STAGS NATION: No. 24 DeMatha (MD) rejoins Blue Star Media Elite 25 boys’ rankings after capturing Alhambra Invitational crown; nine more secure postseason titles

BENSALEM, Pa. – As expected for mid-March there was lots happening in the Blue Star Media Elite 25 boys’ rankings.

There is one addition to the Elite 25 and last weekend nine state or postseason tournament champions were crowned.

First, there’s the Alhambra Catholic Invitational Tournament in Frostburg, Maryland. No. 24 DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.) had lost its way during the regular season and dropped out of the Elite 25. Two weeks ago, the Stags lost in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference semifinals and an invitation to the ACIT was in doubt.

Interim head coach Pete Strickland, a DeMatha alumnus who won an ACIT title as a player in the 1970s under legendary coach Morgan Wootten, entered this year’s tournament (the first in three years after pandemic cancellations in 2020 and ’21) as an underdog.

Well, the after three days of intense competition the Stags were the last team standing. They needed overtime to beat the host school, Bishop Walsh (Cumberland, Md.) in the quarterfinals and then took down Baltimore powerhouse St. Frances Academy in the semifinals. The crowning glory came Saturday in a 67-59 win over No. 15 St. Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.) in the final.

Winning the ACIT is akin to a state championship and in some instances even more. The ACIT field is annually as good a tournament assembled and the competition is top shelf. It was the 26^th time the Stags won the event, earning them spot in the Elite 25.

PVI, who won the WCAC and Virginia Independent Schools Division 1 titles in back-to-back weeks, was playing their ninth game in 15 games. The Panthers went 8-1 during that stretch and won’t be dropped from the rankings.

There’s a similar scenario in the New York Catholic High School Athletic Association Class AA Intersectional tournament, where No. 19 Cardinal Hayes (Bronx) beat No. 20 Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains), 79-59, in final. Stepinac, who defeated Hayes in the New York Archdiocesan final a week earlier, split four games this season with the Cardinals. Both teams remain in the Elite 25. Again, it comes down to strength of schedule.

In New Jersey, six state champions were crowned last weekend and now it’s the final time the State Tournament of Champions will be played. Essentially, it’s a tournament that gathers the six state champions and they play down to one overall titlist.

No. 10 Camden (30-2, Group 2 champions) and No. 14 Roselle Catholic (27-2, Non-Public B champions) are the top two seeds and earned byes to Thursday’s semifinals. The two could meet on Sunday in the TOC final. It would be fitting end to a great event that sadly was eliminated by the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. We’ll have a summation next week.

No. 6 Duncanville and No. 21 Beaumont United both were repeat champions in Texas’ Class 6A and Class 5A, respectively. In California, No. 7 Corona Centennial claimed the CIF Open Division title. All three are quality chips. No. 13 Glenbard West (Glen Ellyn, Ill.) and No. 17 North Little Rock (Ark.) also won state titles.

This week, nine teams claimed postseason titles; nine teams remained the same in the Elite 25; 11 moved up and three dropped in the positioning. We’re down to the last four weeks before the Elite 25 final rankings are revealed.

The GEICO High School Nationals eight-team field is almost set and it is expected Sunrise Christian Academy (Bel Aire, Kan.), Link Academy (Branson, Mo.), IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.), Montverde (Fla.) Academy, La Lumiere School (La Porte, Ind.), Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.), AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.) and Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.) will comprise the bracket. The tournament will be played March 31 to April 2 in Fort Myers, Florida.

That’s it for the second week in March. Enjoy St. Patrick’s Day on Thursday. It’s also the first round of the NCAA Men’s Tournament.

The Blue Star Media Elite 25 boys’ rankings will return on March 22. We’re down to one month remaining until the final rankings will be revealed. Enjoy the NCAA Tournament and good luck with your brackets. It’s always fun filling them out and watch the action unfold.

Stay safe and make sure your vaccines are up to date.

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

Blue Star Media Elite 25 Boys’ Basketball Rankings, March 15, 2022

1. Sunrise Christian Academy, Bel Aire, Kan. (25-1)

Previous rank: 1.

The Low-down: Idle. Up next is the GEICO Nationals quarterfinals on March 31 in Fort Myers, Fla.

2. Link Academy, Branson, Mo. (32-1)

Previous: 2.

The Low-down: At the Top Gun Showcase, the Lions beat then-No. 6 AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.), 59-55, and Huntington (W.Va.) Prep, 62-54. Jordan Walsh went for 17 points and 10 rebounds in the latter contest.

3. IMG Academy, Bradenton, Fla. (22-4)

Previous: 3.

The Low-down: Idle. Up next is a trip to the GEICO Nationals.

4. Montverde (Fla.) Academy (21-4)

Previous: 4.

The Low-down: Idle. The Eagles await the GEICO Nationals on March 31 in Fort Myers, Fla.

5. La Lumiere School, La Porte, Ind. (20-4)

Previous: 6.

The Low-down: Idle. The Lakers are headed back to the GEICO Nationals.

6. Duncanville, Texas (35-1)*

Previous: 7.

The Low-down: Won a third consecutive UIL Class 6A state championship, beating McKinney, 69-49, in the final. Senior guard Anthony Black was named Most Valuable Player after scoring 19 points. In the semifinals, the Panthers rallied to beat Atascocita (Humble), 50-36. The Panthers outscored their opponent 31-4 in the second half after trailing by as many as 20 points in the second quarter. Season complete.

7. Corona (Calif.) Centennial (33-1)*

Previous: 8.

The Low-down: Won the CIF Open Division state championship, defeating Modesto Christian, 59-50, in the final. Donovan Dent finished with 21 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists and Jared McCain scored 16 points. In the CIF-Southern Region Open Division, the Huskies trounced No. 12 Sierra Canyon School (Chatsworth), 83-59, as five players scored in double figures. Season complete.

8. Oak Hill Academy, Mouth of Wilson, Va. (33-7)

Previous: 9.

The Low-down: Idle. Steve Smith’s final coaching assignment, before he steps down, will be at the GEICO Nationals, starting on March 31.

9. Calvary Christian Academy, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (24-2)*

Previous: 10.

The Low-down: Won FHSAA Class 4A state championship. Regular season is complete.

10. Camden, N.J. (30-2)*

Previous: 11.

The Low-down: Won Group 2 state championship, trouncing Newark Central, 93-52xx-xx, in the final. Center Aaron Bradshaw had 10 points, 10 rebounds and 4 blocks to secure MVP honors. Junior D.J. Wagner scored a game-high 20 points. In the state semifinals, Cian Medley added 20 points and 6 assists when the Panthers dismantled Rumson-Fair Haven, 77-43. In the South Jersey final, Wagner threw in 21 points in a 78-45 thrashing of Haddonfield. Up next is Paterson Charter or Elizabeth in the State Tournament of Champions semifinals Thursday. The Panthers received an opening round bye as the No. 1 seed. The final is Sunday afternoon at Rutgers University’s Jersey Mike’s Arena in Piscataway.

11. AZ Compass Prep, Chandler, Ariz. (25-4)

Previous: 6.

The Low-down: Lost to No. 2 Link Academy (Branson, Mo.), 59-55, at the Top Gun Showcase. They also beat Hillcrest Prep (Phoenix), 73-63.

12. Sierra Canyon School, Chatsworth, Calif. (26-5)

Previous: 12.

The Low-down: Lost to No. 8 Corona Centennial, 83-59, in the CIF Southern Region Open Division final. Season complete.

13. Glenbard West, Glen Ellyn, Ill. (37-1)*

Previous: 15.

The Low-down: Won the Class 4A state championship, beating Whitney Young (Chicago), 56-34, in the final. Gonzaga-bound Braden Huff scored 19 points on 8 of 13 shooting and had 5 assists. Paxton Warden flipped in a game-high 21 points and Ryan Renfro contributed 10 points and five rebounds. In the semifinals, the Hilltoppers defeated Bolingbrook, 77-47. In the SuperSectional, the Hilltoppers beat Larkin, 60-34. Season complete.

14. Roselle (N.J.) Catholic (27-2)*

Previous: 14.

The Low-down: Won the Non-Public B state championship, defeating Trenton Catholic (Hamilton Township), 74-66, in the final. Jamarques Lawrence scored 10 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter and cleared 10 rebounds to rally the Lions. Also beat Gill St. Bernard (Gladstone), 68-62, in the North B final and Morris Catholic (Denville), 93-73, in the semifinals. Junior forward Akil Watson had 17 points and Simeon Wilcher added 12 points and 8 rebounds as the Lions captured a ninth straight North section and six players hit for double-figures against Morris Catholic. Up next is the State Tournament of Champions versus Bergen Catholic (Oradell) or Woodrow Wilson (Camden) Thursday. The TOC final is Sunday at Rutgers University.

15. St. Paul VI, Chantilly, Va. (31-5)**

Previous: 15.

The Low-down: Finished runners-up at the Alhambra Catholic Invitational Tournament, falling to DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.), 67-59, in the final. The Panthers beat Long Island Lutheran (Brookville, N.Y.), 69-66, in the semifinals and Mount St. Joseph (Baltimore), 56-52, in the quarterfinals. The weary Panthers played nine games in 15 days to conclude the campaign. Season complete.

16. Centerville, Ohio (28-0)

Previous: 16.

The Low-down: Defeated Fairfield, 55-39, in the Division I regional final and Fairmont (Kettering), 44-42, in the semifinals

17. North Little Rock, Ark. (28-3)*

Previous: 18.

The Low-down: Won the second straight Class 6A state championship, beating Bentonville, 65-47. Arkansas-bound Nick Smith finished with 25 points and 6 rebounds. Season complete.

18. St. Benedict’s, Newark, N.J. (25-1)*

Previous: 19.

The Low-down: Won the New Jersey Prep A state championship. Season complete.

19. Cardinal Hayes, Bronx, N.Y. (27-3)*

Previous: 21.

The Low-down: Won CHSAA Class AA Intersectional, upending then-No. 17 Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains), 79-59, in the final. In the semifinals, Tobe Awaka posted 28 points and 22 rebounds to crush St. Francis Prep (Fresh Meadows), 73-62. Season complete.

20. Archbishop Stepinac, White Plains, N.Y. (26-4)

Previous: 17.

The Low-down: Lost in New York CHSAA Class AA Intersectional, 79-59, to  then-No. 21 Cardinal Hayes (Bronx) in the final. Samuel Gibbs had 21 points and 5 rebounds. In the semifinals, the Crusaders beat Bishop Loughlin (Brooklyn), 73-57. Boogie Fland had 21 points, 4 rebounds, 4 steals and 3 assists and Isaiah Alexander added 12 points and 8 boards. Season complete.

21. Beaumont (Texas) United (36-3)*

Previous: 22.

The Low-down: Won second straight UIL Class 5A state championship, beating Mansfield Timberview, 62-57, in the final. Terrance Arceneaux had 14 points and 10 rebounds. In the semifinals, junior Wesley Yates III scored 20 points and Clarence Payia hit two free throws with 16 seconds left for the decisive points to top Kimball (Dallas), 66-64.

Season complete.

22. Columbus, Miami (29-2)*

Previous: 24.

The Low-down: Won the FHSAA Class 7A state championship. Season complete.

23. Bishop Gorman, Las Vegas (30-1)

Previous: 25.

The Low-down: Advanced to Nevada Class 5A final. Season complete.

24. DeMatha, Hyattsville, Md. (21-7)*

Previous: Not ranked.

The Low-down: Won the Alhambra Catholic Invitational Conference championship, beating league rival No. 15 St. Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.), 67-59, in the final. It was the 26^th ACIT title for the Stags as Tyrell Ward struck for 15 of his 22 points in the second half. Virginia Tech-bound Rodney Rice scored 19 points. Season complete.

25. Richardson, Texas (32-2)

Previous: 23.

The Low-down: Advanced to UIL Class 6A, Region I quarterfinals. Season complete.

Dropped out: No. 20 Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.).

High-Fives by Region

East

1. Imhotep Prep Charter, Philadelphia (25-4)
2. Mount St. Joseph, Baltimore (32-7)**
3. Sidwell Friends, Washington, D.C. (29-1)*
4. Neumann-Goretti, Philadelphia (20-4)*
5. Long Island Lutheran, Brookville, N.Y. (19-7)

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

Midwest

1. Chesterton, Ind. (28-0)
2. Whitney Young, Chicago (26-10)*
3. Grand Rapids (Mich.) Catholic Central (21-1)
4. Park Center, Brooklyn Center, Minn. (26-1)
5. Sacred Heart-Griffin, Springfield, Ill. (35-3)*

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

Southland

1. Weddington, Matthews, N.C. (31-0)*
2. Christian Brothers, Memphis, Tenn. (28-0)*
3. George Rogers Clark, Winchester, Ky. (33-1)
4. Norcross, Ga. (26-6)*
5. Carmel Christian, Matthews, N.C. (26-3)*

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

Far West

1. Damien, La Verne, Calif. (30-4)*
2. Prolific Prep, Napa, Calif. (25-6)
3. Perry, Gilbert, Ariz. (25-5)*
4. Liberty, Henderson, Nev. (22-4)*
5. Tualatin, Ore. (26-2)*

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

Records through Sunday’s games

 * Won state, national or recognized conference/league postseason tournament championship [Note: Multiple asterisks indicate a school has won at least two postseason titles]

 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. The final rankings will be released in April. Follow him on Twitter at @clawlor.