No. 8 Columbus (FL) wins Les Schwab Invitational, Cameron Boozer bags MVP; four additions to Blue Star Media Elite 25 boys’ basketball rankings

BENSALEM, Pa. – The holiday tournament schedule is history and a new calendar year starts and the so the Blue Star Media Elite 25 boys’ basketball rankings. With the bevy of tournaments in the bank and teams sliding in and out of the Elite 25, the season will level off.

That means district and league games sprinkled in with several national weekend shootout events, mostly focused over the five-day Dr. Martin Luther King Weekend (Jan. 11-15).

This week there are four additions to the Elite 25 as four teams that dropped out from the East Coast, including three from the East Region. Two of those four booted lasted only one week in the Elite 25. Tournaments in California, South Carolina, Arkansas, Oregon, Illinois, Texas and North Carolina helped shape the rankings.

Joining the Elite 25 are No. 12 Roosevelt (Eastvale, Calif.); No. 14 Dynamic Prep (Irving, Texas); No. 16 Ridge View (Columbia, S.C.) and No. 21 Christ the King (Middle Village, N.Y.). The first three mentioned have never appeared in the Elite 25 or any rankings that we have compiled at previous stops. Christ the King is a perennial national power coached by Joe Arbitello and play in one of the nation’s best leagues.

No. 10 Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.) was the highest riser ascending eight spots and No. 15 cratered 12 slots after losing to No. 14 Dynamic Prep in Chick-fil-A Classic National bracket in West Columbia, S.C.

No. 1 Montverde (Fla.) Academy maintains the top spot and will travel to Portland, Maine this weekend for two games, giving local fans to watch Cooper Flagg, the nation’s top senior, the pride of the state. Flagg figures to be a lottery pick in the 2025 NBA Draft after his likely one season at Duke.

The Blue Star Media Elite 25 boys’ rankings will return on Jan. 9.

If you didn’t see them, here are the Blue Star Media Elite 25 final football rankings. The No. 1 team is pretty darn good but so are their schoolmates on the hardwood.

Here’s to future days and a great 2024. Happy New Year!

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

Blue Star Media Elite 25 Boys’ Basketball Rankings, Jan. 2, 2024

1. Montverde (Fla.) Academy (13-0)

Previous rank: 1.

The Low-down: Idle. The Eagles play No. 4 Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.) Friday and CATS Academy (Braintree, Mass.) Saturday at the Maine Event at the Cross Insurance Arena in Portland, Maine as a homecoming tour for Cooper Flagg, the nation’s top player from the Class of 2024, Duke recruit and resident of the Pine Tree State.

2. Long Island Lutheran, Brookville, N.Y. (9-1)

Previous: 2.

The Low-down: Defeated Roselle (N.J.) Catholic, 92-48. This weekend the Crusaders play twice in the Nike EYBL Scholastic in La Porte, Ind.

3. Paul VI Catholic, Chantilly, Va. (9-1)

Previous: 5.

The Low-down: It was a light week for the Panthers, who defeated Cardinal Ritter (St. Louis, Mo.), 57-44, at the Hoop Hall East Classic in Lewes, Del. They face St. Mary’s Ryken (Leonardtown, Md.) Wednesday at the Behan Strong Game in Washington, D.C., and host Good Counsel (Olney) Thursday evening in Washington Catholic Athletic Conference play.

4. Gonzaga, Washington, D.C. (11-0)

Previous: 6.

The Low-down: Won the King Cotton Classic in Pine Bluff, Ark., defeating Westminster Academy (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), 76-72, in the final. Nyk Lewis was First Team All-Tournament. The Purple Eagles face No. 1 Montverde (Fla.) Academy Saturday in Portland, Maine.

5. Link Academy, Branson, Mo. (12-4)

Previous: 7.

The Low-down: Defeated then-No. 25 Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.), 55-50.

and Penn Charter (Philadelphia), 89-55, at the Jumpman Holiday Classic in New York City.

6. La Lumiere School, La Porte, Ind. (9-1)

Previous: 8.

The Low-down: Idle.

7. Oak Hill Academy, Mouth of Wilson, Va. (12-1)

Previous: 10.

The Low-down: Idle.

8. Columbus, Miami (10-4)

Previous: 15.

The Low-down: Won Les Schwab Invitational, defeating then-No. 4 Harvard-Westlake (Studio City, Calif.), 55-54, I the final. Malik Abdullahi converted a basket with two seconds left to win it. Elite junior F Cameron Boozer was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.

9. Harvard-Westlake, Studio City, Calif. (15-1)

Previous: 4.

The Low-down: Lost in Les Schwab Invitational final to No. 8 Columbus (Miami), 55-54, in Hillsboro, Oregon.

10. Notre Dame, Sherman Oaks, Calif. (15-0)

Previous: 18.

The Low-down: Went 4-0 to win the South Pasadena Tournament championship.

11. Brewster Academy, Wolfeboro, N.H. (12-2)

Previous: 14.

The Low-down: Idle.

12. Roosevelt, Eastvale, Calif. (16-1)

Previous: Not ranked.

The Low-down: Won The Classic at Damien Platinum Division, defeating then-No. skl St. John Bosco (Bellflower), 68-65, in the final. MVP Brayden Burries tossed in 15 points and Darnez Slater added 18.

13. Mater Dei, Santa Ana, Calif. (14-1)

Previous: 17.

The Low-down: Won Desert Holiday Classic in Palm Springs, Calif., defeating Herriman (West Herriman, Utah), 81-71, in the final. Junior G Owen Verna threw in game-high 24 with three 3-pointers as the Monarchs went 4-0 at the event. Senior G Scotty Belnap (MVP) scored 21 with five 3s. The Monarch enter Trinity League play with three games, including No. 18 St. John Bosco (Bellflower) Saturday.

14. Dynamic Prep, Irving, Texas (12-1)

Previous: Not ranked.

The Low-down: Won Chick-fil-A Classic National Bracket, defeating then-No. 3 Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.), 76-70. Dynamic used a 20-13 tear in the fourth quarter to rally. Leon Horner had 22 points and eight rebounds, Leroy Kelly scored 16 and Jermaine O’Neal Jr. added 14.

15. Prolific Prep, Napa, Calif. (18-2)

Previous: 3.

The Low-down: Finished second in the Chick-fil-A Classic National Bracket in West Columbia, S.C.

16. Ridge View, Columbia, S.C. (14-0)

Previous: Not ranked.

The Low-down: Won Chick-fil-A Classic American Division title, defeating then-No. 9 Grayson (Loganville, Ga.), 58-53, in the final. Junior G Malachi Cooper came off the bench to pump in a team-high 15 points.

17. Grayson, Loganville, Ga. (12-1)

Previous: 9.

The Low-down: Finished second in the Chick-fil-A Classic American Bracket.

18. St. John Bosco, Bellflower, Calif. (13-2)

Previous: 11.

The Low-down: Placed second with a 3-1 record at The Classic at Damien Platinum Division in La Verne, Calif.

19. Oak Ridge, Orlando, Fla. (12-2)

Previous: 13.

The Low-down: The Pioneers went 2-0 in the Tournament of Champions National Bracket in Johns Creek, Ga.

20. Lawrence North, Indianapolis (9-0)

Previous: 20.

The Low-down: Defeated Marion, 98-72, and Franklin Central (Indianapolis), 68-51. Up next is Warren Central (Indianapolis) Friday in the Metropolitan Conference.

21. Christ the King, Middle Village, N.Y. (6-1)

Previous: Not ranked.

The Low-down: Coach Joe Arbitello’s iconic program returns to the Elite 25 for the first time this season after defeating Nazareth Regional (Brooklyn), 57-47, and Friendship Tech (Washington, D.C.), 58-46. The Royals face Brooklyn-Queens AA league rivals Archbishop Molloy (Briarwood) Friday.

22. IMG Academy, Bradenton, Fla. (5-6)

Previous: 21.

The Low-down: Idle.

23. Wasatch Academy, Mount Pleasant, Utah (5-2)

Previous: 22.

The Low-down: Idle.

24. Don Bosco Prep, Ramsey, N.J. (5-2)

Previous: 19.

The Low-down: Junior Brady Loughlin fired in 22 points and Isaiah Brown 20 in a 68-49 win over Cardinal Hayes (Bronx, N.Y.) at The Battle at Rutgers University in Piscataway, N.J. The Ironmen lost to The Patrick School (Hillside), 78-73, at the Jordan Holiday Classic in New York City. Rutgers recruit Dylan Harper did not play against Hayes.

25. McEachern, Powder Springs, Ga. (9-3)

Previous: 23.

The Low-down: Rutgers-bound F Ace Bailey recorded a monster double-double with 40 points and 21 rebounds in a 77-52 beatdown of Camden (N.J.) at The Battle at Rutgers University in New Jersey.

Dropped: No. 12 Combine Academy (Lincolnton, N.C.); No. 16 Imhotep Institute Charter (Philadelphia); No. 24 Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains, N.Y.) and No. 25 Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.).

High-Fives by Region

East

1. Mount St. Joseph, Baltimore (17-0)
2. Roman Catholic, Philadelphia (9-0)
3. St. Raymond, Bronx, N.Y. (8-1)
4. The Patrick School, Hillside, N.J. (9-0)
5. Bishop O’Connell, Arlington, Va. (11-2)

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

Midwest

1. Curie, Chicago (14-1)
2. De Pere, Wis. (10-0)
3. Brother Rice, Bloomfield Hills, Mich. (8-0)
4. Homewood (Ill.)-Flossmoor (13-1)
5. Fishers, Ind. (11-0)

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

Southland

1. Plano (Texas) East (21-0)
2. North Mecklenburg, Huntersville, N.C. (10-2)
3. Huntsville, Ala. (20-1)
4. Myers Park, Charlotte, N.C. (9-2)
5. Combine Academy, Lincolnton, N.C. (16-2)

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

Far West

1. AZ Compass Prep, Chandler, Ariz. (13-4)
2. JSerra Catholic, San Juan Capistrano, Calif. (15-1)
3. Salesian College Prep, Richmond, Calif. (13-1)
4. Sierra Canyon School, Chatsworth, Calif. (14-1)
5. Perry, Gilbert, Ariz. (9-4)

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

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 2021 season. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) at @clawlor.