BENSALEM, Pa. – The postseason has taken its latest victims. Attrition can beat a team down at this time of the year. If you are in the Blue Star Media Elite 25 boys’ basketball rankings it starts mounting in the preseason throughout the season. There’s the imaginary bull’s-eye on your back. Everyone is gunning for you until there’s a break or a slight fissure.

And then … poof … the season is over in a flash.

Those who survive the long season, long bus trips and travel to elite events are crowned champions. This week the Elite 25 welcome two teams from basketball-centric states and another is back for another bite of the apple from California.

No. 20 Cox Mill (Concord, N.C.), a team stocked with talent, closed out a second straight 3A state championship last weekend.

No. 24 Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains. N.Y.) captured the CHSAA Class AA championship, better known as the New York Catholic League, knocking off favorite Christ the King (Middle Village), 74-65, for the Westchester County school’s first major chip since 1960. That’s a long, long time but coach Patrick Massaroni is one of the nation’s brightest stars, a guardian of the game, and has a team that is not going away. Stepinac is on an upward trajectory. Massaroni’s club made a splash over the holidays winning the Torrey Pines Holiday Classic in San Diego, Calif. It was an accomplishment that opened eyes and now CHSAA AA crown is an invite to bigger things in the 2018-19. The Crusaders have unfinished business in two weeks in Glens Falls as they prepare for the New York State Federation AA Tournament. It’s considered one of the truly most difficult brackets to win and most coveted titles. The “Fed” means you have the four AA state champions—from the CHSSA, Independent, PSAL and New Public State—in one room. There’s no hiding at the Feds and winning it is massive in the Empire State hoop circles. For first-time winners it means your program has arrived and for coaches you become a made man.

No. 22 Etiwanda (Calif.) is back, but has a long road ahead. The immediate goal is a a berth in the CIF-Southern California Region Open Division final. The Eagles need three more wins for the state title.

Aside from the state tournaments, there is the GEICO Nationals that tip off on March 29 at Christ the King High School in New York. The field is nearly full with Elite 25 teams Montverde Academy, Oak Hill Academy, Findlay Prep, La Lumiere School, Garfield, University School and Shadow Mountain already confirmed. There’s one more invite to be extended this week but we’re hearing a team from Utah. When its announced we have it covered for you. Check back here regularly or at Twitter: @clawlor.

The Elite 25 rankings return on March 20 and state playoffs figure prominently. Enjoy the games wherever you are. Once the penultimate rankings are released on March 20, we’ll return the first week of April with the final rankings. I’m headed to the McDonald’s All American Game in Atlanta and the GEICO Nationals later this month and looking forward it.

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

Blue Star Media Elite 25 Boys’ Basketball Rankings, March 13, 2018

1. Montverde (Fla.) Academy (32-0)

Previous rank: 1.

Low-down: The Eagles are idle until the GEICO Nationals tipping on March 29 in New York. Coach Kevin Boyle was selected to coach in the Jordan Brand Classic next month Brooklyn, N.Y. He also was tabbed the Naismith National Coach of the Year.

2. Oak Hill Academy, Mouth of Wilson, Va. (43-1)

Previous: 2.

Low-down: The Warriors capped a near perfect regular season downing York (S.C.) Prep, 110-70. Kentucky-bound Keldon Johnson scored 24 points and Will Richardson scored 17 points and dished out 10 assists. Coach Steve Smith will take his team back to the GEICO Nationals for the ninth time in 10 years, looking for their first title since 2016. The win total is fourth most in school history. Coach Steve Smith was selected to coach in the Jordan Brand Classic next month Brooklyn, N.Y.

3. University School, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (33-1)*

Previous: 3.

Low-down: Won Class 5A state championship, the first in program history, thrashing Trinity Catholic (Ocala), 80-40, in the final. Trey Doomes had 26 points, six rebounds and four assists and, Drue Drinnon added 15 points and junior Vernon Carey Jr. had 13 points and pulled down nine rebounds. Also crushed Tampa Catholic, 83-48, in the semifinals when Carey led the way with 21 points and 12 rebounds. The Sharks aren’t done, as they will play at the GEICO Nationals on March 29 in New York. Regular season is complete.

4. Shadow Mountain, Phoenix (25-1)*

Previous: 4.

Low-down: Won second straight 4A state title. The Matadors next play at the GEICO Nationals on March 29 in New York. Regular season is complete.

5. Findlay Prep, Henderson, Nev. (29-4)

Previous: 5.

Low-down: Idle. Next up for the Pilots are the GEICO Nationals later this month in New York.

6. Simeon, Chicago (29-3)

Previous: 6.

Low-down: Won Class 4A Thornton Sectional, stopping Marist (Chicago), 53-48, in the final. The Wolverines played rivals Whitney Young (Chicago) in the Chicago State SuperSectional on Monday. The state tournament starts Friday in Peoria.

7. Bishop Montgomery, Torrance, Calif. (29-1)

Previous: 7.

Low-down: Josh Vazquez tossed in 16 points and David Singleton had 12 in a 56-34 victory over Mission Bay (San Diego) in the CIF-Southern California Region Open Division first round. Next is No. 14 Sierra Canyon School (Chatsworth) in the semifinals.

8. DeMatha, Hyattsville, Md. (32-5)* * *

Previous: 8.

Low-down: Won the 58th Alhambra Catholic Invitational Tournament for the 24th time and the fifth time in the last eight tries, defeating rivals Bishop O’Connell (Arlington, Va.), 69-57, in the final. Sophomore C Hunter Dickinson had 18 points and cleared five rebounds in the final to bag MVP honors, and Justin Moore bucketed 16 points. Also beat No. 9 Paul VI (Fairfax, Va.), 72-50, in the semifinals and St. Maria Goretti (Hagerstown), 59-48, in the quarterfinals. This is third major postseason tournament for the Stags. That’s quite an achievement for coach Mike Jones’s team. Season complete.

9. Paul VI, Fairfax, Va. (34-4)*

Previous: 9.

Low-down: Took third at the prestigious Alhambra Catholic Invitational Tournament in Frostburg, Md., defeating league rivals Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.), 66-63. Lost to No. 8 DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.), 72-50, in the semifinals and defeated Bishop Walsh (Cumberland, Md.), 93-47, in the quarterfinals. Season complete.

10. East, Memphis, Tenn. (28-3)

Previous: 10.

Low-down: Waxed Cordova, 71-43, in Class AAA sectionals. The Mustangs play undefeated Blackman (Murfreesboro) in the Class AAA first round on Wednesday afternoon in Murfreesboro. The semifinals are Friday and the final is Saturday at Middle Tennessee State University.

11. Imhotep Charter, Philadelphia (27-2)

Previous: 12.

Low-down: Crushed Kennard-Dale (Fawn Grove), 76-30, in the Class AAAA first round. The Panthers play Scranton Prep Tuesday in the second round.

12. Garfield, Seattle (28-1)*

Previous: 13.

Low-down: Idle. The Class 3A state champions are headed to New York for the GEICO Nationals.

13. Clarkston, Mich. (21-1)

Previous: 14.

Low-down: Won the Class A, District 13, defeating Oxford, 77-35, in the title game and Lake Orion, 62-50, in the semifinals. Next up is Troy on Tuesday in the Region 4 semifinals.

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

Previous: 18.

Low-down: Cassius Stanley netted 25 points and the Trailblazers topped Foothills Christian (El Cajon), 88-61, in the CIF-Southern California Region Open Division first round. That sets up a ballyhooed matchup with No. 7 Bishop Montgomery (Torrance) Tuesday in the semifinals.

15. La Lumiere School, La Porte, Ind. (23-3)

Previous: 12.

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

16. Roselle (N.J.) Catholic (27-4)*

Previous: 20.

Low-down: Naz Reid showed why he is a McDonald’s and Jordan Brand All-American. The LSU-bound forward blocked a potential game-winning shot with less than 20 seconds in a tie game and then sprinted down court to receive an alley-oop pass and dunk with 7.7 seconds left to propel the Lions over Ranney School (Tinton Falls), 63-61, in the Non-Public B final. They also beat Gill St. Bernard (Gladstone), 57-40, in the Public B North final as Kahlil Whitney had 19 points. Next up is Nottingham (Hamilton) or Haddonfield Thursday in the State Tournament of Champions semifinals. The final is Sunday in Trenton.

17. Oak Ridge, Orlando, Fla. (30-4)*

Previous: 21.

Low-down: Won Class 9A championship, holding off Wellington, 71-60, for the program’s first state chip. Rob Perry was the hero bailing out his team with 32 points, making 11 of 15 shots and three 3-pointers, and cleared eight rebounds in the final. The Pioneers also beat West Orange (Winter Garden), 86-64, in the semifinals. Season complete.

18. Allen, Texas (34-5)*

Previous: 24.

Low-down: Won the Class 6A state championship, edging Katy Tompkins, 49-47, in overtime in the final. Donovan Parham took an outlet pass near midcourt and drove hard to sink the game-winning layup with 1.1 seconds left to propel the Eagles. Navy-bound Jaylen Walker scored 18 points and was named the MVP, but hit a pair of free throws with 27 seconds left to tie the game at 47. In December, Allen’s football team won the Class 6A, Division I title allowing the Eagles to become the state’s second school to capture large-school both major championships in the same school year. In the semifinals, the Eagles beat then-No. 15 Westlake (Austin), 70-55. Season complete.

19. Long Island Lutheran, Brookville, N.Y. (22-2)

Previous: 24.

Low-down: Idle. The Crusaders await the New York State Federation Class AA semifinals on March 23 in Glens Falls.

20. Cox Mill, Concord, N.C. (29-3)*

Previous: Not ranked.

Low-down: Wendell Moore drained six free throws in the final minute, including a pair with seven seconds remaining, to pull away from Northside (Jacksonville), 65-63, for a second consecutive 3A state championship. Moore finished with 24 points and six rebounds and North Carolina-bound Rechon “Leaky” Black added nine points. Season complete.

21. Wasatch Academy, Mount Pleasant, Utah (24-2)

Previous: 22.

Low-down: Does not complete for a state title. Season complete.

22. . Etiwanda, Calif. (29-3)

Previous: Not ranked.

Low-down: The Eagles are back in the Elite 25 after beating Westchester (Los Angeles), 68-60, in the CIF-Southern California Region Open Division first round. Next up is Fairfax (Los Angeles) in the semifinals on Tuesday.

23. Mater Dei, Santa Ana, Calif. (23-7)

Previous: 17.

Low-down: Upset by Fairfax (Los Angeles), 50-47, in the CIF-Southern California Region Open Division first round. The Monarchs remain in the Elite 25 for now. Season complete.

24. Archbishop Stepinac, White Plains, N.Y. (25-5)*

Previous: Not ranked.

Low-down: Won the CHSAAA Class AA championship (the first since 1960), stopping Christ the King (Middle Village), 74-65, in the final. RJ Davis and freshman Adrian Griffin Jr. were selected all-tournament and Illinois-bound Alan Griffin was the MVP after producing 20 points, eight boards and three blocks. Winning the New York Catholic League AA title is akin to a state title and with a solid regular season schedule coach Patrick Massaroni’s team is a slam-dunk for the Elite 25. The Crusaders aren’t done and play again on March 23 in the State Federation AA semifinals against No. 19 Long Island Lutheran (Brookville) in Glens Falls. The final is March 24.

25.  Denton (Texas) Guyer (38-2)

Previous: 25.

Low-down: Advanced to the Class 6A, Region I final. Season complete.

Dropped: No. 11 Salesian College Prep, Richmond, Calif.; No. 15 Westlake, Austin, Texas and No. 16 Norcross, Ga.

High-Fives by Region

East

1. Don Bosco Prep, Ramsey, N.J. (27-2)*
2. Gonzaga, Washington, D.C. (28-9)
3. St. Frances Academy, Baltimore (35-5)*
4. Mount Vernon, N.Y. (23-2)
5. Plymouth-Whitemarsh, Plymouth Meeting, Pa. (28-1)

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

 Midwest

1. Orr, Chicago (30-4)*
2. Warren Central, Indianapolis (30-0)
3. Curie, Chicago (26-5)
4. Hopkins, Minnetonka, Minn. (26-1)
5. Creighton Prep, Omaha, Neb. (26-1)*

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

Southland

1. Scott County, Georgetown, Ky. (34-1)
2. Mountain Brook, Birmingham, Ala. (34-4)*
3. Scotlandville, Baton Rouge, La. (27-5)*
4. South Garland, Garland, Texas (36-4)
5. Westlake, Austin, Texas (36-4)

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

Far West

1. Salesian College Prep, Richmond, Calif. (30-2)
2. Gonzaga Prep, Spokane, Wash. (26-0)*
3. Bishop Gorman, Las Vegas (29-4)*
4. Olympus, Salt Lake City (27-0)*
5. Grant, Portland. Ore. (25-4)*

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

* Won state, national or conference/league postseason tournament championship

(Note some schools have won multiple tournament 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. Teams with fifth-year players cannot be ranked. 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 @clawlor.