Xcellent 25 high school boys basketball rankings

A big Saturday night in high school basketball included a pair of Top 10 showdowns, providing plenty of direction in stacking up the elite in this week's Xcellent 25 presented by the Army National Guard.

In front of a packed house at American University, then-No. 5 Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.) held off No. 6 DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.) 76-74 in a key Washington Catholic Athletic Conference matchup. Head coach Steve Turner's squad was led by junior forward Kris Jenkins, who tallied 27 points. The Eagles were without the services of junior point guard Nate Britt, already committed to North Carolina.

At Penny Hardaway's Hoopfest in Memphis, Tenn., then-No. 7 Simeon (Chicago) bounced back impressively from its first loss of the season with a 73-54 win over No. 9 Southwind (Memphis). The Wolverines led by just a single point at halftime, but took their game to a place Southwind couldn't go in the second half. Steve Taylor notched a team-high 19 for Simeon while Jabari Parker added 16.

Southwind beat No. 10 Ridgeway (Memphis) in a highly-anticipated local showdown two nights earlier.



Read on for a complete look at this week's rankings.

Xcellent 25 High School Basketball Rankings presented by the Army National Guard

1. (No. 1 last week) St. Anthony (Jersey City, N.J.) (12-0)
The Friars will look to defend their 2011 title at the SNY Invitational this weekend against a trio of tough New York City teams.

2. (5) Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.) (17-0)
Surviving last week without junior point guard Nate Britt was impressive. Kris Jenkins stepped up with 26 points and a three at the buzzer to beat Patterson (Baltimore) on Monday and 29 more in a mid-week victory over Good Counsel (Olney, Md.).

3. (2) Grace Prep (Arlington, Texas) (18-2)
The Lions' average margin of victory this month is 45.3 and nothing on the schedule suggests that things will get more competitive in the near future.

4. (3) Marcus (Flower Mound, Texas) (25-2)
The Marauders have won eight in a row since an upset loss in late December. Oklahoma State-bound senior guards Phil Forte and Marcus Smart combined for 45 points in a 76-56 win over Flower Mound on Friday.



5. (4) Milton (Ga.) (15-4)
With University of Georgia-bound Charles Mann in the lineup, the Eagles are 12-0 and have won each of those contests by double digits.
 
{PAGEBREAK} 6. (7) Simeon (Chicago) (17-1)
Taking on Southwind in Memphis seemed like a bit of a trap game for the Wolverines, but credit head coach Robert Smith for getting his troops refocused for a tough road test.

7. (8) Chester (Pa.) (15-0)
The Clippers have won 41 games in a row and their last three by 26 points or more. Chester has held each of its last six opponents to 43 points or less.

8. (11) Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) (17-2)
The Monarchs should get a tough test this week from St. John Bosco (Bellflower) and high-scoring Hamilton brothers Isaac (25.8 points, 11.7 rebounds per game) and Daniel (18.3 points, 8.5 rebounds per game).

9. (6) DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.) (16-2)
Don't expect a repeat of last season, when the Stags started 12-0 only to lose nine games after the New Year. Head coach Mike Jones and his senior trio of Marcellous Bell, Jerami Grant and James Robinson are too good and too determined to let that happen.

10. (9) Southwind (Memphis, Tenn.) (20-2)
Though the Jags fell to Simeon, they came away with a big victory last week against then-No. 10 and previously undefeated Ridgeway (Memphis).
 
{PAGEBREAK} 11. (10) Ridgeway (Memphis, Tenn.) (19-1)
Two nights after falling to Southwind by two points, the Roadrunners scored a huge win over Kevin Boyle and Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) at Penny Hardaway's Hoopfest.

12. (12) Prestonwood Christian (Plano, Texas) (18-4)
PCA bounced back from last weekend's humbling loss to Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) with a 76-59 win over Bishop Dunne (Dallas). Five Lions reached double figures led by future Kansas Jayhawk Zach Peters with 20 points.



13. (13) Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) (14-4)
Gorman's losses have come to No. 5 Milton, No. 8 Mater Dei, No. 12 Prestonwood Christian and Academy Top 10 No. 2 Findlay Prep.

14. (14) Wichita Heights (Wichita, Kan.) (11-0)
The Falcons won three games in three days to capture the Dodge City Tournament of Champions, beating East (Wichita) in the final 69-52 behind 31 points and nine rebounds from senior forward Perry Ellis.

15. (15) Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia) (13-2)
The Saints have won 30 of their last 32 contests dating back to last season.

{PAGEBREAK} 16. (16) Westbury Christian (Houston) (19-2)
In games against district opponents this season (TAPPS Class 4A District 4), the Wildcats are winning by an average margin of 48.2 points per game.

17. (17) Olympic (Charlotte, N.C.) (18-0)
The Trojans made quick work of Wheeler (Marietta, Ga.) over the weekend at the Hilton Invitational, jumping to a 28-10 lead after one quarter and staying unbeaten with a 69-52 victory.

18. (18) Columbia (Decatur, Ga.) (18-1)
Like Olympic, Columbia also participated in the Hilton Invitational and got a 49-47 over United Faith Christian Academy (Charlotte, N.C.).



19. (19) Proviso East (Maywood, Ill.) (16-0)
Apparently there is a whole lot more to the Pirates than just Keith Carter and Sterling Brown. Junior Paris Lee led the way with 25 points last Thursday in a 78-70 win over Downers Grove – just the second time this season Proviso East's margin of victory has been less than 10 points.

20. (20) Lone Peak (Highland, Utah) (12-2)
In a rematch of last season's Class 5A state championship game (won by Lone Peak), the Knights thumped American Fork 55-40 on Friday night behind 20 points from junior All-American candidate Nick Emery.

{PAGEBREAK} 21. (21) Dunbar (Dayton, Ohio) (13-0)
Cleveland State pledge Gary Akbar continued to produce big for the Wolverines in an 81-69 win over Trotwood-Madison (Trotwood) on Sunday night, piling up 29 points and 16 rebounds.

22. (22) Pershing (Detroit) (11-0)
Martez Walker continued his strong junior campaign with 28 points in Pershing's latest outing, an 87-76 win over a tough King (Detroit) squad.

23. (23) Long Beach Poly (Long Beach, Calif.) (15-1)
Poly's Roschon Prince is another junior on the rise this winter. The 6-foot-6 wing is averaging 20.4 points, 7.3 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 2.4 per game for the Jackrabbits.

24. (24) Blanche Ely (Pompano Beach, Fla.) (19-2)
The Tigers poured it on with 37 fourth-quarter points in a 91-62 win over an 18-3 Deerfield Beach squad. Senior forward Clide Geffrard led the way in the Saturday victory with 27 points and 11 boards.



25. (25) Sexton (Lansing, Mich.) (8-1)
Iowa-bound senior guard Anthony Clemmons put up a team-high 18 points as Sexton overcame a sluggish first half to beat East Lansing 70-56 on Friday night.