Compiled By Dave Krider
MaxPreps.com
About the Rankings: MaxPreps already provides the most comprehensive high school sports ratings with the MaxPreps National Rankings presented by the National Guard, a computer model developed by Ned Freeman. Now, it’s time to get the human element involved.
Each Monday, senior writer Dave Krider will run down the top 25 boys basketball teams in the country – weighing record, quality wins and losses and other factors to determine the best of the best.
Gary Franklin and Mater Dei stay at #1
Louis Lopez
MaxPreps Xcellent 25
1. Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) 30-0. Last week: 1. The Monarchs broke away from a 58-58 tie late in the fourth quarter to defeat Etiwanda, 70-60, in the Southern Section Division I semifinals. Junior guard Gary Franklin led the way with 21 points, while 6-10 senior David Wear had 17 points and 11 rebounds. Franklin scored 23 points during a 72-65 quarterfinal victory over Moreno Valley Rancho Verde. Big game: Saturday vs. Riverside King for the championship.
2. Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) 36-0. Last week: 2. The Warriors defeated Charlotte Christian (N.C.), 76-66, as junior guard Doron Lamb scored 23 points and senior guard Lamont Jones added 16. Big game: Friday vs. No. 4-ranked Montrose Christian (at Georgetown Prep).
3. St. Patrick (Elizabeth, N.J.) 23-3. Last week: 3. The Celtics rolled past Elizabeth, 89-72, to win the championship in the 73rd Union County Tournament. Junior guard Kyrie Irving starred with 29 points and nine assists, while senior forward Paris Bennett added 18 points. The semifinals were delayed for two days due to the death of St. Patrick coach Kevin Boyle’s brother, Neil. The Celtics then defeated Linden, 49-36, behind Derrick Gordon’s 14 points.
4. Montrose Christian (Rockville, Md.) 20-1. Last week: 4. Mouphtaou Yarou scored 19 points on 11-of-15 shooting during a 62-42 victory over KIMA (Washington, D.C.). Terrence Ross added 12 points. Big game: Friday vs. No. 2 Oak Hill (at Georgetown Prep).
5. Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.) 30-0. Last week: 5. The Pilots crushed the Impact Prep Basketball Academy, 107-57, behind Avery Bradley’s 22 points and 17 from 6-7 junior transfer Tristan Thompson, who filled in for suspended Victor Rudd.
6. De La Salle (Concord, Calif.) 26-1. Last week: 6. The Spartans boosted their winning streak to 22 games with a 65-55 victory over James Logan during the North Coast Section Division I quarterfinals. Beau Levesque dominated with 15 points and 15 rebounds. John McArthur added 12 points and 10 rebounds, with point guard Brandon Smith handing out eight assists.
7. Strake Jesuit (Houston, Texas) 34-0. Last week: 7. Joey Brooks scored 21 points and Tim Frazier 18 as the Crusaders won the Class 5A area tourney with a 69-57 victory over Houston Madison. Brooks tallied 22 points during a 72-43 bi-district rout of Katy.
8. Hopkins (Minnetonka, Minn.) 23-0. Last week: 10. Royce White scored 19 points and Trent Lockett grabbed 10 offensive rebounds during an 81-54 victory over Edina. Lockett led six players in double figures with 15 points as the Royals defeated Plymouth Wayzata, 84-53.
9. Detroit Country Day (Beverly Hills, Mich.) 19-1. Last week: 9. The Yellowjackets rolled past Berkley, 81-51, as Donnavan Kirk scored 22 points and Ray McCallum 16.
10. LeFlore (Mobile, Ala.) 29-3. Last week: 8. The Rattlers were upset, 52-39, in the Class 5A state semifinals by Birmingham Parker. Parker’s zone defense held them to 23 percent shooting as 6-11 DeMarcus Cousins could manage only seven points and 10 rebounds.
11. Northland (Columbus, Ohio) 21-1. Last week: 11. Junior Jared Sullinger poured in 30 points en route to a 65-46 victory over Dublin Jerome in the Division I district quarterfinals. Junior J.D. Weatherspoon added 15 points and he also scored 21 during a 70-25 rout of Watkins Memorial. Sullinger backed him with 17.
12. Westchester (Los Angeles, Calif.) 29-2. Last week: 12. Juniors Dwayne Polee and Jordin Mayes each scored 16 points as the Comets ousted Reseda Cleveland, 71-56, in the Los Angeles City Section Division I semifinals. Polee also had 10 rebounds. They eliminated Los Angeles Fremont, 75-35, in the quarterfinals behind DeShun McCoy’s 17 points. Denzell Douglas had 15 points, seven rebounds, five steals and four assists, while Dominique O’Connor dished out 12 assists. Big game: Friday vs. Woodland Hills Taft for the championship.
13. St. Benedict’s (Newark, N.J.) 23-2. Last week: 13. Sophomore guard Myck Kabongo scored 21 points to lead four players in double figures as the Gray Bees buzzed past Franklin Township, 77-47.
14. Lawrence North (Indianapolis, Ind.) 21-2. Last week: 14. Stephan Van Treese and Justin Martin combined for 22 points during a 43-28 victory over Terre Haute North. Dominique Ferguson scored 24 points and 6-10 sophomore Michael Chandler added 18 during a 70-52 victory over Indianapolis Pike.
15. Thornton (Harvey, Ill.) 24-1. Last week: 15. The Wildcats raised their winning streak to 24 games with an 85-52 victory over Dolton Thornridge behind junior guard Reggie Smith’s 27 points.
16. South Atlanta (Atlanta, Ga.) 25-3. Last week: 17. Derrick Favors scored 31 points and Nick Watkins 21 as the Hornets stung Thomson, 93-52, during their first action in the Class AAA state tournament. Their winning streak now stands at 11 games.
17. Franklin (Seattle, Wash.) 22-1. Last week: 18. Peyton Siva had 17 points and five assists and Chris Holmes had 15 points as the Quakers defeated Seattle O’Dea, 80-51, during the Class 3A district quarterfinals.
18. South (Bloomington, Ind.) 20-0. Last week: 19. The Panthers defeated Indianapolis Decatur Central, 84-72, behind the balanced scoring of Jordan Hulls (21), Jacob Mulinex (19) and Spencer Turner (18).
19. Rice (Manhattan, N.Y.) 21-3. Last week: 20. Senior guard Durand Scott scored 17 points to help the Raiders win the New York Archdiocesan title with a 65-58 victory over Bronx St. Raymond’s. James Stukes scored 23 points during a 62-38 semifinal victory over Staten Island St. Peter’s.
20. Pershing (Detroit, Mich.) 18-1. Last week: 21. The Doughboys did not play last week.
21. Olympia (Orlando, Fla.) 27-4. Last week: 22. The Titans handed Lakeland its fourth loss, 72-48, behind Dexter Field’s 20 points to win the Class 6A regional. Previously they handed state No. 1-ranked Orlando Dr. Phillips a 57-53 loss in the semifinals behind the scoring of Sherwood Brown (15), Martel Buie (14) and Fields (12). The two arch rivals played three four-point games this season, with Olympia taking the rubber game. Big game: Thursday vs. Winter Park in the 6A state semifinals.
22. Holmes (Covington, Ky.) 29-2. Last week: 23. The Bulldogs defeated Beechwood, 64-43, to win the district title as juniors Jeremiah Johnson and Elijah Pittman combined for 28 points and 20 rebounds. Earlier they defeated Holy Cross, 45-24.
23. DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.) 27-3. Last week: 24. The Stags won three times and reached the championship game of the WCAC Tournament. They edged Forestville Bishop McNamara, 59-56, in the semifinals behind Jerian Grant’s 15 points. Marcus Rouse and Quinn Cook each had 13 points, with Cook also handing out six assists. In the quarterfinals, the Stags defeated St. Mary’s Ryken, 55-42, as Rouse scored 18 points. Eight players scored during a 50-40 victory over St. John’s (Washington, D.C.).
24. St. Anthony (Jersey City, N.J.) 22-4. Last week: 25. Dominic Cheek had 21 points and four steals during a 66-37 victory over Academy of The New Church (Bryn Athyn, Pa.). Devon Collier contributed 15 points and eight rebounds. The Friars also defeated Montvale Pascack Hills, 74-37, as Elijah Carter produced 13 points and eight assists.
25. Ames (Iowa) 22-0. Last week: Not ranked. Junior standout Harrison Barnes scored 17 points to pace a 73-46 rout of Des Moines Lincoln.
Dropped Out: No. 16 Los Angeles Fairfax (25-4), lost to Woodland Hills Taft, 67-45, in the Los Angeles City Section Division I semifinals.
Past Weeks: Jan. 5 / Jan. 12 / Jan. 20 / Jan. 26 / Feb. 2 / Feb. 9 / Feb. 16 / Feb. 23
Click here for MaxPreps National Rankings presented by the National Guard
