SEVENTH HEAVEN: No. 12 Simeon (IL) wins another Chicago Public League title; St. John’s College (DC) enters Blue Star Media Elite 25 boys’ rankings

BENSALEM, Pa. – Robert Smith, one of the really good guys, coached No. 12 Simeon (Chicago) to another Chicago Public League championship and worked a ton of overtime last week.

In two games his Wolverines needed a total of five overtimes, including four in the semifinals, to capture city title No. 7 under the legendary coach. It was grueling. It was a test of character. It stretched Simeon’s bench.

It was pure Smith, who announced prior to the season he’d be stepping down when it concludes. The Wolverines outlasted Kenwood (Chicago), 72-64, in the final. Simeon’s defense showed up in the extra session and Smith was a champion again.

The Wolverines are 26-3 and the favorite to win the Illinois Class 3A state championship in March. Smith said previously this season is about the team and not a victory tour. Well, it’s beginning to look that way.

No. 25 St. John’s College (Washington, D.C.) is lone entrant into the Blue Star Media Elite 25 boys’ basketball rankings. The Cadets slide in for a mere swap of Washington Catholic Athletic Conference teams. Gonzaga (Washington) dipped into the East Regional rankings but the two meet again on Thursday evening on Eye Street. And then the WCAC playoffs tip off the following week.

There are eight teams from the Elite 25 involved or will be in playoffs. No. 18 Columbus (Miami) tumbled eight spots after a shock loss in the district tournament but good thing Florida takes the runner-up from district into the regionals. The Explorers can still defend their Class 7A title but need to navigate five more games, including three in Region 4 starting this week.

This week’s Elite 25 saw 13 teams, including the Top-9, remain intact. Eight moved up with two, No. 16 West Ranch (Valencia, Calif.) and No. 17 Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia), rising three positions.

In Philadelphia, Neumann-Goretti is the top seed for in the Catholic League Tournament. It’s one of the top city tournaments in the nation

The 10-team tournament field is set and the first round with two games tips on Wednesday. Neumann-Goretti won’t see action until Friday in the quarterfinals. However, if you really want a treat attend the semifinals (on Feb. 22) or the finals (boys and girls doubleheader on Feb. 27). The boys semifinals and the final will be played at the historic Palestra on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania. The games at The Palestra usually sell out, so buy tickets in advance.

Next week, we’ll preview Catholic League tournaments from Washington, New York and Maryland.

That’s it for the second week in February. The National Interscholastic Basketball Conference is down to one weekend (March 2-4) but No. 1 Montverde (Fla.) Academy has clinched the title.

The Blue Star Media Elite 25 boys’ rankings will return on Feb. 21.

Stay safe.

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

Blue Star Media Elite 25 Boys’ Basketball Rankings, Feb. 14, 2023

1. Montverde (Fla.) Academy (22-2)

Previous rank: 1.

Low-down: The Eagles are the champions of the National Interscholastic Basketball Conference after beating IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.), 62-52. Asa Newell came off the bench to score a team-high 14 points on 6-of-10 shooting in only 14 minutes. Liam McNeely and Cooper Flagg flipped in 13 points apiece, and Duke-bound and McDonald’s All-American Sean Stewart contributed 6 points and 11 rebounds. They went 2-0 against their instate rivals and may see them again at the GEICO High School Nationals in Fort Myers, Fla.

2. St. Paul VI Catholic, Chantilly, Va. (24-1)

Previous: 2.

Low-down: The Panthers took down St. Mary’s Ryken (Leonardtown, Md.), 76-49, and Good Counsel (Olney, Md.), 77-47. The regular season closes with Bishop O’Connell (Arlington, Va.) Tuesday, DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.) Friday and Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.) Sunday. The WCAC playoffs start Feb. 25.

3. AZ Compass Prep, Chandler, Ariz. (20-3)

Previous: 3.

Low-down: Defeated Bella Vista Prep (Scottsdale), 57-48.

4. Link Academy, Branson, Mo. (23-1)

Previous: 4.

Low-down: Idle. The Lions close out the regular season on Wednesday.

5. Long Island Lutheran, Brookville, N.Y. (17-2)

Previous: 5.

Low-down: In the NIBC, the Crusaders wiped out Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.), 87-52, as V.J. Edgecombe dropped 25 points and Jayden Reid had 15. They are 7-2 in the NIBC and have won 16 straight. Reid’s 22 points and 6 assists helped fuel an 81-64 victory over South Shore (Brooklyn). Last week, sophomore guard Kiyan Anthony, the son of Carmelo Anthony, transferred in from Christ the King (Middle Village, N.Y.). Kiyan won’t be eligible until next season.

6. Sunrise Christian School, Bel Aire, Kan. (16-6)

Previous: 6.

Low-down: Won two games last weekend at the Heartland Classic in Grand Island, Neb.

7. Ben Davis, Indianapolis (24-0)

Previous: 7.

Low-down: Won the Metropolitan Conference title with a 5-0 mark after defeating Lawrence North (Indianapolis), 62-45.

8. Duncanville, Texas (27-1)

Previous: 8.

Low-down: The Panthers, who are not eligible for the UIL Class 6A playoffs, end their season Tuesday against Mansfield Legacy and looking to record a perfect record in District 11-6A.

9. Prolific Prep, Napa, Calif. (26-1)

Previous: 9.

Low-down: The Crew won two games at the Queen City Hoops Classic in Charlotte, N.C. The regular season closes out this weekend with three games at home.

10. Centennial, Corona, Calif. (26-3)

Previous: 11.

Low-down: The win streak reached 16 games following a 68-63 victory over Sierra Canyon School (Chatsworth) in the first of three Pool A games in the CIF-Southern Section playoffs. The Huskies face Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks) Tuesday and Bishop Montgomery (Torrance) Saturday to close out pool play.

11. Harvard-Westlake, Studio City, Calif. (29-1)

Previous: 12.

Low-down: Brady Dunlap, a Notre Dame recruit, scored 24 points when the Wolverines defeated St. Bernard (Playa del Rey), 69-57, in the first of three Pool B games in the CIF-Southern Section Open Division playoffs.

12. Simeon, Chicago (26-3)*

Previous: 13.

Low-down: Won the Chicago Public League City Championship for the seventh time under coach Robert Smith, downing Kenwood (Chicago), 72-64, in overtime. Wes Rubin tallied 21 points and 6 rebounds and his twin brother, Miles, had 15 points. Jalen Griffith and Sam Lewis scored 11 apiece. In the semifinals, the Wolverines outlasted Curie (Chicago), 64-60, in four overtimes. The Class 3A regional semifinals tip Feb. 22 against Solorio Academy (Chicago) and the final is Feb. 24.

13. Camden, N.J. (22-2)

Previous: 14.

Low-down: In the Camden County Tournament, the Panthers beat Paul VI (Haddonfield), 74-56, in the quarterfinals and Winslow (Atco), 114-46, in the second round. Additionally, the Panthers clinched the Olympic National title, beating Bishop Eustace (Pennsauken), 90-52. D.J. Wagner scored 40 points and surpassed the 2,000-point barrier. He joined his father (Dajuan) and grandfather (Milt) in Camden’s 2K Club. It was the second straight game D.J. scored 40 points.

14. John Marshall, Richmond, Va. (21-0)

Previous: 15.

Low-down: Defeated Hermitage (Richmond), 87-36, as North Carolina State-commit Dennis Parker Jr. scored 23 points. The Justices play St. Christopher’s (Richmond) Wednesday.

15. Imhotep Institute Charter, Philadelphia (20-3)

Previous: 16.

Low-down: In the Philadelphia Public League playoffs, the Panthers defeated Martin Luther King (Philadelphia), 83-34, in the first round and play Central (Philadelphia) Tuesday in the second round.

16. West Ranch, Valencia, Calif. (28-1)

Previous: 19.

Low-down: In the opening game of CIF- CIF-Southern Section Open Division Pool B play, the Wildcats edged St. John Bosco (Bellflower), 55-53, as Andrew Meadow scored 17 points.

17. Ss. Neumann-Goretti, Philadelphia (19-2)

Previous: 20.

Low-down: The Saints are the top seed in the Philadelphia Catholic League Tournament and start Friday in the quarterfinals against an opponent to be determined. They defeated Conwell-Egan (Fairless Hills, Pa.), 85-54, Cardinal O’Hara (Springfield, Pa.), 61-60, and Archbishop Ryan (Philadelphia), 52-50, in the final week of league play.

18. Columbus, Miami (21-4)

Previous: 10.

Low-down: Lost to Palmetto (Miami), 66-64, in the District 16-7A final. Despite the slipup, the Explorers are the top seed in the Class 7A, Region 4 playoffs that tip with Western (Davie, Fla.) Thursday in the quarterfinal round.

19. Bishop Montgomery, Torrance, Calif. (25-3)

Previous: 17.

Low-down: Lost to Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks), 71-63, in the CIF-Southern Section Open Division Pool A playoffs.

20. IMG Academy, Bradenton, Fla. (16-7)

Previous: 18.

Low-down: Lost to No. 1 Montverde (Fla.) Academy, 6-2-52, in NIBC play. IMG’s Georgia Tech-bound guard Blue Cain threw in 22 points on 9-of-15 shooting and cleared 7 rebounds and Jacoi Hutchinson added 11.

21. West Linn, Ore. (20-1)

Previous: 21.

Low-down: Defeated Lake Oswego, 101-61, and Oregon City, 65-54. The regular is down to the final two weeks.

22. Christ the King, Middle Village, N.Y. (19-4)

Previous: 22.

Low-down: Coach Joe Arbitello’s team finishes up the regular season with Monsignor Scanlan (Bronx) Wednesday. Last week, the Royals defeated Holy Cross (Flushing), 67-53, and will be the top seed in the NYCHSAA Class AA Brooklyn-Queens Diocesan playoffs that start on Feb. 20.

23. Roselle (N.J.) Catholic (15-5)

Previous: 23.

Low-down: Defeated Summit, 75-44, in the Union County Tournament quarterfinals. Rich Brisco had 12 points and 10 rebounds for the double. The Lions play Union Catholic (Scotch Plains) Tuesday in the semifinals. The final is Sunday.

24. Don Bosco Prep, Ramsey, N.J. (23-2)

Previous: 24.

Low-down: In the Bergen County Jamboree semifinals, the Ironmen cut down rival St. Joseph Regional (Montvale), 60-43, behind 21 points from junior Dylan Harper. Up next is archrivals Bergen Catholic (Oradell) Friday in the title game. The Ironmen also clinched the Big North Conference United Division title with two wins to finish unbeaten at 8-0.

25. St. John’s College, Washington, D.C. (23-2)

Previous: Not ranked.

Low-down: The Cadets are 9-2 in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference after beating then-No. 25 Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.), 68-58, and Bishop Ireton (Alexandria, Va.), 86-60. Junior Donnie Freeman’s 29 points were the difference in the Gonzaga win. Three WCAC games this week remain in the regular season, including a rematch at Gonzaga on Thursday.

Dropped: No. 25 Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.).

High-Fives by Region

East

1. Gonzaga, Washington, D.C. (21-5)
2. Roman Catholic, Philadelphia (19-3)
3. Mount St. Joseph, Baltimore (31-3)
4. Archbishop Stepinac, White Plains, N.Y. (16-7)
5. Reading, Pa. (21-1)

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

Midwest

1. Cass Tech, Detroit (18-0)
2. Park Center, Brooklyn Park, Minn. (19-0)
3. Benet Academy, Lisle, Ill. (27-1)
4. St. Edward, Lakewood, Ohio (17-1)
5. De Pere, Wis. (21-0)

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

Southland

1. Lake Highlands, Dallas (26-3)
2. Beaumont (Texas) United (29-1)
3. Carmel Christian, Matthews, N.C. (26-3)
4. Warren Central, Bowling Green, Ky. (24-1)
5. Seven Lakes, Katy, Texas (30-4)

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

Far West

1. Perry, Gilbert, Ariz. (27-1)
2. Notre Dame, Sherman Oaks, Calif. (21-9)
3. St. John Bosco, Bellflower, Calif. (24-5)
4. Garfield, Seattle (19-1)
5. Sierra Canyon School, Chatsworth, Calif. (20-8)

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

 * Won state, national or conference postseason tournament championship

Records through Sunday’s games

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 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. Follow him on Twitter at @clawlor.