pumped in 13 points and Boston University-bound C Malcolm Chimeze added 7 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists. The Crusaders opened the game scoring 17 unanswered points. Game 2 is back at Iona Prep Tuesday and the action shifts to Stepinac Friday for Game 3.

18. Simeon, Chicago (1-0)

Previous: 18.

Low-down: Isaiah Barnes, a Michigan recruit, made quite an impression in his first appearance for the Wolverines since transferring from Oak Park. Barnes struck for 28 points, making 8-of-13 shots, and clearing 9 rebounds to help beat rival Curie (Chicago), 72-68, in the season opener.

19. Pace Academy, Atlanta (27-1)

Previous: 19.

Low-down: The Knights are three wins from a Georgia Class AA state championship. Last week, they stopped Banks County (Homer), 70-40, in the second round and Dade County (Trenton), 95-25, in the opening round. Next is Butler (Augusta) Tuesday in the quarterfinals.

20. Bergen Catholic, Oradell, N.J. (6-0)

Previous: 20.

Low-down: Idle. Three scheduled games this week to end the season.

21. Oak Hill Academy, Mouth of Wilson, Va. (18-8)

Previous: 21.

Low-down: The sophomore tandem of Caleb Foster (18 points) and Justin McBride (17 points) combined to score 35 points when the Warriors buried  Experience Prep Academy (Johnson City, Tenn.), 109-69. Earlier in the week they stopped Providence Academy (Johnson City, Tenn.), 94-51. The regular season wraps up this week with two scheduled games. The Warriors are expected to receive an invitation to the GEICO Nationals later this month.

22. The Patrick School, Hillside, N.J. (10-1)

Previous: 22.

Low-down: Swept three quality opponents in Life Center Academy (Burlington), 44-43, St. Thomas Aquinas (Edison), 62-51, and Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey), 64-56.

23. Whitney Young, Chicago (6-0)

Previous: Not ranked.

Low-down: The Dolphins enter the Elite 25 with five wins in the opening of their delayed season. Six wins in just over a week of action.

24. Paul VI, Chantilly, Va. (7-4)

Previous: 24.

Low-down: Season complete.

25. St. Mary’s Prep, Orchard Lake, Mich. (6-0)

Previous: 25.

Low-down: The target seems to widen each time the Eaglets step on the court as Michigan’s top-ranked squad but they still beat rival Brother Rice (Bloomfield Hills), 49-46, Henry Ford (Detroit), 62-49, and Hamtramck, 53-43.

Dropped: No. 23 Vashon (St. Louis).

High-Fives by Region

East

1. Neumann-Goretti, Philadelphia (6-1)
2. St. Raymond, Bronx, N.Y. (0-0)
3. Stone Bridge, Ashburn, Va. (16-1)*
4. St. Peter’s Prep, Jersey City, N.J. (8-0)
5. Wilson, West Lawn, Pa. (18-1)

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

Midwest

1. La Lumiere School, La Porte, Ind. (6-8)
2. Cedar Falls, Iowa (18-0)
3. St. Catherine’s, Racine, Wis. (27-1)
4. Carmel, Ind. (20-2)
5. Lawrence North, Indianapolis (22-2)

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

Southland

1. Christian Brothers, Memphis, Tenn. (21-0)
2. Richardson, Texas (23-1)
3. Magnolia, Ark. (18-0)
4. North Mecklenburg, Huntersville, N.C. (11-0)
5. Scotlandville, Baton Rouge, La. (24-3)

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

Far West

1. Sierra Canyon School, Chatsworth, Calif. (0-0)
2. Mater Dei, Santa Ana, Calif. (0-0)
3. O’Dea, Seattle (0-0)
4. St. Mary’s, Phoenix (14-1)
5. Westlake, Saratoga Springs, Utah (19-3)

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

* Won state championship or major postseason tournament title

Records are through Sunday

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. Follow him on Twitter at @clawlor.