No. 25 St. Mary’s Prep (MI) debuts in Blue Star Media Elite 25 boys’ rankings; No. 22 Patrick School (NJ) records last-second win over archrival

BENSALEM, Pa. — For the latter portion of February this was a relatively quiet week. Usually, the boys’ basketball state playoffs are cranking or about to in some states. Last week, state champions were crowned in Virginia while Florida is at the regional stage, Texas tips this week with the bi-district playoffs, Georgia’s 32-team state brackets are stoked and Indiana starts with the four classifications of sectionals.

In less than a month, a majority of the states and teams from the Blue Star Media Elite 25 boys’ rankings will finish their seasons. The only teams that will be playing for keeps of the big prize are teams that participate in the National Interscholastic Basketball Conference. That’s a confederation of independent schools with high-profile programs and traditionally dominate the GEICO High School Nationals field.

If the GEICO Nationals were played today with the expanded 10-team field, it’s lineup of the usual suspects from the Elite 25: Monteverde (Fla.) Academy, IMG Academy (Fla.), AZ Compass Prep (Ariz.), Sunrise Christian Academy (Kan.), Wasatch Academy (Utah), La Lumiere School (Ind.) are guarantees. The last four figure to feature Georgia state champions Milton and/or Pace Academy, Orlando Christian Prep (Fla.) which is a heavy favorite to win Florida’s Class 4A title.

Add Prolific Prep (Calif.), Ypsi Prep Academy (Mich.) and Combine Academy (N.C.) into the mix and that’s a strong field that will crown a champion on April 3. Next week we’ll give the iron-clad choices for the GEICO Nationals. No. 1 DeMatha (Md.) will need approval from the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference for serious consideration and would be truly deserving of an invitation.

The field and the venue location (think warm weather state) will be revealed in early March.

As for the regular season, it’s about two weeks old in Michigan and we’ve added a team from the Detroit area. No. 25 St. Mary’s Prep (Orchard Lake, Mich.) joins the Elite 25 rankings. The Eaglets are unbeaten and Michigan’s top-ranked Division 1 team.

Last week, it was officially announced for the second straight year there are no McDonald’s All American Games. That was obvious but McDonald’s waited to drop the bad news. However, the boys’ and girls’ teams will be revealed on Feb. 23. We’ll post a story sometime following the officially announcement, likely 4 p.m. EST.

Okay, that’s it for the third week in February.

The Elite 25 boys’ rankings are back on March 2. Yes, let the month of madness begin.

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, February 23, 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.

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

Previous: 3.

Low-down: Idle.

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

Previous: 4.

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

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

Previous: 5.

Low-down: Clinched the Summit Athletic Conference title and an unbeaten regular season, taking down rival Carroll (Fort Wayne), 55-50. Purdue-bound junior Fletcher Lower popped in a game-high 23 points and Luke Goode added 20. The Spartans play Huntington North (Huntington) on March 2 in the Class 4A Wayne Sectional first round. The semifinals are March 5 and the final is March 6.

6. AZ Compass Prep, Chandler, Ariz. (22-1)

Previous: 6.

Low-down: Hammered Taylor Made Prep (Phoenix), 92-36, as six players hit for double figures led by Dayton-bound DaRon Holmes’ 16 points.

7. Milton, Alpharetta, Ga. (23-2)

Previous: 7.

Low-down: The Eagles meet Mill Creek (Hoschton) Tuesday in the  Class AAAAAAA first round. The winner gets Archer (Lawrenceville) or Gainesville in the second round later this week. There was no Region 5-AAAAAAA tournament so the seeds for states are based on the regular-season standings.

8. Archbishop Wood, Warminster, Pa. (7-0)

Previous: 8.

Low-down: The Vikings continued their perfect form with Philadelphia Catholic League wins over Roman Catholic (Philadelphia), 79-69, and West Catholic (Philadelphia), 89-66.

9. Waxahachie, Texas (16-2)

Previous: 9.

Low-down: The weather did not cooperate last week, so the Indians play Belton tonight in the Class 6A bi-district playoff game.

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

Previous: 10.

Low-down: Idle.

11. Minnehaha Academy, Minneapolis (9-1)

Previous: 11.

Low-down: Seven-foot-one All-American Chet Holmgren showed why he is the nation’s top-rated senior after a 26-point, 20-rebound performance in an 80-43 trouncing of Blake School (Minneapolis). Next is Hopkins (Minnetonka) Wednesday.

12. Duncanville, Texas (22-1)

Previous: 12.

Low-down: Last week’s Texas-size snowstorm wreaked havoc on the postseason. The Panthers faced Bryan in the Class 6A bi-district playoff game on Monday night.

13. Camden, N.J. (7-0)

Previous: 13.

Low-down: Sophomore D.J. Wagner totaled 52 points in two victories. The Panthers rolled over Cherokee (Marlton), 82-55 and Camden Catholic (Cherry Hill), 84-59, as Wagner scored 30 points in the latter win.

14. Orlando (Fla.) Christian Prep (23-0)

Previous: 14.

Low-down: The Warriors beat Covenant Christian (Palm Bay), 81-21 in the Class 2A, Region 3 quarterfinals. Next is City of Life Christian Academy (Kissimmee) Tuesday in the semifinals. The final is Friday night.

15. St. Frances Academy, Baltimore (1-0)

Previous: 17.

Low-down: Khyrie Staten’s big fourth quarter helped the Panthers defeat Archbishop Spalding (Baltimore), 96-78. The Delaware State pledge scored 17 of his game-high 29 points in the final period, including 15 straight midway through the frame. The Panthers played Monday at Loyola-Blakefield (Towson, Md.).

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

Previous: 16.

Low-down: Idle. Finally, a pair of home games Friday and Saturday against Portledge School (Locust Valley).

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

Previous: 19.

Low-down: Idle. The Crusaders travel to archrivals Iona Prep (New Rochelle) Friday in a Game 1 of a best-of-seven series. Game 2 is March 2 also on the road.

18. Simeon, Chicago (0-0)

Previous: 19.

Low-down: Finally, opening week has arrived with the Wolverines scheduled to play Thursday vs. Curie (Chicago).

19. Pace Academy, Atlanta (25-1)

Previous: 20.

Low-down: Won Class AA, Region 6 championship, defeating Lovett School (Atlanta), 60-57. Also beat KIPP Collegiate (Atlanta), 68-3, in the semifinals as Matt Cleveland had 24 points, 12 rebounds and 6 steals. The Knights are top-seeded in the upcoming Class AA state tournament.

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

Previous: 21.

Low-down: The Crusaders thumped St. Joseph Regional (Montvale), 77-51. This week they play rival Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey) Thursday and Manasquan Saturday.

21. Oak Hill Academy, Mouth of Wilson, Va. (16-8)

Previous: 22.

Low-down: The Warriors returned to their winning ways, beating Bull City Prep (Durham, N.C.), 90-67, and First Elite Prep (Del.), 92-79. Heading into this week there are four scheduled games left before the GEICO Nationals in late March.

22. The Patrick School, Hillside, N.J. (6-1)

Previous: 25.

Low-down: The Celtics played only once but had one game canceled and another postponed due to inclement weather. A 21-12 fourth-quarter run saw the Celtics rally past rival Roselle Catholic, 65-64. Samson Johnson had 15 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists. Dionte Johnson’s layup with :09 eft rallied the Celtics from a 64-63 deficit.

23. Vashon, St. Louis (8-0)

Previous: 23.

Low-down: The Wolverines are scheduled for two games in the final week of the week. They open with Metro (St. Louis) in the Missouri Class 4, District 4 semifinals on March 2.

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

Previous: 24.

Low-down: Season complete.

25. St. Mary’s Prep, Orchard Lake, Mich. (3-0)

Previous: Not ranked.

Low-down: Michigan’s leading candidate for the Mr. Basketball Award and Northwestern recruit, Julian Roper, posted a double-double with 29 points, 12 rebounds and 5 assists leading the Eaglets to a 65-52 win over Grand Blanc. The Eaglets have three scheduled games this week capped by Saturday’s fixture at De La Salle Collegiate (Warren).

Dropped: No. 15 Millard North (Omaha, Neb.).

High-Fives by Region

East

1. Neumann-Goretti, Philadelphia (4-1)
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. Polytechnic Institute, Baltimore (0-0)

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 (17-0)
3. Carmel, Ind. (19-2)
4. Whitney Young, Chicago (3-0)
5. Lawrence North, Indianapolis (21-2)

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

Southland

1. Christian Brothers, Memphis, Tenn. (20-0)
2. Carmel Christian, Matthews, N.C. (22-1)
3. Richardson, Texas (21-1)
4. Magnolia, Ark. (17-0)
5. Fairhope, Ala. (27-1)

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. Mesa, Ariz. (11-1)
5. Westlake, Saratoga Springs, Utah (18-3)

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.