STRENGTH IN NUMBERS: A second Philadelphia Catholic League team the latest in Blue Star Media Elite 25 boys’ basketball rankings

BENSALEM, Pa. – The big news this week is Cape Henry Collegiate (Virginia Beach, Va.) dumped from the Blue Star Media Elite 25 boys’ rankings.

According to published reports, senior Chris Clarke is a fifth-year player after transferring from a local public high school in 2013. After repeating his junior year at the Cape Henry—during the 2013-14 school year—he is now in his fifth year. The Elite 25 rankings, like many national services, won’t allow teams that play with reclassified fifth-year players.

Now that Cape Henry is dismissed, it’s back to business.

No. 19 Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia), a familiar face in the Elite 25 rankings debuts. The Saints are the second Philadelphia Catholic League team in the rankings, joining brethren No. 12 Roman Catholic (Philadelphia), a team they split this season. Roman won the PCL title knocking off the Saints. The PCL is the nation’s toughest league and are favorites to win Pennsylvania’s Class AAAA and AAA state titles this month. Neumann could meet rivals Archbishop Carroll (Radnor) in the AAA final in Hershey while Roman and La Salle (Wyndmoor) may hook up in AAAA.

The brackets are out in California’s Open Division and it’s a doozy. The eventual Open Division state champion will have earned it. The North bracket is clearly weaker than the South. No. 15 Bishop O’Dowd (Oakland) is the favorite in Nor Cal but the South is muddled with No. 5 Bishop Montgomery (Torrance) as the top seed but ranked teams Fairfax, Mater Dei and Etiwanda are in pursue of the state final slot, too.

Gazing into the crystal basketball, the Dick’s Sporting Goods High School National Tournament picture is a bit nebulous, but at least six of the eight spots appear to be filled. If the field came out today, Oak Hill Academy, Montverde Academy, Findlay Prep, Huntington Prep, Ely and Greensboro Day would be in. That leaves two spots and wheels are in motion to fill out the field.

Next week, we’ll have a clearer picture.

The next Elite 25 rankings will appear on March 17. In the meantime, please support your local high school teams in the playoffs and on senior nights. There are plenty of great stories and players out there. Drop us an email if there is a story idea or special player locally. We are listening. Time is running out on the season. Hope to see you at a game soon. – Christopher Lawlor

Blue Star Media Elite 25 Boys’ Basketball Rankings, March 10, 2015

1. Oak Hill Academy, Mouth of Wilson, Va. (45-0)**

Previous rank: 1.

Low down: The Warriors established a single-season record with their 45^th victory during a 118-66 throttling of Southwest Christian Academy (Little Rock, Ark). Dwayne Bacon, a Florida State recruit and who was recently named to the Jordan Brand Classic next month in Brooklyn, N.Y., flipped in 40 points on Senior Night. The previous record for wins was 44 in 2012. Next up is the Dick’s Sporting Good High School National Classic in New York, April 2 to 4, where coach Steve Smith chases the elusive national tournament title. Regular season is complete.

2. Montverde (Fla.) Academy (28-1)

Previous: 2.

Low down: Idle. Next up is the Dick’s High School National Tournament, an event the Eagles are the two time defending champions. Regular is season complete.

3. Findlay Prep, Henderson, Nev. (28-2)

Previous: 3.

Low down: The Pilots are off until the Dick’s Sporting Good High School National Tournament tipping on April 2 in New York. Regular season is complete.

4. Wheeler, Marietta, Ga. (30-2)*

Previous: 5.

Low down: Won Class AAAAAA championship, defeating Pebblebrook (Mableton), 59-58, in final. It was the Wildcats’ sixth state title but first since 2009. Jalen Brown dropped two free throws with :00.5 left to rally his team from down one. Brown concluded his stellar prep career with 22 points and 9 rebounds and Tennessee-bound Shembari Phillips added 17 points. Season complete.

5. Bishop Montgomery, Torrance, Calif. (30-1)

Previous: 6.

Low down: The Knights erased a six-point halftime deficit for a 36-27 lead after three quarters en route to a 56-50 win over Etiwanda in CIF-Southern Section Open Division championship. Next up are the CIF-Southern California Region Open Division playoffs against St. Augustine (San Diego) in the first round on Friday.

6. Plano West, Plano, Texas (31-2)

Previous: 7.

Low down: The Wolves qualified for their first-ever trip to the state tournament, winning the Class 6A, Region I title after a 70-53 victory over district rival Allen. D.J. Hogg, a Texas A&M recruit, scored 17 points, 15 rebounds and 8 blocks and Ohio State-bound Mickey Mitchell added 17 points and 6 assists. Next is up is the 6A semifinal on Friday against Irving MacArthur at the Alamodome in San Antonio. The final is Saturday.

7. St. Vincent-St. Mary, Akron, Ohio (23-0)

Previous: 8.

Low down: The Irish were firing on all cylinder rolling to a 97-37 triumph over Canal Fulton Northwest in the Division II Canton District quarterfinals. Henry Baddley flipped in 15 points and Johnnie Robinson had 14. Next up is Marlington in the semifinals on Wednesday at the Canton Fieldhouse. The final is Saturday against Buchtel (Akron) or Coventry (Akron).

8. Ely, Pompano Beach, Fla. (29-0)*

Previous: 9.

Low down: Won Class 7A state championship but the Dick’s National will be calling with an invitation to New York in April. Regular season is complete.

9. St. Anthony, Jersey City, N.J. (25-1)

Previous: 10.

Low down: After a brief scare in the opening period, the Friars used a 29-7 run in the second to put away Montclair Kimberley Academy, 98-47, in the Non-Public North B quarterfinals. F Markis McDuffie’s 21 points led five player in double figures. Next up is Dwight-Englewood on Monday in the semifinals. The North B final is Wednesday. The state championship is Saturday at the Pine Belt Arena in Toms River.

10. Corona del Sol, Tempe, Ariz. (33-1)*

Previous: 11.

Low down: The Aztecs bagged their fourth straight Division I state championship, besting Desert Vista (Phoenix), 57-32, before 7,000 at Gila River Arena in Glendale. Sam Duane Jr., joined his father, Sam Sr., with a fourth state title but is the lone Arizona coach to do it in the largest classification. Elite freshman C Marvin Bagley III tallied 16 points, 14 rebounds and 5 blocks. Senior wing Dane Kuiper finished with 17 points and cleared 10 boards. Season complete.

11. Fairfax, Los Angeles (30-2)

Previous: 15.

Low down: Defeated archrivals Westchester (Los Angeles), 56-47, in the CIF-Los Angeles City Section Open Division final. Now it’s Orange Lutheran on Friday in the CIF-Southern California Region Open Division first round.

12. Roman Catholic, Philadelphia (25-2)*

Previous: 16.

Low down: The Cahillites ousted Downingtown West, 68-52, in the Class AAAA first round. The 19-12 fourth-quarter run clinch it. Rider-bound Gemil Holbrook cranked out 22 points. Now the pressure is turned up in the second with Cedar Crest (Lebanon) on Wednesday.

13. La Lumiere School, La Porte, Ind. (23-2)

Previous: 13.

Low down: Idle. The Lakers now hope for an invitation to the Dick’s Nationals in New York but that notion is fading. In recruiting news, 6-10 big man Alex Olesinski (15 ppg, 8 rpg) verbally committed to UCLA over Boston College, Gonzaga and Arizona State. Season complete.

14. Huntington (W.Va.) Prep (31-2)

Previous: 14.

Low down: The Irish honored six seniors in their final home game and then routed Southwest Christian Academy (Little Rock, Ark.), 85-63. Next up are the Dick’s Nationals from April 2 to 4 in New York.

15. Bishop O’Dowd, Oakland, Calif. (24-4)

Previous: 17.

Low down: Topped Moreau Catholic (Hayward), 70-61, in the CIF North Coast Section Division III final. C Ivan Rabb canned a game-high 25 points for the team’s fourth straight sectional title. In the semifinals, the Dragons polished off Campolindo, 70-48, as Rabb netted 11 of his 20 points in the first period and Austin Paris totaled 19 points. The top-seed Dragons move onto the Northern California Region Open Division, opening with St. Francis (Mountain View) on Friday in the first round.

16. Muskegon, Mich. (19-1)

Previous: 18.

Low down: PF Deyonta Davis, a finalist for Michigan’s Mr. Basketball and recently selected to play in the Jordan Brand Classic in Brooklyn, N.Y., closed the regular season with a bang, accumulating a triple-double, 20 points, 17 rebounds and 10 blocks in a 68-50 triumph over River Rouge. Joeviair Kennedy had a double-double with 17 points and 10 boards. The Big Reds open the Class A district tournament with local rivals Mona Shores or Reeths-Puffer in the semifinal on Wednesday.

17. Greensboro (N.C.) Day (33-2)*

Previous: 19.

Low down: Won the NCISAA 3A state championship. A Dick’s National invite might soon be on the way. Season complete.

18. Providence School, Jacksonville, Fla. (31-1)*

Previous: 20.

Low down: Won Class 3A state championship. Season complete.

19. Neumann-Goretti, Philadelphia (25-2)

Previous: Not ranked.

Low down: The defending Class AAA champions opened their title defense with a 77-29 blowout of Gettysburg in the opening round. Sophomore F Dhamir Cosby-Roundtree had 14 points and 9 rebounds and Lamarr Kimble had 15 points. Cosby-Roundtree, 6-8, is already generating college offers from big-time programs. The Saints continue the road to their fifth state crown in six years on Tuesday with a second-round date with Manheim Central. The quarterfinals are Friday.

20. Cardinal Gibbons, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (32-1)*

Previous: 23.

Low down: Won Class 5A state championship. Season complete.

21.  Simeon, Chicago (26-3)

Previous: 22.

Low down: The Wolverines bagged their 13^th straight regional championship, beating Eisenhower (Blue Island), 110-88, in the Class 4A Argo Regional final.  Edward Morrow scored 32 points, throwing seven dunks off the high intensity press and Joshua Thomas has 14 as seven players hit for double-figures. Coach Robert Smith’s team inched closer to the state tournament but first need to get by Homewood-Flossmoor in the Eisenhower Sectional semifinals on Tuesday.

22. Stevenson, Lincolnshire, Ill. (25-3)

Previous: 23.

Low down: Jalen Brunson, who was named last week to the Jordan Brand Game in April, dropped in 31 points, sinking five 3-pointers during a 84-60 victory over Zion-Benton in the Class 4A Stevenson Regional final. Brunson is 69 points shy of the Lake County all-time scoring record of 2,421 points. He can put a dent in it on Tuesday when the Eagles play Notre Dame (Niles) in the Waukegan Sectional semifinals.

23. Mater Dei, Santa Ana, Calif. (26-4)

Previous: 12.

Low down: M.J. Cage threw in 18 point but it wasn’t enough as the Monarchs were upset by Etiwanda, 52-49, in the CIF-Southern Section Open Division semifinals. They Monarchs host Westchester (Los Angeles) Friday in the Southern California Region Open Division first round.

24. Sierra Canyon School, Chatsworth, Calif. (22-4)

Previous: 24.

Low down: Idle. The Trailblazers received a bye to the quarterfinals of the Southern Region Division V playoffs. They open on Saturday against Caruthers or Orangewood Academy (Garden Grove).

25. Wesleyan Christian School, High Point, N.C. (30-5)

Previous: 25.

Low down: Finished runner-up in the North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association 3A tournament. Season complete.

Dropped out: No. 4 Cape Henry Collegiate, Virginia Beach, Va.

High-Fives by Region

East

1. DeMatha, Hyattsville, Md. (28-4)

2. Sacred Heart, Waterbury, Conn. (23-0)

3. Wings Academy, Bronx, N.Y. (26-2)

4. Christ the King, Middle Village, N.Y. (23-4)

5. Calvert Hall College, Baltimore (29-5)*

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

Midlands

1. East Kentwood, Kentwood, Mich. (20-0)

2. Champlin Park, Champlin, Minn. (29-0)

3. Western, Detroit (19-0)

4. Reitz, Evansville, Ind. (25-1)

5. St. Rita, Chicago (25-3)

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

South

1. Jonesboro, Ga. (32-1)*

2. Callaway, Jackson, Miss. (29-3)

3. Ballard, Louisville, Ky. (29-2)

4. Clear Lake, Houston (34-2)

5. Ardrey Kell, Charlotte, N.C. (28-1)

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

Far West

1. Bishop Gorman, Las Vegas (27-6)*

2. Etiwanda, Calif. (23-8)

3. Garfield, Seattle (27-2)*

4. Rainier Beach, Seattle (25-3)

5. West Linn, Ore. (22-4)

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

* Won state, national or conference postseason tournament championship

** Includes forfeit victory

About: The Blue Star Media Elite 25 High School Boys’ Basketball Rankings are released weekly from December 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. Teams with fifth-year or post-graduate players are not eligible. 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 April 6, 2015. Follow him on Twitter: @clawlor.