As many of the nation's elite high school basketball programs prepare to hit the road and test themselves during holiday tournament time, the parade of ranked teams collecting early-season losses came to an end this week.
Seven Xcellent 25 teams have not played a game this season or didn't hit the floor last week, but the remaining 18 went undefeated. That kept the order much the same as it was a week ago. That type of order and consistency is about fly out the window as events like the City of Palms and Beach Ball Classic will separate the contenders from the pretenders.
Read on for this week's rankings.
Xcellent 25 High School Basketball Rankings presented by the Army National Guard
Steve Smith's Warriors remain No. 1.
Photo by Randy Sartin
After easy wins over Forsyth Country Day (Lewisville, N.C.) and Ridge View (Columbia, S.C.), the Warriors got 13 points and 15 assists from Duke signee Quinn Cook to survive an upset bid by Sumter (Sumter, S.C.), 68-58. The Iolani Classic in Honolulu, Hawaii, is up next for the nation's top-ranked team.
2. (2) St. Patrick (Elizabeth, N.J.) (0-0)
Opens season Dec. 18 at State Farm City of Palms Classic in Fort Myers, Fla.
3. (3) St. Anthony (Jersey City, N.J.) (0-0)
Opens season Dec. 17 against Edison Job Corps Academy (Edison, N.J.).
4. (4) Miller Grove (Lithonia, Ga.) (7-0)
The Wolverines beat Georgia's defending AAAAA state champions (Milton) earlier this month and added a win over the defending AAA champs Saturday – barely. Junior wing Brandon Morris' buzzer-beater gave Miller Grove a 66-64 win over Columbia (Decatur) to remain unbeaten. Six-foot-eight, 260-pound junior post Tony Parker is averaging 19.5 points and 14.0 rebounds per game.
5. (5) Simeon (Chicago, Ill.) (2-0)
Did not play last week.
6. (6) Penn Wood (Lansdowne, Pa.) (0-0)
Opens season Dec. 15 against West Philadelphia (Philadelphia).
7. (7) Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.) (2-0)
The Gaels got things rolling with wins over Durango (Las Vegas), 85-52, and Spring Valley (Las Vegas), 86-59. Junior guard Shabazz Muhammad averaged 29 points per game in the victories. Bishop Gorman faces Desert Oasis (Las Vegas) on Monday before heading to Fort Myers for the City of Palms Classic.
8. (8) North Central (Indianapolis, Ind.) (3-0)
D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera continued his early-season scoring tear with 29 in a 70-61 win over Carmel. This week includes tough games against Hamilton Southeastern (Fishers) and Bowman Academy (Gary).
9. (9) Hopkins (Minnetonka, Minn.) (2-0)
The Royals blasted Prior Lake 85-48 on Tuesday, but a Saturday showdown with Osseo was wiped out due to the same weather that collapsed the air-supported ceiling at the Metrodome in Minneapolis.
10. (10) Long Beach Poly (Long Beach, Calif.) (4-0)
Did not play last week.
11. (11) Lincoln (San Diego, Calif.) (4-0)
The Hornets captured the Santa Monica Tournament over the weekend with an impressive four-game sweep against elite Golden State competition. UCLA-bound Norman Powell scored 19 points in the final to lead Lincoln past Centennial (Corona), 66-62. Head coach Jason Bryant's squad knocked off Windward (Los Angeles) and Sheldon (Sacramento) in the quarterfinals and semifinals, respectively.
12. (12) St. Benedict's Prep (Newark, N.J.) (0-0)
Opens season Dec. 15 against The Hun School (Princeton, N.J.).
13. (13) DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.) (5-0)
Junior guard Marcellous Bell scored 20 points Saturday night to lead DeMatha past St. Vincent-St. Mary (Akron, Ohio), 79-68, at the National Hoops Festival. The Stags also notched blowout wins last week over Don Bosco Cristo Rey (Takoma Park, Md.) and Archbishop Carroll (Washington, D.C.).
14. (14) Yates (Houston, Texas) (8-0)
Two games, two 100-point performances last week for head coach Greg Wise's Lions. Junior Daymeon Dotson led the way with 19 points in a 126-45 thrashing of Davis (Houston), while Yates won its 66th game in a row Saturday with a 101-86 triumph over Madison (Houston) behind 35 points from Shai Fields. The two-time defending Texas 4A state champions take on No. 16 Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.) in a nationally-televised contest Thursday.
15. (15) Lincoln (Dallas, Texas) (11-0)
The Tigers stayed perfect with a pair of wins at the South Dallas Hoopfest, beating The Colony 53-50 and Seguin (Arlington) 84-50. Oklahoma State signee LeBryan Nash pumped in 21 points against Seguin.
16. (16) Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.) (14-1)
The Pilots prepped for their showdown with No. 14 Yates by hammering an Australian touring team 103-64, Westwind Prep (Phoenix, Ariz.) 105-77 and Arizona College Prep 127-99. Findlay Prep is averaging over 95 points per game this season.
17. (17) Arlington Country Day (Jacksonville, Fla.) (6-0)
Did not play last week.
18. (19) Norcom (Portsmouth, Va.) (3-0)
The Greyhounds recorded one of the more impressive wins of the weekend by pounding Gwynn Park (Brandywine, Md.) 71-42 at the DeMatha-hosted National Hoops Festival. Things were tougher Friday night against Maury (Norfolk, Va.) as Decarlos Anderson and Dorian Finney-Smith combined for 25 points in a 57-51 win.
19. (18) Wichita Heights (Wichita, Kan.) (3-0)
Elite junior prospect Perry Ellis scored 22 points and grabbed nine boards Saturday night to lead Heights past Northwest (Wichita), 76-73. The Falcons also downed Kapaun Mt. Carmel (Wichita) 62-50 earlier in the week. It hasn't exactly been a dominating start for the defending 6A state champions, but 19 wins a row dating back to last season says plenty about head coach Joe Auer's group.
20. (20) Dr. Krop (Miami, Fla.) (10-0)
The Lightning will likely head to Fort Myers for the City of Palms Classic with as much momentum as any team in the field. Seven of Krop's victories have come by 20 points or more.
Kevin Johnson, No. 21 Taft
Photo by Vincent Pugliese
The Toreadors followed up their Westchester tournament victory with a 69-55 win over a solid
Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood) program. Taft treks north to participate in the Mission Prep Christmas Classic beginning Friday in San Luis Obispo.
22. (22) Winter Park (Winter Park, Fla.) (7-1)
The Wildcats have put an embarrassing loss to No. 20 Dr. Krop behind them with six impressive victories in a row, including Saturday's 71-61 win over defending state 1A champion Providence (Jacksonville). Austin Rivers – No. 2 in MaxPreps.com's 2011 Top 100 – is averaging 29.8 points and 5.6 rebounds per game.
23. (23) Milton (Ga.) (7-1)
The Eagles have responded to a humbling loss to No. 4 Miller Grove in impressive fashion. After blowing by Northview (Duluth) 94-40 and Centennial (Roswell) 96-58, Milton played perhaps its best game of the season in a 73-35 dismantling of defending AA state champions Greater Atlanta Christian (Norcross) on Saturday.
24. (24) Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) (6-0)
Here's yet another team heading to the City of Palms Classic with a full head of steam. The Monarchs overpowered Westminster and Dos Pueblos (Goleta) last week by margins of 41 and 32, respectively.
25. (25) Butler (Huntsville, Ala.) (9-0)
Here's a team with a full head of steam not headed to the City of Palms Classic – although they did participate in the prestigious event a year ago. The Rebels did work last week on Pope John Paul II (91-36) and Hazel Green (61-42). Scoring sensation Trevor Lacey dropped a combined 71 points in those contests.
