Celtics see national championship dreams fade with losses to Findlay Prep, St. Benedict's Prep; Detroit Country Day no longer unbeaten.
It’s been a rough week for head coach Kevin Boyle and the St. Patrick (Elizabeth, N.J.) Celtics, who held the No. 1 national ranking until a loss to No. 4 Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.) last Monday at the Hoophall Classic in Springfield, Mass.
St. Patrick’s misery was compounded by a hard-to-swallow setback against rival St. Benedict’s Prep (Newark, N.J.) on Saturday night. Superstar junior forward Michael Gilchrist did not play in that contest. Regardless, national championship hopes are likely out the window for the Celtics.
Kevin Boyle, St. Patrick
File photo by Lonnie Webb
Another highly-ranked team that saw big dreams dashed over the weekend was Detroit Country Day (Beverly Hills, Mich.), which climbed to No. 7 before Kalamazoo Central delivered a humbling 74-64 loss Saturday night. Like St. Patrick, Country Day played without a big contributor in 6-10 junior Amir Williams and remains in this week’s Xcellent 25 – barely.
Two other programs dropped out of the rankings after disappointing losses. Back-to-back East Coast trips for Westchester (Los Angeles, Calif.) proved to be too much as the Comets were crushed by Rice (New York, N.Y.), 62-44, at the PrimeTime Shootout in West Virginia.
Wheeler (Marietta, Ga.) continued its mastery over rival Alpharetta Milton, handing the then-No. 25 Eagles a 78-72 loss. Wheeler hasn’t lost to Milton since 1994.
Read on to see who took advantage of the open slots in this week’s Xcellent 25 Boys Basketball Rankings presented by the National Guard.
Xcellent 25 National High School Boys Basketball Rankings
1. (1) Yates (Houston, Texas), 20-0
The Lions posted their second 100-point victory of the season Saturday night, blasting Houston Davis 154-39. Seven Yates players scored in double figures in that game, led by Joseph Young’s 25. Houston Austin – who Yates beat by 88 on Jan. 2 – is up next.
2. (2) Northland (Columbus, Ohio), 11-0
Jared Sullinger made an early appearance on the Ohio State campus Saturday night against defending Indiana 2A champion Fort Wayne Bishop Luers, scoring 24 points and grabbing nine rebounds as Northland won easily, 88-67. Penn State commitment Trey Burke, a 6-1 junior guard, added 23. The Vikings also posted lopsided wins over Columbus Mifflin (104-38) and Columbus Brookhaven (73-40) last week.
3. (3) Bloomington South (Bloomington, Ind.), 14-0
The Panthers have won 40 games in a row and had one of their more impressive weekends of the season with wins over Martinsville (77-48) and Franklin Central (61-48). Junior guard Dee Davis and Butler-bound senior forward Erik Fromm led the way against Franklin Central with 17 points apiece. Fromm added 11 rebounds.
4. (4) Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.), 23-1
The Pilots stayed close to home for a change to beat Henderson Foothill on Friday night, 83-63, behind 25 points from Texas-bound forward Tristan Thompson. Findlay Prep gets back on the road this week for the Montverde Academy Invitational in Florida.
5. (6) Paterson Catholic (Paterson, N.J.), 12-0
The Cougars coasted in their only contest of the week, beating Hawthorne 91-31. Paterson Catholic’s remaining schedule doesn’t look threatening. An unbeaten regular season could be in the works for the program.
Myck Kabongo, St. Benedict's Prep
File photo by Lonnie Webb
The Gray Bees can finally put to bed talk of last year’s humiliating 88-62 loss to rival Elizabeth St. Patrick after stunning the Celtics Saturday night, 65-64. Junior guard Myck Kabongo, a Texas verbal commitment, led St. Benedict’s against the former national No. 1 with 17 points. Head coach Danny Hurley’s program followed with an 82-43 win over Long Branch as part of the Izod Showcase at Caldwell College. Temple signee Aaron Brown poured in 25 points against Long Branch.
7. (8) Ames (Iowa), 11-0
Des Moines East (85-38) and Fort Dodge (81-44) were this week’s victims of the “Harrison Barnes State Championship Farewell Tour.” Barnes posted 22 and 25 in the victories, respectively. Northern Iowa signee Doug McDermott has been outstanding for the Little Cyclones this season, as well, averaging over 20 points per game.
8. (10) Christ School (Arden, N.C.), 24-1
The Greenies continue to win and win big. Christ School beat High Point Wesleyan Christian, Burnsville Mountain Heritage and Rabun Gap of Georgia by an average margin of 34.6 points per game last week. Future South Carolina Gamecock Eric Smith posted 26 points and six assists against Mountain Heritage.
9. (11) Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.), 17-1
The Monarchs are playing at a high level right now, beating up on Trinity League rival Santa Margarita 97-52 Friday night despite an ejection of Gary McKnight, who became California’s all-time winningest boys basketball coach last week. Keala King tallied 23 points and 11 rebounds in the victory. King (15.5 points per game) is one of three Division I-bound Monarchs averaging double figures along with UCLA signee Tyler Lamb (18.0) and future California Golden Bear Gary Franklin (15.9.).
10. (13) Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia, Pa.), 14-1
The Saints outclassed Lansdale Catholic (82-41) and Philadelphia Cardinal Dougherty Neumann-Goretti’s (95-67) over the weekend. All-American candidate and Wake Forest signee Tony Chennault averaged 24 points per game in the victories. Neumann-Goretti’s only loss of the season came in December against No. 1 Yates at the Iolani Classic in Hawaii.
Quinn Cook, DeMatha
File photo by Lonnie Webb
Junior guard Quinn Cook made sure there would be no hangover from a loss to No. 9 Mater Dei by averaging 23.5 points per game in wins over Washington Catholic Athletic Conference foes Bishop O’Connell (Arlington, Va.) and Archbishop Carroll (Washington, D.C.).The Stags need to be on upset alert Saturday as they draw Bob Hurley and St. Anthony (Jersey City, N.J.) at the Newark National Invitational.
12. (5) St. Patrick (Elizabeth, N.J.), 11-2
After two losses last week, the Celtics must focus on being New Jersey’s best, which would be a significant accomplishment with programs like No. 4 Paterson Catholic, St. Anthony, Plainfield, Seton Hall Prep and St. Peter’s Prep looking like contenders for the state’s prestigious Tournament of Champions title.
13. (15) Montrose Christian (Rockville, Md.), 11-1
Montrose Christian, which doesn’t have a nickname, still has a lot to prove for a team ranked this high. The Maryland independent powerhouse needed overtime to beat a solid Kecoughtan team from Hampton, Va., on Saturday night. Duke signee Josh Hairston pumped in 25 points to spark the 76-70 victory. The Montverde Academy Invitational, which also includes No. 4 Findlay Prep, Arlington Country Day (Jacksonville, Fla.) and host Montverde Academy, should help clear up exactly where Stu Vetter’s program stands this weekend.
14. (16) Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.), 20-2
The Warriors won their 20th game of the season Saturday at the PrimeTime Shootout in West Virginia by knocking off Columbia (Decatur, Ga.), 63-56, behind 20 points from Doron Lamb and 18 from Connecticut pledge Roscoe Smith. In addition to Oak Hill Academy, Columbia’s losses have come to Whitney Young of Chicago, No. 1 Yates, No. 13 Montrose Christian and No. 16 Bishop Gorman.
15. (17) Providence (Jacksonville, Fla.), 19-1
The Stallions allowed just five points in the second half of an 81-40 win over St. Augustine St. Joseph on Friday night. The defensive effort included a shutout in the third quarter. Six-foot-six junior Wayne Martin scored a team-high 20 points.
16. (18) Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.), 17-1
The Gaels are emerging as an offensive juggernaut in January, scoring 80 points or more in seven-straight games, including wins over Las Vegas Bonanza (87-45) and Las Vegas Desert Oasis (90-47) last week. Sophomore Shabazz Muhammad, who missed most of Bishop Gorman’s impressive December run, tallied 18 points and nine rebounds against Desert Oasis.
17. (19) Bellaire (Texas), 24-1
Texas commitment Sheldon McClellan, just a junior, scored 22 points and Texas A&M signee Tobi Oyedeji added 18 as Bellaire coasted to an 86-53 win over Houston Milby in its only action of the week.
18. (20) Plymouth Whitemarsh (Plymouth Meeting, Pa.), 14-0
The Colonials piled up three more double-digit wins to extend their unbeaten run, but things will get much trickier this week. Plymouth Whitemarsh faces a 10-2 Philadelphia Imhotep Charter squad Friday at the Villanova leg of the PrimeTime Shootout, then No. 6 St. Benedict’s Prep on Sunday at the Lehigh Valley Hoop Group Showcase in Allentown.
19. (21) Ridgeway (Memphis, Tenn.), 16-0
The Roadrunners began the week with a 91-79 win over Germantown and ended it with an 84-47 thrashing of Germantown Houston. Sophomore Cameron Golden scored 27 points and senior guard Marterrace Brock added 22 in the win over Germantown, which was a key contest in District 15-AAA play.
20. (22) Dunbar (Dayton, Ohio), 13-0
There was no letdown by the Wolverines following a statement-making win over Chicago Whitney Young last weekend. Dunbar remained perfect with an 86-51 win over Dayton Meadowdale on Friday and followed by beating a talented Trotwood-Madison team on Sunday in front of a reported 4,000 fans at the Nutter Center in Fairborn, 78-62.
21. (23) Melrose (Memphis, Tenn.), 21-1
The Golden Wildcats cruised in a pair of District 16-AAA wins over Memphis Mitchell (90-63) and Memphis Whitehaven (74-44). Head coach Jermaine Johnson’s team is averaging 80.9 points per game this season.
22. (NR) Half Hollow Hills West (Dix Hills, N.Y.), 10-0
The dynamic trio of brothers Tobias and Tyler Harris and Tavon Sledge could take the Colts a long way this season. Tobias Harris, a 6-8 Tennessee signee and top 20 senior nationally, scored 36 points and grabbed 14 rebounds in an 82-72 win over Chester (Pa.) at the PrimeTime Shootout in West Virginia on Saturday. The future Vol is moving up on the National Player of the Year board, posting 25.7 points and 14.4 rebounds per game. Sledge is adding 17 points and 10 assists a night while the younger Harris is chipping in 14.1 points and 6.6 rebounds.
23. (NR) Mt. Lebanon (Pittsburgh, Pa.), 14-0
The Blue Devils earned their way into the Xcellent 25 with a 54-46 win over Josh Selby and Lake Clifton (Baltimore, Md.) at the PrimeTime Shootout in West Virginia over the weekend. Wagner signee Evan Pierce led the way with 16 points. Mt. Lebo beat Florida power Montverde Academy in December. The Blue Devils' girls team was ranked No. 12 in last week's Xcellent 25, making the school one of three (along with Detroit Country Day and Mater Dei) to have both squads represented in the national rankings.
24. (24) Jesuit (Portland, Ore.), 13-1
The Crusaders made life tough on Portland Sunset and Beaverton Southridge last week, holding both teams under 40 points in easy wins. The defense has been there all year for Jesuit in allowing just 47.7 points per game.
25. (7) Detroit Country Day (Beverly Hills, Mich.), 10-1
A 74-64 loss to Kalamazoo Central was unexpected, but after reading reports out of Michigan, maybe it shouldn’t have been. Kalamazoo Central is legit. Player of the Year candidate Ray McCallum Jr. scored 21 points for Country Day, but Central’s Dyland Hughes and T.J. Buchanan combined for 43 points to spark the upset. Both teams played without major contributors as DCD missed the services of 6-10 junior Amir Williams and Central won without Dayton signee Devin Oliver.
Dropped out: No. 12 Westchester (Los Angeles, Calif.), No. 25 Milton (Alpharetta, Ga.)
