MaxPreps Top 25 high school boys basketball rankings

Xcellent 25 National Basketball Rankings presented by the Army National Guard

1. (No. 1 last week) Lone Peak (Highland, Utah), 26-1
It would be fun to pretend that there was still some drama left in the national championship debate, but the Knights left no doubt about No. 1 following a four-game tear through Utah's Class 5A state tournament last week. Lone Peak won all four games by 26 points or more, including a 33-point drubbing of Alta (Sandy) in the final.

2. (2) Germantown (Wis.), 26-0
The Warhawks will face Oshkosh North in the Division 1 semifinals Friday. Mukwanago and Milwaukee King are lined up against one another on the opposite side of the bracket.

3. (3) Lake Oswego (Ore.), 26-0
The Lakers actually trailed briefly in the fourth quarter of a 60-50 win over Tigard in Oregon's Class 6A playoffs Friday. Next up is Southridge (Beaverton) in a quarterfinal matchup Wednesday at the Rose Garden in Portland.

4. (5) St. Anthony (Jersey City, N.J.), 26-1
After a 102-30 thrashing of Saddle River Day, the Friars advance to the semifinals of the Non-Public North B tournament for a Monday meeting with Hawthorne Christian. A potential showdown with Hudson Catholic (Jersey City) awaits in the finals.



5. (7) Whitney Young (Chicago), 26-3
If the Dolphins take care of Curie on Wednesday and rival Simeon does the same with DuSable, Whitney Young-Simeon II goes down Friday night in the Argo sectional championship.{PAGEBREAK} 6. (NR) Etiwanda (Calif.), 28-2
Unranked but on the bubble last week, Etiwanda pulled off impressive back-to-back win over then-No. 8 Long Beach Poly and then-No. 4 Mater Dei to capture the Southern Section Division 1AA title. The Eagles will have a week off before meeting the winner of Bullard (Fresno)-Westchester (Los Angeles) on March 12 in the CIF Open Division tournament.

7. (9) Olympic (Charlotte, N.C.), 27-0
The Trojans are two wins away from reaching the Dean E. Smith Center – home of the North Carolina Tar Heels – to play for the Class 4A state championship. First up is Hough (Cornelius) in the regional semifinals.

8. (10) Pershing (Detroit), 20-0
The Doughboys smoked University of Detroit-Jesuit 74-59 in the Operation Friendship city title game and opens district play Monday against Detroit King.

9. (11) Iowa City West (Iowa), 23-0
Three wins away from back-to-back 4A state crowns, West opens state tournament play Wednesday against Dowling.

10. (12) Blanche Ely (Pompano Beach, Fla.), 27-1
Season complete. Class 7A state champions.{PAGEBREAK} 11. (13) Simeon (Chicago), 25-3
While the Wolverines still have to get past DuSable, Simeon knew the road to four Class 4A state titles in a row would have go through Whitney Young. That matchup should materialize Friday night.

12. (14) North Little Rock (Ark.), 29-1
KeVaughn Allen pumped in 30 points to lead the Charging Wildcats to an 86-69 state semifinal win over West Memphis. NLR will meet Fayetteville on Saturday for the Class 7A title.



13. (4) Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.), 30-2
It would be foolish to count out the Monarchs in the Open Division state championship bracket. Mater Dei opens play Friday against El Camino Real (Woodland Hills).

14. (15) Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas), 29-3
Season complete. Division I state champions.

15. (8) Long Beach Poly (Calif.), 27-3
Poly is yet another powerhouse headed to the CIF Open Division state championship tournament. The first round opponent will be St. John Bosco (Bellflower), who the Jackrabbits beat 60-54 back on Feb. 2.{PAGEBREAK}

16. (16) Chester (Pa.), 24-3
The Clippers captured their 10th district title in 10 years with a 60-46 win over Lower Merion (Ardmore) in the final. Cumberland Valley (Mechanicsburg) will be Chester's first round opponent in the Class AAAA state tournament.

17. (17) Irmo (Columbia, S.C.), 29-0
Season complete. Class AAAA state champions.

18. (18) Blue Valley Northwest (Overland Park, Kan.), 22-0
The Huskies open Class 6A tournament play Wednesday against Lawrence Free State.

19. (19) Bishop Montgomery (Torrance, Calif.), 29-1
Rated No. 2 nationally two weeks ago, the Knights begin their shot at redemption Wednesday in the Division IV state tournament. La Verne Lutheran – the only team to beat Bishop Montgomery this season – is also in the bracket.



20. (20) Walnut Hills (Cincinnati, Ohio), 24-1
The Eagles are off until Saturday when they face Centerville in a district final at the University of Dayton.{PAGEBREAK}

Miller Grove makes its season debut in the Xcellent 25 after a dominating Class AAAAA semifinal victory.

File photo by David Hood

21. (21) Morgan Park (Chicago), 28-3
The Mustangs haven't been tested through two rounds in the Class 3A state tournament, beating Julian (Chicago) 107-40 and St. Laurence (Burbank) 86-53.

22. (22) Romulus (Mich.), 19-1
Head coach Nate Oats has a scorching-hot squad heading into a district opener Monday against Truman (Taylor). The Eagles embarrassed tradition-rich defending Class A state champ Saginaw 93-63 in their regular season finale.

23. (23) Wenonah (Birmingham, Ala.), 34-2
Season complete. Class 6A state champions.

24. (25) Northland (Columbus, Ohio), 24-0
Junior forward Jalen Tucker scored 20 points in a 104-50 playoff win over last week. Walnut Ridge (Cincinnati) is up next Wednesday in the district semifinals.

T25. (NR) Miller Grove (Lithonia, Ga.), 29-3
The Wolverines dismantled Northside (Columbus) 72-38 in the Class AAAAA semifinals and will play for their fifth straight state title Friday against Gainesville.

T25. (NR) South Grand Prairie (Grand Prairie, Texas), 36-3
A win over then-No. 24 Hebron (Carrollton) in the Class 5A regional finals made the Warriors impossible to ignore. SGP will face a bit of a Cinderella in Cibolo Steele in the state semifinals on Friday. Fort Bend Travis and Richardson Berkner square off on the opposite side of the bracket.



Dropped out: No. 6 last week DeSoto (Texas), No. 24 Hebron (Carrollton, Texas)